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A review by kathywadolowski
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Hmmmhmhmhmhmmmmm... this is a REALLY popular and acclaimed book, and to be honest after finishing it I'm struggling to fully understand why. There were parts of the book that were extremely well done—the obvious research and care taken with the horse racing plot is particularly unique—but the modern povs absolutely drag it down as a whole.
Geraldine Brooks should've entirely omitted the 2019 sections imo, except to MAYBE have Catherine trying to track down Lexhington's skeleton and assess it (and maybe somehow happen upon the related artwork in this quest as well). But the Jess/Theo storyline felt like the author was trying to shoehorn in a modern race element that was not well thought out or explored, and this subplot weakened the entire book. If you're going to include such an important and hefty topic, MAKE IT AS DEEP AS THE REST of the book because, as is, it was a distraction that felt really reductive. Highlighting the work of black and slave trainers, grooms, and jockeys was interesting and worthwhile in its own right in the past storyline, and by trying to tie that to Theo and Jess in the present Brooks cheapened the entire exercise. The first-person thoughts that had to do with modern-day racism felt so contrived and weird, and this just didn't feel like the story for it.
The research about horses was really intricate and impressive, and that's where the focus should've remained rather than trying to tell too many stories. There were enough storylines in the past to fully carry the book! As it is, this book that had a lot of promise was really poorly executed with too many perspectives across times that did not fit together.
Geraldine Brooks should've entirely omitted the 2019 sections imo, except to MAYBE have Catherine trying to track down Lexhington's skeleton and assess it (and maybe somehow happen upon the related artwork in this quest as well). But the Jess/Theo storyline felt like the author was trying to shoehorn in a modern race element that was not well thought out or explored, and this subplot weakened the entire book. If you're going to include such an important and hefty topic, MAKE IT AS DEEP AS THE REST of the book because, as is, it was a distraction that felt really reductive. Highlighting the work of black and slave trainers, grooms, and jockeys was interesting and worthwhile in its own right in the past storyline, and by trying to tie that to Theo and Jess in the present Brooks cheapened the entire exercise. The first-person thoughts that had to do with modern-day racism felt so contrived and weird, and this just didn't feel like the story for it.
The research about horses was really intricate and impressive, and that's where the focus should've remained rather than trying to tell too many stories. There were enough storylines in the past to fully carry the book! As it is, this book that had a lot of promise was really poorly executed with too many perspectives across times that did not fit together.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Slavery