Anais' Annotations: "All the Pretty Horses" by Cormac McCarthy

While we can all agree that the days of the wild west are long gone, this reviewer truly believes that deep down, everyone would like to be a cowboy, at least for a day.  

Recent media has encouraged this reception of the idealized West primarily through television, film and music. John Grady, the main character of Cormac McCarthy’s “All the Pretty Horses” (1992), follows that yearning for the great frontier, even when circumstances change the landscape he must work with. 

You may be familiar with McCarthy’s literary legacy as the author of some gritty pieces. He goes dark in his work– much darker than I usually like– and can get into some awful stuff. “Outer Dark” (1968) follows the tumultuous and tragic journeys of siblings in Appalachia, while “The Road” (2006) brings readers into a post-apocalyptic world where a father must do everything possible to ensure his son’s survival. 

Against his other work, which I can appreciate despite the subject matter, “All the Pretty Horses” stands out. It has a much lighter story than the majority of McCarthy’s works, and it manages not to be too violent or gross. 

I would consider this book an unconventional take on the coming-of-age story, or bildungsroman. John Grady is just 16 yearsold and about to face some serious trials and tribulations (even if they are self-imposed). Unlike many coming-of-age characters, he has a much better grip on the reality around him, sometimes even more so than his adult counterparts. 

That said, he still falls prey to the teenage habit of getting into some pretty sticky situations with no way out. His consequences just tend to be a lot more severe than getting grounded for the weekend. I would go as far as to say that John Grady has some folk-hero energy to his character. 

I attribute much of this character building to McCarthy’s construction of the story. The author invokes a spirit of folklore and storytelling that is embedded throughout the work.

He utilizes some recognizable archetypes like underdogs, conservative traditionalists and comedic relief to shape the tale. Between that and the literal hero’s journey John Grady sets out on, the whole thing reads like an epic. 

It definitely does not come with an epic ending, though. Most epics wrap up with the hero character either returning home, reaching their destination or coming to some other kind of great epiphany. While John Grady definitely changes throughout his journey, I think his story ends in an unprecedented manner. I am so tempted to spoil the ending, so I will just say: it kind of ends up being more of the same. 

Although I mentioned that this book is a lot easier for content than other McCarthy pieces, I still advise caution for some of the subject matter. There are still some violent scenes, including character deaths, as well as several uncomfortable situations along the way.

Those unfamiliar with McCarthy’s writing style should also go into the book knowing he takes the nontraditional route of omitting quotation marks when a character is speaking. This style can make reading confusing at first, but you catch on quickly. 

At the end of the day, I think “All the Pretty Horses” is among McCarthy’s finest works. It was a true pleasure to re-read and experience the wonders of the Western lifestyle through John Grady’s eyes. I give it an 8 out of 10.