All the Pretty Horses

If you are looking for a action/adventure book with a short romantic twist then All the Pretty Horses is for you. Cormac McCarthy does a good job drawing you into the western/Mexican setting and really getting the reader involved in the two main characters lifestyles. First there is John Grady Cole, a sixteen-year-old farm boy and our central character. He seems to be sheltered and lives his life by a strict code. The most important thing in John Grady's life is horses and he is extremely gifted when it comes to handling them. The plot revolves around his journey to Mexico as he escapes the Texas ranch in which he has spent his whole life. He does not travel alone however, he is joined by his best friend Lacey Rawlins. Rawlins is loud and impatient and less intelligent than John Grady. Rawlins remains loyal to Cole, sticking by his side throughout their adventure, but when they encounter their most difficult experience he feels that he cannot go on any longer. The third but less important character's name is Jimmy Belvins, a young boy who follows them and ends up joining them on their voyage. He is a shy boy, one who doesn't handle embarrassment and mockery very well. He found them after he ran away from his abusive father. He pays for his sensitivity in the end. During their passage they look for a stolen horse, work for a Mexican rancher, one falls in love with the daughter of his employer. They experience entrapment, love, loss and death. It is a well written story that takes you through the expedition of three young boys who are trying to find more inside themselves. I highly recommend it.