Allie Yost's Reviews > Paint the Wind

Yaaaas, I love this old book. It's still cringe-worthy and jam-bam-packed with tropes and about every Western novel/movie cliche in existence, but it's a damn fun read. Perfect for the bathtub with a glass of wine. I fucking love Magda and her crystals and crystal balls and over the top accent. I love Jewel Mack and her whorehouses and her aplomb and her drive and red hair. Of course her hair is red. And wild. What the fuck else could it possibly be?? I love Ford and Chance and Bandana and Dakota and Gitalis. I love Hart and his blind devotion to a manipulative and enormously selfish, we're talking planet-sized levels of selfishness, but of course stunningly beautiful woman-child-saint-whore-doll-opera singer-actress-businesswoman-wife-mother-bitch. Of course everyone wants Fancy, either to be her or be with her. Fancy is so selfish and self-absorbed it's not even funny but you still love reading about her. Hart is sickeningly, annoyingly good and true and Chance is hot and sexy and the one you really root for, even though you know right away it's supposed to be Hart you're rooting for. Yawn. I understand why Aurora hates her mother. WHO WOULDN'T? I do believe Fancy redeems herself near the end - but it's such a fun ride to get there, through many years and troubles and costume changes. Lots of action/hard riding, both indoor and outdoor, plenty of danger and magic and theater troupes and gold/silver mining and horses. Even a stint with Geronimo and his kin. You will love this book even as you laugh your ass off over about half of it.