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A review by thatokiebird
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Black Beauty is the classic "autobiography of a horse" novel published in the 1870's. I have not read it before, I think because I tend to skip over children's books with animals because of the typical fate of said animal. Black Beauty is an important book helping shed light in an accessible way about the treatment of animals in the time when they were used as the primary mode of transportation, field work, and hunting. And it is a heartbreaking book, of course.
The writing is told from Black Beauty's point of view, and follows his life as he exchanges owners, jobs, abuse and experiences. The book is a fairly short read, the audiobook is 5 hours long, but it's still a bit repetitive and generally so heavy and sad that it makes it feel longer than it is. I'm still glad I read it, as I continue working through the books that have been living on my TBR the longest which includes tons of classics such as this.
The writing is told from Black Beauty's point of view, and follows his life as he exchanges owners, jobs, abuse and experiences. The book is a fairly short read, the audiobook is 5 hours long, but it's still a bit repetitive and generally so heavy and sad that it makes it feel longer than it is. I'm still glad I read it, as I continue working through the books that have been living on my TBR the longest which includes tons of classics such as this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death