All the Pretty Horses (The Border Trilogy, #1) in Retro Chapter Chicks

Apr 06, 2010 Book Concierge rated it it was ok

Shelves: texas, mexico, audio, nature, book-club, literature, library, concierge

2.5 stars
I read this book because I met author Leif Enger at a luncheon and he was practically aghast that I had never read it. He told me I absolutely must read the book, and having done so, I understand why.
The adventure / coming-of-age story is compelling. But it is also disturbing because of violence. The writing style is not to my liking - too chopppy and sparse. And his lack of quotes or explanation makes it hard to follow dialogue. I appreciate the novel, but I don't recommend it. The use 2.5 stars
I read this book because I met author Leif Enger at a luncheon and he was practically aghast that I had never read it. He told me I absolutely must read the book, and having done so, I understand why.
The adventure / coming-of-age story is compelling. But it is also disturbing because of violence. The writing style is not to my liking - too chopppy and sparse. And his lack of quotes or explanation makes it hard to follow dialogue. I appreciate the novel, but I don't recommend it. The use of Spanish may be problematic for many readers.

UPDATE 13June2012
For this re-reading I chose the audio book. Alexander Adams does a great job of voicing all the many characters, giving them sufficiently unique voices that it is fairly easy to follow the dialogue. One significant complaint, however, is that Adams cannot properly pronounce the Spanish. Okay, I understand his obviously “gringo” accent when he’s voicing Grady or one of the other boys attempting Spanish. But he mispronounces place names, and mangles the Spanish spoken by the Mexicans. I speak Spanish and McCarthy’s use of the language didn’t bother me much when I read the book, but Adams’s pronunciation was so awful that a couple of times I could not tell what was being said until I got the text and looked it up! This irritated me so much I nearly dropped my rating further.

I will say this about McCarthy’s writing, however. He paints a landscape that is so vivid that I can taste the dusty grit, feel the sweat on my skin, and relish in the cool relief of a small stream and a little shade after a hot day on the trail. I don’t know if it’s entirely his skill (though I do not mean to diminish his skill as a writer); I grew up in that landscape and know it well. My father was born in the state of Coahuila; my mother and I were born in Del Rio, a Texas town on the Rio Grande. I’ve visited many of the cities and towns McCarthy writes about, and driven across that wide plain leading to Torreón, where, as my friend is fond of saying, “You can leave home today and they’ll see you cross the horizon next Thursday.”
...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Jul 24, 2014 Kris (My Novelesque Life) rated it it was amazing

5 STARS

"The story of John Grady Cole, who at 16 finds himself at the dying end of a long line of Texas ranchers, cut off from the only life he has ever imagined for himself. He escapes to Mexico with friends, but what begins as a comic adventure, leads to a place where dreams are paid for in blood." (From Amazon)

This novel is rich in detail but a quiet book that stays with you. Not much dialogue is needed as the description suffices.

...more

1 like · Like · see review