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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
adventurous
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really wanted to love this book because I love horses, and I have always loved reading stories about them. It’s okay if you don’t mind lost of description, but I was disappointed.
The pace was so incredibly slow that I was worried I would never finish this book. It dragged because of the amount of description coupled with problems with the plot. I understand why so much description was used because it does make you feel as if you are actually on a ranch in Wyoming, but I am much more of a dialog person, and I find it difficult to tolerate pages upon pages of long-winded descriptions. The problems I had with the plot were pretty straightforward. We all know the basic premise of this book. It’s about a horse named Flicka who becomes Ken’s friend. The problem I had was if we all basically know what is going to happen, then why don’t we actually encounter the horse until almost halfway through the novel? I was frustrated with this because I knew this thing was going to happen, but as I got to page 100, it still didn’t happen yet. Everything else was set up perfectly, and it took forever to finally get the story moving along.
I wasn’t a big fan of Ken’s father, and not just in the “he-is-the-father-putting-too-much-pressure-on-his-son-way.” I found his character flip-flop a lot throughout the story. At first he didn’t want to help Ken, then he did, then he didn’t again, etc. It was very confusing because there was no basis given for him to be changing his opinions and actions like that.
I did like Ken’s character though. He seemed almost imaginary; as if he wasn’t real, but he was someone I could sympathize with and root for until the end. I admired the hope and determination, but this couldn’t make up for the rest of the book.
The pace was so incredibly slow that I was worried I would never finish this book. It dragged because of the amount of description coupled with problems with the plot. I understand why so much description was used because it does make you feel as if you are actually on a ranch in Wyoming, but I am much more of a dialog person, and I find it difficult to tolerate pages upon pages of long-winded descriptions. The problems I had with the plot were pretty straightforward. We all know the basic premise of this book. It’s about a horse named Flicka who becomes Ken’s friend. The problem I had was if we all basically know what is going to happen, then why don’t we actually encounter the horse until almost halfway through the novel? I was frustrated with this because I knew this thing was going to happen, but as I got to page 100, it still didn’t happen yet. Everything else was set up perfectly, and it took forever to finally get the story moving along.
I wasn’t a big fan of Ken’s father, and not just in the “he-is-the-father-putting-too-much-pressure-on-his-son-way.” I found his character flip-flop a lot throughout the story. At first he didn’t want to help Ken, then he did, then he didn’t again, etc. It was very confusing because there was no basis given for him to be changing his opinions and actions like that.
I did like Ken’s character though. He seemed almost imaginary; as if he wasn’t real, but he was someone I could sympathize with and root for until the end. I admired the hope and determination, but this couldn’t make up for the rest of the book.
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A childhood favorite, though re-reading it gave me a new perspective on how the world has changed. Still have to give it a 5, though I rarely rate books a 5. It’s just a flat out classic from my childhood, one of the first book I got after joining a horse story book of the month club when I was pretty young. Maybe 7 or 8 yrs old?
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death
Thematically rich, with vibrant characters and wonderful writing, My Friend Flicka really deserves its reputation as a children's classic. This is one horse book I actually had never read before, and I'm so glad I finally picked it up. Written in the 40s, it reads like historical fiction now; the setting is well-established, but it takes a background role to the real storyline. It's a more mature, grown-up book than modern children's fiction---which is (mostly) a good thing. The storyline is both tragic and triumphant, with an overall slow but not plodding pace. The character development and lessons learned here are solid and strong without being overbearing or preachy.
(One small caveat/note for audiobook listeners: the narration is dreadfully slow. I listened on Audible and at 1.35x speed, it was still none too fast, and I upped it as high as 1.40-1.45x and still understood well.)
(One small caveat/note for audiobook listeners: the narration is dreadfully slow. I listened on Audible and at 1.35x speed, it was still none too fast, and I upped it as high as 1.40-1.45x and still understood well.)
A boy and his horse. Ken McLaughlin spends a lot of his time that he should be using to study daydreaming about horses. He doesn't even properly do the work around the ranch like he is supposed to. He is nearly desperate to get a horse of his own.
One of the first things that aggravated me about this book was the use of the word 'colt' in place of the word 'foal' to describe young horses of either gender. He and his family would say a filly colt and a horse colt, despite the fact that colts are male foals. I was displeased by that. Any rancher worth his salt would not call them the wrong things.
The ending of the book left a lot to be desired. We don't get to see the resolution of how Flicka's training goes. We are just left knowing people can change when Ken's dad changes his mind. Not that he became any better for it. I really didn't like him. He could praise his family and yell at them in the same breath.
Nell, Ken's mother, was just strange to me. She couldn't pick if she was assertive or not. I know Rob expected everyone to be 'or not' and when they weren't it annoyed him. They were never to defy his orders, even if they knew something he didn't that would have changed the orders given. Nell felt bad for telling him off. Why?
I rated this book a 2/5. I didn't like the book. I doubt I'll re-read it, but at least it wasn't absolute garbage. Maybe I'll see if Ms. O'Hara has other books out, and I will try them. Couldn't be worse than My Friend Flicka.
One of the first things that aggravated me about this book was the use of the word 'colt' in place of the word 'foal' to describe young horses of either gender. He and his family would say a filly colt and a horse colt, despite the fact that colts are male foals. I was displeased by that. Any rancher worth his salt would not call them the wrong things.
The ending of the book left a lot to be desired. We don't get to see the resolution of how Flicka's training goes. We are just left knowing people can change when Ken's dad changes his mind. Not that he became any better for it. I really didn't like him. He could praise his family and yell at them in the same breath.
Nell, Ken's mother, was just strange to me. She couldn't pick if she was assertive or not. I know Rob expected everyone to be 'or not' and when they weren't it annoyed him. They were never to defy his orders, even if they knew something he didn't that would have changed the orders given. Nell felt bad for telling him off. Why?
I rated this book a 2/5. I didn't like the book. I doubt I'll re-read it, but at least it wasn't absolute garbage. Maybe I'll see if Ms. O'Hara has other books out, and I will try them. Couldn't be worse than My Friend Flicka.