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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
*I received this book for free as part of a Goodreads Giveaway*
The book is well-written but extremely disturbing. The graphic descriptions of the father-daughter abuse is hard to read and could definitely be triggering to readers. Despite that, I read the book in 2 days and was anxious to see how things would unfold. I'm giving 3 stars instead of 4 because I was not satisfied with the ending. It felt like a cop-out, it was rushed, and not as satisfying as I would've hoped for the main character.
I also noticed two typos in my copy - not sure if the book I received for free was pre-publication or not, but there are definitely some misprints in mine.
The book is well-written but extremely disturbing. The graphic descriptions of the father-daughter abuse is hard to read and could definitely be triggering to readers. Despite that, I read the book in 2 days and was anxious to see how things would unfold. I'm giving 3 stars instead of 4 because I was not satisfied with the ending. It felt like a cop-out, it was rushed, and not as satisfying as I would've hoped for the main character.
I also noticed two typos in my copy - not sure if the book I received for free was pre-publication or not, but there are definitely some misprints in mine.
How do you talk about loving a book that is so dark and heavy? Mihalic’s debut follows Roan, an equestrian protege who aspires to make the Olympic team like her medal-winning father.
The horse competition side of the novel was incredibly fascinating and engrossing I loved everything about it. It definitely related to the fact that I went through an intense horse obsession when I was in elementary school. I adored Roan’s relationship with all of her different horses, but especially Jasper. The fact that the protagonist’s name is Roan- the color of a horse’s coat- is no coincidence.
I know some will dislike Dark Horses for it’s slower pacing. It is definitely a quiet character study and while it isn’t my normal cup of tea I found Roan and her narrative voice incredibly compelling.
Yet Dark Horses is not just about a fifteen year old athlete’s dream to compete in the Olympics and follow in her father’s footsteps, it also features the inappropriate relationship that exists between her and her father. This is where all the trigger warnings come in:
TW: sexual assault, rape, childhood neglect, all forms of abuse, animal death, death of a family member, alcoholism, drug addiction, depression, etc…
Roan’s relationship with her father in public looks like a dream. He’s charming, adoring, and firm when he needs to be. But behind closed doors, the reality of their relationship is profoundly dark and infuriating to read and it’s supposed to be. Both of Roan’s parents are terrible; her father is a sexual predator and her mother is complicit, neglectful and selfish. The novel opens with Roan dealing with a UTI, when she hasn’t so much as kissed a boy her age. Yes, it is uncomfortable from page one.
Yet Dark Horses remains as hopeful as it is harrowing. From Roan’s successful competition to a developing relationship with a boy her age. During the course of the novel, Roan gradually finds her voice to stand up for herself, even if it took a little longer than I was expecting. As a protagonist, Roan reminds us that light can be found in the darkest of times.
I think so many facets of Dark Horses will be controversial, from it’s difficult subject matter to its complicated ending. But I loved this book from cover to cover and gave it 5
The horse competition side of the novel was incredibly fascinating and engrossing I loved everything about it. It definitely related to the fact that I went through an intense horse obsession when I was in elementary school. I adored Roan’s relationship with all of her different horses, but especially Jasper. The fact that the protagonist’s name is Roan- the color of a horse’s coat- is no coincidence.
I know some will dislike Dark Horses for it’s slower pacing. It is definitely a quiet character study and while it isn’t my normal cup of tea I found Roan and her narrative voice incredibly compelling.
Yet Dark Horses is not just about a fifteen year old athlete’s dream to compete in the Olympics and follow in her father’s footsteps, it also features the inappropriate relationship that exists between her and her father. This is where all the trigger warnings come in:
TW: sexual assault, rape, childhood neglect, all forms of abuse, animal death, death of a family member, alcoholism, drug addiction, depression, etc…
Roan’s relationship with her father in public looks like a dream. He’s charming, adoring, and firm when he needs to be. But behind closed doors, the reality of their relationship is profoundly dark and infuriating to read and it’s supposed to be. Both of Roan’s parents are terrible; her father is a sexual predator and her mother is complicit, neglectful and selfish. The novel opens with Roan dealing with a UTI, when she hasn’t so much as kissed a boy her age. Yes, it is uncomfortable from page one.
Yet Dark Horses remains as hopeful as it is harrowing. From Roan’s successful competition to a developing relationship with a boy her age. During the course of the novel, Roan gradually finds her voice to stand up for herself, even if it took a little longer than I was expecting. As a protagonist, Roan reminds us that light can be found in the darkest of times.
I think so many facets of Dark Horses will be controversial, from it’s difficult subject matter to its complicated ending. But I loved this book from cover to cover and gave it 5
this was absolutely devastating not sure i can come back from this one
This was an elephant that i had to consume in very small, bite-sized pieces, and at the end i had to finish it like I was ripping off a band-aid. There were a lot of parts that I could not read, which is understandable if you’ve read the book. I won’t rate this one, because it wasn’t good or bad, and I won’t recommend it to anyone.
Another super dark book. The writing was great but not for the faint of heart.
So many trigger warnings!
So many trigger warnings!
This book is repulsive. I feel sick. I should not have kept going but I thought surely this father will stop raping his teenage daughter after 9 years of it. Surely she’ll stand up for herself. They literally have sex like 30+ times in this book. He wants it every other day. She wants it too mostly and frequently mentions how her dad makes her come easily. I don’t imagine this is really, truly what sexual abuse would look like in the way that the daughter is acting. I think this book was written for a reaction. I am angry I wasted my time on this.
Oh wow. This is heavy. Truly dark and disturbing and uncomfortable. I would recommend this book but please check trigger warnings and make sure you are in a good head space before reading. I loved this book, but I can never read it again.
This is the most upsetting book I think I've read. It's a difficult topic to write on, but Mihalic does it with grace. We see how Roan thinks and watch the changes in how she speaks to herself. I wish the ending were different and I wish she'd made different choices, but I was drawn-in the entire way through.
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes