Up until a couple of weeks ago, I only disliked McCarthy’s
books when I found them too gratuitously violent (Blood Meridian and No Country
for Old Men). Sadly enough Cities of
the Plain proved that on some rare occasions I might not fall in love with
McCarthy’s novels because they can also be, well, average.
The prose is still great and the characters interesting if a
bit boring in their stubbornness, but I have two problems with this book.
1. Was it all just about capitalizing on the
success of All the Pretty Horses and The Crossing? Cause I really saw no need
to bring back John Grady and Billy (despite the fact that they are two of the
characters that I loved most in history!) and pair them together – I want my
cowboys to be allowed to ride on in the sunset and never be seen again at the
end of books
2. John Grady survived countless attacks in the
Mexican prisons in All the Pretty Horses and
then gets essentially destroyed in a knife-fight by his dead lover’s pimp. Now,
I understand hating your enemy affects your judgement (thanks Godfather II), but I seriously would
have expected more from one of the coolest men ever…
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