Book Worms  |  Amazon.com

All the Pretty Horses is an excellent novel which takes the reader on an adventurous and tragic journey through Texas and Mexico in the late 1940s. Along the way we encounter love, danger, betrayal, heartbreak, friendship, sacrifice, revenge and pretty much every other ingredient that you would expect to find in an award-winning book. The story follows John Grady Cole, a quiet teenager who is cut off from his life of ranching after his grandfather dies. Along with his best friend Rawlins, John runs away to Mexico, searching for a new way of life. Through his travels and trials, John grows into adulthood. Often the experience is a painful one, as John learns that everything in life comes with a price.

The action really takes off after John and Rawlins are hired to work on a Mexican ranch. John quickly proves his worth through his amazing talent with horses, but when he falls for the wealthy ranch owner's daughter, the reader at once recognizes that the situation is hopeless. Nevertheless, they are compelled to follow the book through to its bitter end.

While John is a very interesting character, for me the most amazing part of the novel is McCarthy's portrayal of Mexico. It is a country that is both romantic and cruel, both beautiful and deadly. It is the perfect setting for the action. Along with the landscape, the other star of the story is McCarthy's writing. While at times it can be a little pretentious and overbearing (this is the reason for the four- rather than five-star rating), it nevertheless is very well done. At times, it is almost as much poetry as prose. Still, the text can be a little dense and slow at parts, and it takes some effort to work your way through it. Nevertheless, this novel is a journey that is definitely worth taking.

•  Send Comments
•  Visit Down By the Schoolyard

(Submitted 4/27/01 by Cleveland lawyer Julio.)