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All the Pretty Horses

Book 1 in the series:The Border Trilogy

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Set in the late 1940s, 'All the Pretty Horses' follows the coming of age journey of John Grady Cole, a 16-year-old Texan cowboy, who embarks on a horseback adventure into Mexico with his friend Lacey Rawlins. The narrative is rich in detail, portraying harrowing encounters with corrupt officials, bandits, and treacherous weather, all while exploring themes of friendship, loyalty, and love. The prose is described as beautifully descriptive, evocative of the American West, and meticulously paced, capturing the essence of the characters and the landscapes they traverse. The book is noted for its unique writing style, including the abundant use of Spanish dialogues and the absence of quotation marks, which some readers found challenging but ultimately rewarding.

McCarthy's 'All the Pretty Horses' is a departure from traditional Western narratives, offering a dark and unsettling cowboy adventure that defies generic conventions. The story is described as a blend of adventure, romance, and introspection, delving into themes of survival, love, and the passage of time. The novel's exploration of cowboy life and the changing landscapes of Texas and Mexico, along with its well-drawn characters and lyrical prose, captivates readers and immerses them in a world of stark beauty and harsh realities.

Characters:

The characters are well-developed, with John Grady Cole as the introspective protagonist, supported by loyal friends and complex relationships that explore love and societal challenges.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by sparse prose and minimal punctuation, blending poetic imagery with gritty realism, while incorporating untranslated Spanish dialogue that enhances authenticity.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot revolves around the journey of John Grady Cole and his friend Lacey Rawlins as they travel to Mexico after the sale of their family ranch, highlighting themes of love, loss, and the challenges of cowboy life.

Setting:

The setting is richly described, portraying the U.S.-Mexico border in the late 1940s and enhancing the story's themes of isolation and identity through vivid landscapes.

Pacing:

The pacing starts slow, focusing on detailed descriptions, but picks up in tension and conflict as the story progresses, engaging the reader more deeply.
Dark and cold and no wind and a thin gray reef beginning along the eastern rim of the world. He walked out on the prairie and stood holding his hat like some supplicant to the darkness over them all a...

Notes:

The novel is set in 1949 and follows 16-year-old John Grady Cole as he leaves Texas after his family's ranch is sold.
John Grady and his friend Lacey Rawlins travel to Mexico in search of work and adventure.
They encounter a younger boy named Jimmy Blevins, who initially seems to complicate their journey.
The story explores themes of idealism, loss of innocence, and the harsh realities of life as cowboys.
John Grady falls in love with Alejandra, the daughter of a wealthy ranch owner, but their love is complicated by social expectations.
The book features a stark portrayal of Mexican life and culture, including the systemic corruption that the characters face.
McCarthy's writing style is notable for its lack of punctuation, especially in dialogue, which can be challenging for some readers.
The novel includes significant amounts of untranslated Spanish dialogue, requiring readers to infer meaning from context.
The narrative mixes elements of classic Westerns with deeper philosophical questions about fate, choice, and morality.
The book won both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1992 and has been adapted into a film.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of violence, betrayal, prison system issues, and the death of a character, which may be distressing for some readers.

Has Romance?

Romantic elements are integral to the story, especially the relationship John Grady Cole develops with Alejandra.

From The Publisher:

The national bestseller and the first volume in Cormac McCarthy's Border Trilogy, All the Pretty Horses is the tale of John Grady Cole, who at sixteen finds himself at the end of a long line of Texas ranchers, cut off from the only life he has ever imagined for himself. With two companions, he sets off for Mexico on a sometimes idyllic, sometimes comic journey to a place where dreams are paid for in blood. Winner of the National Book Award for Fiction.

Ratings (53)

Incredible (9)
Loved It (24)
Liked It (12)
It Was OK (6)
Did Not Like (2)

Reader Stats (87):

Read It (54)
Currently Reading (1)
Want To Read (23)
Did Not Finish (1)
Not Interested (8)

1 comment(s)

Did Not Like
1 week

I've read four books it total by Cormac McCarthy and the first three wasn't any lower then 4 stars so it pains me that I didn't get on with this one. But hey, you can't like everything you read. The other books I've read by him was difficult to put down, easy to get invested in and hooked me to the story. This one was the opposite. Found it rather difficult to pick the audiobook back up and while I hoped to like it more Everytime I just couldn't get invested. But there are more books by Cormac McCarthy for me to explore and I'm hopefully I'll enjoy them more

 

About the Author:

Cormac McCarthy is an American novelist, screenwriter, and playwright who has won the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the National Book Critics Circle Award. A number of his works have been adapted into films, including All the Pretty…

 
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