No Country For Old Men
Length Of Time In Possession : 3 weeks
No Country For Old Men is the novel from which the fantastic Academy Award Winning Coen Brothers film starring Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin came. I urge you to watch the film.
Does the novel measure up? By and large, yes, the Coen Brothers did a faithful adaptation and though for me, the film has a slight edge, the book is a worthwhile read.
Llewellyn Moss stumbles upon a crime scene, everyone is dead but there is a substantial amount of money and seizes the opportunity unwittingly sealing his fate. Because recovering that money is tasked to Anton Chigurh, a man who doesn't forgive, doesn't forget and shows no mercy.
My favourite sections belonged to the musings of Sheriff Bell, an aging law man who has seen too much and sees what he believes as terrible social decay, the USA is No Country For Old Men. His philosophical outlooks and ultimate choices are the best written aspects of the book, several parts of which are eminently quotable, but I do not have the book to hand.
Fast moving but yet still at times with a sense of slow reflection, the novel is highly enjoyable and well worth reading.
Verdict : 8/10
Destination : Charity Shop
Showing posts with label Excellent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Excellent. Show all posts
Thursday, 13 June 2013
Monday, 6 February 2012
Book #14 Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
Lonesome Dove
I would start by saying that Pulitzer Prize winner Lonesome Dove is a long book. It's over 900 pages. So, in reading this book that's quite a commitment for most people. But it is incredibly worth it.
A wild, wild west story of Cowboys and Indians, there is a lot to be said for the rich detail, involving storylines and strong characterisation.
Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call are retired Texas Rangers, they live on a small rundown ranch, cattle rustling and horse trading on the Mexican Border. When former colleague Jake Spoon reappears in their lives, wanted by the law, he permanently changes all their destinies by encouraging McCrae and Call to consider a move to Montana. A move which leads to the men taking the journey of their lives.
The other half of the story involves sheriff July Johnson who is on the trail of criminal Jake Spoon, and the novel also follows his journey to catch Spoon, suddenly derailed by the apparent disappearance of his wife. Both stories flow nicely, and eventually intertwine. It could be said that their intertwining proves overly coincidental, and it is a little, but it all feels fitting somehow.
Though this is a book about men, working men in groups, and the undemonstrative but deep friendships of men; the book has three women, all of whom are interesting and colourful and bring a different life to the story: Lorena a prostitute who dreams of a better life, Elmira a feckless wife and Clara hard working and straight forward. Their sections light up what can be long patches of journeying.
In addition the company kept by McCrae and Call are also interesting in their own way, fugitive Spoon, young Newt a question mark over his paternity, lovesick Dish, scout Deets and two homesick Irishmen fill this novel full of a sense of energy. They are genuinely interesting characters and it was fun to take their long journey with them. Particularly I think if you liked the film True Grit, you'll like this. 10/10
I would start by saying that Pulitzer Prize winner Lonesome Dove is a long book. It's over 900 pages. So, in reading this book that's quite a commitment for most people. But it is incredibly worth it.
A wild, wild west story of Cowboys and Indians, there is a lot to be said for the rich detail, involving storylines and strong characterisation.
Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call are retired Texas Rangers, they live on a small rundown ranch, cattle rustling and horse trading on the Mexican Border. When former colleague Jake Spoon reappears in their lives, wanted by the law, he permanently changes all their destinies by encouraging McCrae and Call to consider a move to Montana. A move which leads to the men taking the journey of their lives.
The other half of the story involves sheriff July Johnson who is on the trail of criminal Jake Spoon, and the novel also follows his journey to catch Spoon, suddenly derailed by the apparent disappearance of his wife. Both stories flow nicely, and eventually intertwine. It could be said that their intertwining proves overly coincidental, and it is a little, but it all feels fitting somehow.
Though this is a book about men, working men in groups, and the undemonstrative but deep friendships of men; the book has three women, all of whom are interesting and colourful and bring a different life to the story: Lorena a prostitute who dreams of a better life, Elmira a feckless wife and Clara hard working and straight forward. Their sections light up what can be long patches of journeying.
In addition the company kept by McCrae and Call are also interesting in their own way, fugitive Spoon, young Newt a question mark over his paternity, lovesick Dish, scout Deets and two homesick Irishmen fill this novel full of a sense of energy. They are genuinely interesting characters and it was fun to take their long journey with them. Particularly I think if you liked the film True Grit, you'll like this. 10/10
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