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A review by lizaroo71
Falling from Horses by Molly Gloss
4.0
Oh my heart. Initially, I didn't like the first person narrative of the story. I kept thinking, "Show, don't tell" through the first thirty pages or so. But once I got into the story of Bud and his sister Mary Claudine, I was all in.
Bud travels to Hollywood after a terrible loss on the farm where he worked along side his parents and his sister. He is set on making it as a cowboy in film. This is a tough career and one that is tough on the body and soul. Bud finds his way to Gower Gulch and finds himself a job with a man that rents out horses for the movies. Bud finds this will be an easy way to get himself on a movie set.
On the bus to Hollywood, Bud befriends Lily Shaw. She is a young woman that is focused on becoming a screen writer. She and Bud represent two different parts of Hollywood. Lily is up against the patriarchy of filmmaking (still in place today) and Bud hangs his hopes that this will be his big break to the dream of stardom.
The story also flashes back to the reason for Bud's sudden departure from Echol Creek (his parent's farm in Oregon). We get the relationship between Bud and his sister, Mary Claudine. We also see the machinations of a working farm. Bud knows about hard work and his parents are not prone to sentimentality. We also come to better understand Bud's all in attitude when it comes to falling off horses. It's not just about making the scene work, it is really about a physical punishment Bud owes to himself.
As the story unfolds, there is a reckoning coming for which I felt prepared because Gloss creates a gossamer-like protective dome over me. The portions narrated in the first person by Bud are told from the perspective of a life well lived; one where he is ready to see the value of his experience in Hollywood. The portions that take place in Echol Creek are good at showing us how the family works together. We get a feeling for the love that envelops the family.
I am so glad I didn't give up on this one. Her last book, [b:The Hearts of Horses|795163|The Hearts of Horses|Molly Gloss|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1441235668l/795163._SY75_.jpg|3244488], is so good also. Falling From Horses is considered a sort of sequel to that book.
Bud travels to Hollywood after a terrible loss on the farm where he worked along side his parents and his sister. He is set on making it as a cowboy in film. This is a tough career and one that is tough on the body and soul. Bud finds his way to Gower Gulch and finds himself a job with a man that rents out horses for the movies. Bud finds this will be an easy way to get himself on a movie set.
On the bus to Hollywood, Bud befriends Lily Shaw. She is a young woman that is focused on becoming a screen writer. She and Bud represent two different parts of Hollywood. Lily is up against the patriarchy of filmmaking (still in place today) and Bud hangs his hopes that this will be his big break to the dream of stardom.
The story also flashes back to the reason for Bud's sudden departure from Echol Creek (his parent's farm in Oregon). We get the relationship between Bud and his sister, Mary Claudine. We also see the machinations of a working farm. Bud knows about hard work and his parents are not prone to sentimentality. We also come to better understand Bud's all in attitude when it comes to falling off horses. It's not just about making the scene work, it is really about a physical punishment Bud owes to himself.
As the story unfolds, there is a reckoning coming for which I felt prepared because Gloss creates a gossamer-like protective dome over me. The portions narrated in the first person by Bud are told from the perspective of a life well lived; one where he is ready to see the value of his experience in Hollywood. The portions that take place in Echol Creek are good at showing us how the family works together. We get a feeling for the love that envelops the family.
I am so glad I didn't give up on this one. Her last book, [b:The Hearts of Horses|795163|The Hearts of Horses|Molly Gloss|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1441235668l/795163._SY75_.jpg|3244488], is so good also. Falling From Horses is considered a sort of sequel to that book.