Twin Sombreros

It's Zane Grey alright, but not on par with most of his excellent work. There's some of the great western atmosphere that he so eloquently describes, along with the wild west gun-play that no one does better. And, of course, the romance. Grey himself said that he wrote romance novels, and most of them have a setting in the Western US of the 19th century. That romance is one of the main things I like about his novels. But, this one was just corny and overdone. Twin sisters that no one can tell apart fall for our hero, Brazos Keene. He favors one, but because the sisters always dress and act exactly alike, and make play with it on everyone, Keene is never really sure which sister is which. This could work in a comedy novel, but this isn't show more comedy, and it got on my last nerve. It goes on and on. Just frustrating. Since [b:Twin Sombreros|121209|Twin Sombreros|Zane Grey|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1329014386l/121209._SY75_.jpg|116716] is a sequel to [b:Knights of the Range|121203|Knights of the Range|Zane Grey|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|2662999], (an excellent novel) I was looking forward to more of the same, but didn't get it. show less

Unlike many Zane Grey novels, this one opened with action and a threat of danger almost immediately on page one. Brazos Keene is returning to Los Animas, Colorado from Texas when he wakes up from his first night in the area, a posse arrests him for murder and the deputy in charge immediately plans to lynch him even though some members of the posse suspect he is innocent. With the assistance of a member of the posse, he escapes and actually captures the entire posse and brings them in to town to the sheriff.

A good portion of the novel is about the identical twin sisters, June and Ina Keene. and the angst they face from the jokes made about their beauty and different personalities.

The novel took way too long to reach its denouement as show more the reader could easily see the only possible ending long before we got there. show less

The story held promise at first but the absurd plot line which took over the last hundred pages involving the twins almost had me tossing this one aside before completion. In addition, I just could not believe in, nor get interested in any of the main characters. Brazos Keene -- invincible with the gun, and irresistable to every woman in Las Animas -- all raving beauties, of course -- was just not someone I cared reading about. Had he been more human, and not so much of a Wild West superhero who never appeared to be in mortal danger, I might have enjoyed this more. Nevertheless, I'll give Mr. Grey another chance to interest me before I give up on him for good.

Twin Sombreros, (1940), Western -- Sequel to Knights of the Range; Walter J. Black, Inc., Zane Grey Book Club Matched Set, hardcover, 1975?