Finished it today and I'm speechless. I had seen it recommended multiple times on this sub and elsewhere, so curiosity got the better of me. Went in completely blind, besides only knowing that it was some sort of wild west story. It exceeded my expectations.
The book did such a great job with the main characters. My favorite was probably Gus. He had a cavalier attitude about what he considered trivialities of life but he showed great concern and empathy whenever it mattered. I also liked how, despite his almost Ecclesiastes-esque worldview, he was not above a little vanity. He wrote that Latin phrase on the sign that he didn't understand himself, and when he learned Wilbarger went to Yale he was afraid that he'd get called out for it by a more educated person; he was annoyed when everyone seemed to love the new cook Po Campo and the fried grasshoppers more than his own favorite sourdough biscuits.
It was the same deal with the other main characters, Call, Jake, July, Newt, Lorena, and Clara. Each had moments when they shined, but also flaws that either irritated you or made you smile a little because of how relatable they were.
I have to admit the book was a slow-burn for me at first. For the first 1/3 of the book it felt like nothing was happening except for everyone just eating, bickering, and whoring. Then somewhere along their long cattle drive to Montana I suddenly realized I started caring about the story. After that I had a hard time putting the book down. In hindsight I really appreciated the earlier chapters, because the scene-setting and character-building were truly phenomenal.
Given the wild west theme I was anticipating lots of plot-driven cowboy action, fights against Mexicans, Indians, and struggles against the elements. The book did have some of it, but it was much more than that. It was an introspective, emotional story about friendship, love, regret, and the vagaries of life.
Definitely 5/5 stars.
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