Lonesome Dove Readalong - Chapters 11 -20

This weeks questions are provided by Leah from Amused By Books and if you'd like to see her answers, as well as Amy's and Melissa's, please visit My Friend Amy.

1) Obviously Texas and Mexico border each other and we've learned that Call and Gus used to be Rangers. Their job was to control the borders. Any Mexican caught stealing horses or cattle on the Texas side was hung or shot, yet they are going down to Mexico to gather their horses and cattle for the drive to Mexico. Newt observes this juxtaposition and so do we? Thoughts?


I didn't really think much of it, other than the obvious observation on a double standard of their morals, although I'm not sure it even goes that deep. This book being my first venture into the world of 'wild, wild West', I think that maybe this is just how life operated then. Mexicans stole from Texans and vice versa, Mexicans got hanged for it if caught and vice versa. I believe it was Jake who noticed that death would likely be his fate if he escaped to Mexico. The only thought of mine worth mentioning is maybe on Newt himself. Because he's the only one who did notice that what they were doing was punishable by death if done by a Mexican, it speaks volumes on his youth and innocence and how he views the world around him. I hope that good things await this boy.

2. Call has to go gather men to work on his cattle drive. We get a glimpse into home life in Texas. Some families are eager to give up their eldest sons to have less mouths to feed and some are doing much better. What did you think of these glimpses?


Mostly, these glimpses just created for me a very sad and gloomy picture of the South. I know that there must be a place teeming with life somewhere there but it's hard for me to imagine it. All I can think of is emptiness, a couple of the families, some with more than others but not necessarily rolling in dough either, all just existing but not really living.

3. Lorena will do anything to get out of Lonesome Dove, even if means being the sole woman on the cattle drive to Montana. Would you have done the same? Thoughts on what might be up ahead for Lorena?

 I definitely would have done the same. She really has nothing to look forward to in Lonesome Dove, especially when pretty much all that matter will leave. Life has somehow just happened to Lorena so far. It's about time she started directing what comes next. She will definitely be a source of dissent because every man in there wants her and will probably think nothing of wanting to 'have a poke' since she is a prostitute after all. There are also a couple of them who are in love with Lorie and that may turn into some dangerous situations.


Final thoughts:

I am liking this book more and more, a lot better than last week. I am genuinely looking forward to what happens next and am rooting for a few characters there. Something tells me this this novel will be a lot of fun.