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megankhein's review against another edition
3.0
when i realized this was by the author of Water for Elephants, i couldn't pass it up. however, i still prefer [b:Water for Elephants|43641|Water for Elephants|Sara Gruen|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170161179s/43641.jpg|3441236]. i enjoyed reading this book and reflecting on my own riding experiences. the plot was a bit predictable, but i still enjoyed myself. i can't say i'll drop everything and go find the sequel, though.
jselliot's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
2.5
This was apparently Gruen's first book, and looking back on the storytelling, it does show. I have not read Water For Elephants (what it keeps getting compared to), but this particular book is more or less enjoyable. Didn't enjoy how selfish the protagonist behaved to her parents, especially her declining dad, but her mother was fierce. I didn't particularly like the main character, but the plot tugged along and I eventually found myself rooting for her in spite of it.
mermaidkatie's review against another edition
1.0
Not as good as Water for Elephants. I did not like the female lead character. Not planning to read the sequel.
seadaz's review against another edition
2.0
A quick read.
I enjoyed it, as it took me back to my teenage days when I was into horses and I loved jumping and cross country - I never did enjoy dressage, just not my cup of tea (although these days I like to watch dressage -very beautiful).
The book, the main character was very selfish, I felt for her mum and dad - she nearly sent them to ruin. Sad the way she ignored her dad, even though she knew the end was fast coming. He mum seemed like a very strong formidable lady.
The old boyfriend (Dan the vet) seemed a nice catch, the French trainer seemed an exciting prospect.
The next book will be about her daughter and Flicka hey? I saw on a webpage that she was going to do a 3rd book in this series, but due to time I looks like this 3rd book never eventuated.
I will get the 2nd book to read as I did enjoy being transported back to a happy time in my youth.
I enjoyed it, as it took me back to my teenage days when I was into horses and I loved jumping and cross country - I never did enjoy dressage, just not my cup of tea (although these days I like to watch dressage -very beautiful).
The book, the main character was very selfish, I felt for her mum and dad - she nearly sent them to ruin. Sad the way she ignored her dad, even though she knew the end was fast coming. He mum seemed like a very strong formidable lady.
The old boyfriend (Dan the vet) seemed a nice catch, the French trainer seemed an exciting prospect.
The next book will be about her daughter and Flicka hey? I saw on a webpage that she was going to do a 3rd book in this series, but due to time I looks like this 3rd book never eventuated.
I will get the 2nd book to read as I did enjoy being transported back to a happy time in my youth.
breecreative's review against another edition
4.0
This is Sara Gruen's first book, and to be totally honest, it's much better work than her latest (Ape House). Not quite up there with Water for Elephants, but pretty darn good for her first novel.
When I first started reading, I wasn't sure I'd like it since I know absolutely nothing about horses. But even though I hadn't a clue what she was talking about when it came to the horses, I did enjoy the book. At times, I couldn't stand the main character - she was too weak, whiny, unable to stand up for anything. She couldn't seem to do anything right, she was flighty and forgetful. But the writing made up for it, for me. The plot pulled itself along, and I found myself rooting for this character that I didn't particularly like.
I will definitely read the second book in this series. And I wish Gruen would write more books like this...
When I first started reading, I wasn't sure I'd like it since I know absolutely nothing about horses. But even though I hadn't a clue what she was talking about when it came to the horses, I did enjoy the book. At times, I couldn't stand the main character - she was too weak, whiny, unable to stand up for anything. She couldn't seem to do anything right, she was flighty and forgetful. But the writing made up for it, for me. The plot pulled itself along, and I found myself rooting for this character that I didn't particularly like.
I will definitely read the second book in this series. And I wish Gruen would write more books like this...
elliebelly_93's review against another edition
1.0
This book was nothing but terrible writing and cliche "twists". I only finished it for the cute vet.
euchre35's review against another edition
2.0
Horse lover here, and this book has horses - check... anything beyond that - not so great.
A mom at odds with her mother and her daughter. A father dying of ALS. A woman messing up everything she touches - the stables, the dinners, her relationships. It reads like a soap opera in a book. We never get to learn about Pappa or Mutti beyond the fact that her relationship with them is not good. The French horse trainer that lusts after her, the damaged horse, insurance fraud, have I missed any of the other mishaps? Oh yea a burned dinner.
Dan, her old flame, way too good for her. She is self-centered, self-absorbed, ignores her dying father and then regrets it when he dies.
The only characters I could connect with in this book have four legs, a mane and a tail.
A mom at odds with her mother and her daughter. A father dying of ALS. A woman messing up everything she touches - the stables, the dinners, her relationships. It reads like a soap opera in a book. We never get to learn about Pappa or Mutti beyond the fact that her relationship with them is not good. The French horse trainer that lusts after her, the damaged horse, insurance fraud, have I missed any of the other mishaps? Oh yea a burned dinner.
Dan, her old flame, way too good for her. She is self-centered, self-absorbed, ignores her dying father and then regrets it when he dies.
The only characters I could connect with in this book have four legs, a mane and a tail.
trogdor19's review against another edition
1.0
This book was written as if for a contest on how to cram the most crisis situations and depressingness into one book.
The writing was decent, the secondary characters were interesting, but the main character and her daughter were almost impossible to like. The plot was not believable, because even in the most unlucky of lives, you don't get a lifechanging horrible crisis twice a day over and over again. The horse in the book is really only featured as an object of her unhealthy obsession. And really, how many horse people have you ever known who only like one horse?? Yes, everyone has favorites, but only liking one? Unrealistic.
This book was a waste of time.
The writing was decent, the secondary characters were interesting, but the main character and her daughter were almost impossible to like. The plot was not believable, because even in the most unlucky of lives, you don't get a lifechanging horrible crisis twice a day over and over again. The horse in the book is really only featured as an object of her unhealthy obsession. And really, how many horse people have you ever known who only like one horse?? Yes, everyone has favorites, but only liking one? Unrealistic.
This book was a waste of time.
turophile's review against another edition
Pretty close to making this a "DNF".
I picked it up because I loved the author's book "Like Water For Elephants"but this book is not bringing me that same level of enjoyment. I am not certain if it is the book or the person reading it, but I dislike both the main character Annemarie and her Daughter, Eva. Both seem to be in perpetual states of anger - shrieky anger. Some of that may be the person reading who, the actress is just driving me up a wall. Everything is overdramatic.
Annemarie and her daughter seem pretty one dimension. I just want to shake Annemarie and say "No wonder your husband ditched you and your daughter divorced you. You're immature and whiny." She reacts with anger to everything, everything, her daughter does. You'd think by the time her daughter reached 15 Annemarie would have developed a little more patience. The male lead could use a bit more personality and backbone. Annemarie dumped him 20 years ago to marry her bad boy boyfriend. She's divorced so he takes her back no questinos asked, no apologies made.
Boy these people are annoying.
Mutti (the grandmother), I like. The horses I like. The rest of these people - ACK!
I picked it up because I loved the author's book "Like Water For Elephants"but this book is not bringing me that same level of enjoyment. I am not certain if it is the book or the person reading it, but I dislike both the main character Annemarie and her Daughter, Eva. Both seem to be in perpetual states of anger - shrieky anger. Some of that may be the person reading who, the actress is just driving me up a wall. Everything is overdramatic.
Annemarie and her daughter seem pretty one dimension. I just want to shake Annemarie and say "No wonder your husband ditched you and your daughter divorced you. You're immature and whiny." She reacts with anger to everything, everything, her daughter does. You'd think by the time her daughter reached 15 Annemarie would have developed a little more patience. The male lead could use a bit more personality and backbone. Annemarie dumped him 20 years ago to marry her bad boy boyfriend. She's divorced so he takes her back no questinos asked, no apologies made.
Boy these people are annoying.
Mutti (the grandmother), I like. The horses I like. The rest of these people - ACK!
susanbevans's review against another edition
4.0
Loved it! This book made me cry so many times, but I absolutely adored the story.