All The Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy is the first book in The Border trilogy. John Grady Cole is a young man of about sixteen when his grandfather passes away in 1949. His mother refuses to have anything to do with her family’s ranch and has long since left behind both John Grady and his father to live in the big city. John Grady’s father has never been the same since he fought in the war a few years before and has moved to the nearby small town instead of staying on the ranch. When John Grady learns his mother is planning to sell the family ranch instead of allowing him to run it he decides to do something about it. With no legal recourse to hold onto the ranch his plan changes to leaving altogether instead. Joined by his best friend, Lacey Rawlins, they saddle up their respective horses and head for the border south. A trip that starts out relatively easy but quickly becomes fraught with disaster when they are joined by an even younger teen who calls himself Jimmy Blevins. Though Rawlins is reluctant they allow Blevins to travel with them even as chaos and disaster seem to follow along right in his wake.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect with this particular book but it sounded interesting so I thought I would try it out. It ended up being a really great read and deceptively simple. I say deceptively simple because the language used is surprisingly simple. There is no fancy language or phrasing that would make it harder for the average reader. The story is also pretty similar in that, on the surface, it is about a young man who has a deep and abiding love and passion for horses. If you look under the surface there are all kinds of things to think about and puzzle about and just have fun pulling apart but this is the kind of story where what you read is more or less what you get. You don’t have to think too hard about it unless you just want to. That does not make it any less worth the read though as the book is still remarkably deep and profound because of that. I say that because the relatively simple language used allows for a more clear cut and stark portrayal of events. There is nothing to confuse or question because of that since you know, more or less, exactly what is going on at any given point. At the same time there are deep undercurrents as the story shows what it is like to grow up, to take responsibility, and to face your own life and figuring out what you want out of it. A book that was well worth reading and thoroughly enjoyable. I am giving it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
This is a rather interesting blend of historical fiction, contemporary fiction and also in many ways a western. I would assume it would actually hold the most appeal to readers who enjoy books about growing up since that is the main focus of the story though it would also appeal to readers who like horses. The book is aimed at adults but the violence is limited and not overly graphic and the adult references are fairly minimal overall. I would feel fine with also saying that older teens would also be alright reading this but probably not anybody younger than about fourteen. A good book and worth the read though so consider trying it if it sounds interesting. If you do, consider sharing your thoughts in the comments.