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susanbevans's review against another edition
2.0
Horse Heaven by Jane Smiley is a novel about horses and their breeders, owners, trainers, grooms, jockeys, traders, bettors and other turf-obsessed humans. It takes place over two-years and chronicles the lives of various horses and their people.
I know a little about horses - that is to say I've ridden horses, been to riding competitions, and been to the race track - but I still found this book particularly hard to get into. You see nothing ever happens, there is no real plot. The entire novel is much more a character epic, and the only redeemable characters are the horses. The horses are quirky and sensitive, and you become attached to them all and feel their ups and downs, their victories and defeats.
The book bounces from character to character, in a way that makes you assume that the stories will converge at some point, but they never really do. They are all loosely related by being in the racing world, but that's it. Every time I felt I had a handle on everyone in the book, Smiley added another set of characters - I couldn't keep up!
In conclusion, let me say this to you: if you enjoy plot-driven novels, this book it not for you; if you enjoy slow-moving character studies, you'll enjoy Horse Heaven. My advice is to read this book for the horses, because the humans will disappoint you every time.
I know a little about horses - that is to say I've ridden horses, been to riding competitions, and been to the race track - but I still found this book particularly hard to get into. You see nothing ever happens, there is no real plot. The entire novel is much more a character epic, and the only redeemable characters are the horses. The horses are quirky and sensitive, and you become attached to them all and feel their ups and downs, their victories and defeats.
The book bounces from character to character, in a way that makes you assume that the stories will converge at some point, but they never really do. They are all loosely related by being in the racing world, but that's it. Every time I felt I had a handle on everyone in the book, Smiley added another set of characters - I couldn't keep up!
In conclusion, let me say this to you: if you enjoy plot-driven novels, this book it not for you; if you enjoy slow-moving character studies, you'll enjoy Horse Heaven. My advice is to read this book for the horses, because the humans will disappoint you every time.
krismcd59's review against another edition
5.0
Smiley has written a sprawling, vivacious novel about the world of thoroughbred racehorses, their trainers, their owners, and their fans. The novel is a delight for anyone who's ever loved horses, although racing fans may find its pace a little slow. Smiley follows the fortunes of five different horses as they change owners, win and lose races, and otherwise fulfill their various destinies. The horses are often more compelling than the novel's human characters, but this is probably intentional on Smiley's part. Why else would she invest so much time in making sure we fall in love with the novel's most unique personality -- a Jack Russell terrier named Eileen? Still, the fantasies, delusions, dreams and plans of the human owners and trainers intersect in complex and fascinating ways for readers who are patient. Smiley's lyrical descriptions of the beauty of horses in motion, and her memorable animal personalities (particularly a saintly gelding named Justa Bob) make the time spent in the world of Horse Heaven well worth it.
juliecakes's review against another edition
2.0
Meh. Started out decently interesting, then kind of went nowhere. A chore by the end.
cbking's review against another edition
4.0
Smiley can make any subject matter interesting, and at this point I'd read just about anything she writes. Another home run.
elkit's review against another edition
4.0
Of all Jane Smiley's novels I've read, this has been my favorite.
12roxy's review
4.0
Jane Smiley can write about anything in any style and pull it off. Love the realism, portraying warts and all, of the human and animal characters. Interesting philosophical musings, ups and downs of the horse world, naked greed, naked nakedness... I’m not a horse or racing fan, but all in all, a good ride.
rbiddy's review
3.0
After reading the first third of this book, I was pretty confused about which horse was which and who was who - there is a vast cast of characters in this book, and it takes a while before any person/horse emerges as being more important to the story than another. I kept at it, and towards the end, couldn't put it down. The stories of the race horses and the people who own/train/ride/bet on them finally start to come together and reach a conclusion. Knowing nothing about horses, I can't comment on the authenticity of the book, but I was drawn into Smiley's depiction of the world of race horses. I found the book to be a little too long (stuffed with too many horses, many of which never get more than a single passage), and so I hesitate to recommend it to anyone
brynhammond's review
2.0
I like horses, and I quite liked her novel [b:The Greenlanders|14305|The Greenlanders|Jane Smiley|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1322464537s/14305.jpg|351416], but -- in spite of trips inside horses' heads -- I was bored, and stopped p. 249. Bored stiff by the people. If it were only the horses I'd have gone on.
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