Based on all the amazing reviews on this book, I’m pretty sure I’m going to go for it, but still wanted to ask… is it a gripping story that keeps you on your toes wondering what is going to happen next? Or is it more known for its beautiful prose and writing style?
I worry that I may get bored with it since I am relatively new to reading and usually read mystery thriller type books as opposed to literary classics that may have a more subtle genius but less of a captivating plot.
by darioz3
6 Comments
Not gripping. Well-written and a good read but I personally didn’t find it to be super suspenseful.
Most of it is character driven rather than plot driven, which is what mystery and thrillers are. The last couple hundred pages become more plot driven but I still wouldn’t compare it to a thriller.
I thought it was fantastic but if you need to be pulled in with constant action or something similar it might be a bit more of a challenge for you, I would say it’s definitely worth challenging yourself!
It’s been a couple years since I’ve read it, so I may not remember everything perfectly, but here’s my take.
The book is actually quite “easy” to read. The prose is nothing like a McCarthy or a Pynchon where you might have to go back and reread a sentence to understand what it means. Not quite Steinbeck levels of simplicity, but closer.
The reason Lonesome Dove is one of my favorite books, though, is the characters. They are all so well written, and you get to know so much about them throughout the course of the novel. The book starts off somewhat slowly establishing all of the characters, but it pays off as the story progresses and as more and more starts happening, largely for the worse (trying not to spoil too much).
What gripped me the most wasn’t any sort of mystery, but wanting to know how each character would end up over the course of the novel, just because I cared about them so much. I went in perhaps with similar expectations as you, especially considering the sheer size of the book, but in my opinion it’s entirely worth it and then some.
First try *True Grit*, by Charles Portis. It’s shorter and faster and maybe the second best Western ever written. See if you like it before trying *Lonesome Dove*.
It is a very sentimental character study. The cattle drive that is the “story” of the book is really just a vehicle for nearly everyone to orbit 1 specific, extremely charming, character.