Thursday, 14 October 2010

Appaloosa

I read Appaloosa, by Robert B. Parker as part of the Librarian's Reading Challenge. This involves reading one book a month that is outside my comfort zone. Being a western, finishing this book was well and truly outside that zone and a total challenge for me.

The story follows two lawmen, Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch, who are hired as the Marshall and the Deputy of a small 19th Century town. This town has been overrun by a corrupt Rancher, Randall Bragg. Bragg had killed the previous marshall so Cole and Hitch set about bringing him to justice. The problem is, they are up against a man who doesn't play by the rules. To complicate matters further, the widow Allison French arrives in town and quickly wins the attention of Cole. However, there is more to Allison than meets the eye and she is after one thing - a man to look after her. This proves to be dangerous for the whole operation.

While this is entertaining enough, it is truly one of the corniest books I have ever read. It conveys all of the worst stereotypes about men and women i.e. Men are smart, stong and have no fear; women are weak, simple and will sleep with any man for money. It was all just a little too pathetic and caused a slight feeling of nausea to my stomach.

I think my favourite part of the book was when the 'bad guys' and 'good guys' shoot each other while Bragg (the man they're actually trying to bring to justice) rides off into the sunset. I'm not sure, if Parker wanted his readers to laugh in that chapter but I visualised it as a comic moment.

Don't get me wrong, if you are a western fan then you'll probably enjoy it. The fact that it was made into a movie means that someone out there at some time must have liked it. If, however, you've never read a western - I wouldn't recommend it. Furthermore, if you're a feminist, I'd stay well away from it - though you might just enjoy the scene where all the men shoot each other.



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