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jenlouden's review
4.0
I am officially a total Molly Gloss fan. What an unusual book - a different kind of structure that I've encountered - the way she uses the various timelines was very effective, and the arc of the character was fascinating too.. you know how he changes in some ways early on in the story and then you get to watch it unfold. And it's a subtle realistic change, the kind real humans need to make in their lives. And her writing - so plain, economical, and evocative all at once.
My only quibble - she loves horses so much, her anger at the movie business's early horrible treatment overpowers the story at times.
My only quibble - she loves horses so much, her anger at the movie business's early horrible treatment overpowers the story at times.
janetlun's review
I've loved all of Molly Gloss' novels, so it's no surprise that I gulped this one down within 2 days. I just fell into Bud's voice.
The book is told like a memoir, with a 50-ish artist looking back on the year when he was 19, and left ranching in eastern Oregon to head to Hollywood and ride stunts in westerns. The year in Hollywood is the late '30s. On the bus to California, he meets Lily, a young woman from Seattle who plans to be a big-shot scriptwriter. They become life-long friends, but there's no romance.
The two young people not falling in love is one of the ways the book tweaks your expectations. His parents on the ranch are as tough and hard-working as you'd expect, but don't quite fit into stereotype. Her characters are never cardboard. Bud talks about the movies, but also about growing up and his family. There's a description of the country he's seeing outside the bus window that I had to stop and show to Ron. Lovely writing.
The book is told like a memoir, with a 50-ish artist looking back on the year when he was 19, and left ranching in eastern Oregon to head to Hollywood and ride stunts in westerns. The year in Hollywood is the late '30s. On the bus to California, he meets Lily, a young woman from Seattle who plans to be a big-shot scriptwriter. They become life-long friends, but there's no romance.
The two young people not falling in love is one of the ways the book tweaks your expectations. His parents on the ranch are as tough and hard-working as you'd expect, but don't quite fit into stereotype. Her characters are never cardboard. Bud talks about the movies, but also about growing up and his family. There's a description of the country he's seeing outside the bus window that I had to stop and show to Ron. Lovely writing.
librarianelizabeth's review
3.0
The most interesting part of this book was getting to see what filming Western movies was really like, stunt riding techniques, scripting and filming to conjure up cowboys in the back lot in Hollywood. Contrasting with flashbacks to ranching. A decently crafted story that I appreciated for its historical perspective.
dearbhla's review
5.0
Loved it. My full review won't be online until the book is published in October, but I really loved this book. Go read it when it comes out.
accidentalspaceexplorer's review
3.0
Falling From Horses is about 1930s Hollywood, told from the perspective of a horse stuntman and an aspiring screenwriter. It describes their friendship, their personal journeys, and their interactions with Hollywood over the course of a year.
It was interesting, but it took me forever to read. I just couldn’t really get into it. The characters were fine, the setting was interesting, and I learned a lot about Hollywood history; I liked it well enough, but I can’t really say I’ll remember it much.
It was interesting, but it took me forever to read. I just couldn’t really get into it. The characters were fine, the setting was interesting, and I learned a lot about Hollywood history; I liked it well enough, but I can’t really say I’ll remember it much.