Reviews

A topic I had no interest in, yet became deeply invested in. A racehorse whose life was closely intertwined with a young black man who was enslaved. Today and yesteryear in different chapters which contrasted the overt racism of the past with the much subtler microaggressions and other forms of racism of today which still lead to death, particularly if young black males.

ardennnn's review

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3.5

I really like how this story ties the past and present of racism in America through the history of horse racing. I think it’s very clever and important work, but I don’t think it’s very focused. It felt like I couldn’t tell who the story was for. I think the scientific details of horse bone structure could have been spared, it took me out of the story.

gconnn's review

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dark emotional informative reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

sam_anneliese's review against another edition

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challenging reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

cathem2's review

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emotional medium-paced

5.0

dbestrnbsw's review against another edition

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5.0

Incredible mix of fact and fiction

Masterfully written, it weaves history and reality, specifically in depicting racism at inception through its current state, noting how much and sadly how little has changed. The novel gives much overdue visibility to the role played by extraordinarily gifted black horse trainers and their role in the growth of horse racing industry. All of this is woven into a historical novel that is compelling, thrilling, and difficult to put down.

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