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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
Even though I'm not a horse fan, this book certainly surprised me. It's truly a classic that is still very accurate. It's not about the horse per se, but good manners, kindness and compassion among people and animals. As I was telling my partner about this, he compared it to the bible: "fictional but with some very good pieces in it about how to live." I will certainly re-read this book again.
I CAN'T STOP CRYING!
It is the most beautiful story about how cruel we humans are. I like that it as told by the horse and how good work Anna Sewell has done to study and understand the horses' behaviour.
It is the most beautiful story about how cruel we humans are. I like that it as told by the horse and how good work Anna Sewell has done to study and understand the horses' behaviour.
"...he said that cruelty was the devil's own trademark, and if we saw any one who took pleasure in cruelty, we might know who he belonged to...On the other hand, where we saw people who loved their neighbours, and were kind to man and beast, we might know that was God's mark, for 'God is Love'."
These lines from the book made a huge impact on me. If you love animals and take heed to their feelings then this novel is for you. I will not say it's all hunky-dory throughout the story but it certainly is heart warming (and heart wrenching at times).
I loved the writing style and the way Anna made me feel every emotion so strongly. I cried and I laughed for the characters, I hated and I loved them.
I strongly feel that this should be made a part of school syllabus so that children can be sensitised towards animals, which is very necessary to sustain the world.
As for me, who's already an animal lover, this book only reinforced my feelings for our four-footed friends so I absolutely adored the story and I'm sure I'll re-read it again and again. :D
These lines from the book made a huge impact on me. If you love animals and take heed to their feelings then this novel is for you. I will not say it's all hunky-dory throughout the story but it certainly is heart warming (and heart wrenching at times).
I loved the writing style and the way Anna made me feel every emotion so strongly. I cried and I laughed for the characters, I hated and I loved them.
I strongly feel that this should be made a part of school syllabus so that children can be sensitised towards animals, which is very necessary to sustain the world.
As for me, who's already an animal lover, this book only reinforced my feelings for our four-footed friends so I absolutely adored the story and I'm sure I'll re-read it again and again. :D
Black Beauty was the first novel I read at the age of eight and the first I cried my eyes out to. The story follows the life of the titular horse Black Beauty chronicling his childhood as a young, care-free colt to the onerous days where he worked for several merciless human masters.
I grew up in a house that was home to abandoned or injured critters and adoptive pets. I adored animals and being the anti-social child that I was always found a non-judgemental, loving friend in them. So it was only natural that this book would hold a special place in my heart even after sixteen years.
Black Beauty is certainly not the greatest (or one of the greatest) work in literature, but it’s still magnificent because of its simplicity and innocence. Despite the brutish treatment meted out to our eponymous protagonist, it’s truly heart-shattering how Black Beauty continues to maintain goodwill for humanity. The novel was written during the Victorian era when the Industrial Revolution was rapidly changing the face of the nation and horses were gravely overworked. Through this moving story, Anna Sewell tried to bring to light the plight of the overworked animals who didn't deserved the cruelty with which they were treated.
Just writing this review made me teary eyed-such immense power this novel holds over me.
“We call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words.”
I grew up in a house that was home to abandoned or injured critters and adoptive pets. I adored animals and being the anti-social child that I was always found a non-judgemental, loving friend in them. So it was only natural that this book would hold a special place in my heart even after sixteen years.
Black Beauty is certainly not the greatest (or one of the greatest) work in literature, but it’s still magnificent because of its simplicity and innocence. Despite the brutish treatment meted out to our eponymous protagonist, it’s truly heart-shattering how Black Beauty continues to maintain goodwill for humanity. The novel was written during the Victorian era when the Industrial Revolution was rapidly changing the face of the nation and horses were gravely overworked. Through this moving story, Anna Sewell tried to bring to light the plight of the overworked animals who didn't deserved the cruelty with which they were treated.
Just writing this review made me teary eyed-such immense power this novel holds over me.
“We call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words.”
This is a definite childhood classic for me. I was very much into horses as a girl, and still own multiple copies of Black Beauty, each with its own style of illustrations and binding. My favorite for reading is still the small Scholastic Book Club paperback. It's illustrated with line drawings, but doesn't say who drew them! I've had this particular copy since I was about ten, and have read it many times. However, it had been several years since I had pulled it out. I enjoyed the trip down memory lane, although as a more pessimistic adult, I find the ending not as confidently positive as I did as a youngster - after multiple times a sudden change in the life of Beauty's owners leading to his being reluctantly sold, I was necessarily confident that the same wouldn't happen again in his retirement. What a grump I've turned out to be!
Of course, the story is quite polemic in nature - Sewell's entire goal was to expose many of the everyday cruelties endured by horses and other animals (and people) with no one to speak for them. But everything is presented in such a gentle and loving way that it's hard to take offense. It's just many little stories that collectively remind readers that the power to make the world a better place is within everyone's grasp, if they are willing to step forward and do their small part.
Despite the fact that much of the tale is a bit out of date as far as societal issues go (I don't really remember the last time I saw someone forcing a horse to draw a heavy load uphill while using the bearing rein), the overall lessons of kindness, generosity, and always looking out for those who are weaker than you are timeless.
Of course, the story is quite polemic in nature - Sewell's entire goal was to expose many of the everyday cruelties endured by horses and other animals (and people) with no one to speak for them. But everything is presented in such a gentle and loving way that it's hard to take offense. It's just many little stories that collectively remind readers that the power to make the world a better place is within everyone's grasp, if they are willing to step forward and do their small part.
Despite the fact that much of the tale is a bit out of date as far as societal issues go (I don't really remember the last time I saw someone forcing a horse to draw a heavy load uphill while using the bearing rein), the overall lessons of kindness, generosity, and always looking out for those who are weaker than you are timeless.
Such a beautiful story, with some very emotional moments. I love how the story is told form the horse's view as opposed to being about the horse from another person's view as I expected going into the novel. My only criticism, albeit not the book's fault, is that the writing style was a little dated, and sometimes felt a bit odd to read. I do however love how it teaches animal welfare as a huge theme consistent throughout the book! Overall though, a very readable classic for anyone who struggles with classic novels, and a beautiful story!
I initially got this book as a gift from my great grandmother when I was 8, I cherished this book. I was in the phase of loving nearly anything to do with animals. This book was my first favourite read ever. I have probably read it about 5 times over haha.
This book has some great memories for me. I especially cherish it since my great grandmother passed away a couple years ago now and it has her writing in the front cover.
This book has some great memories for me. I especially cherish it since my great grandmother passed away a couple years ago now and it has her writing in the front cover.