chelsl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Slavery, Racism, and Animal death
Minor: Rape
lisas_bookshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Slavery, Hate crime, Racism, Racial slurs, and Police brutality
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Animal death, and Death
flowerrunner's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Classism, Gun violence, Murder, Animal cruelty, Blood, Grief, Racial slurs, Slavery, Violence, War, Animal death, Police brutality, and Racism
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
fifteenthjessica's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Geraldine Brooks definitely did her research while working on this and can create interesting characters as well as poignant imagery. Characters are complex and not necessarily likable. Jarret is my favorite of the PoV characters, and I enjoy his arc from acceptance of his fate to a determination to make his best life, as well as his attempts to show kindness when he can. A lot of historical fiction that comment on modern day issues tend to focus on more rebellious protagonists, and I like that Brooks made a compelling character within the reality that many people, unfortunately, can be accepting of unfair systems, even if they are the ones who are crushed by it. Another strength of Jarret's plotline is that all of the major white characters, including Scott, both oppose and are complicit with different aspects of life in the antebellum South. The modern cast features many dorks that are enjoyable because of their passions.
The book is not perfect. It talks a lot about racism in multiple points of American history, but African American women are almost exclusively relegated to bit roles as love interests. I'm not sure how to fix this (maybe tell Martha's story through the eyes of Annie, the maid whose family had inherited the painting?). Theo's justified resentment of racism paired with his utter lack of self awareness about how his parents' wealth sheltered him from some of the worst parts can be grating, and attempts to address this flaw fell flat for me.
Spoiler
His death in the third act also feels like it's more about shocking than a satisfying conclusion for his and Jess's arcs, but it is a good illustration of how far society has to go that the modern characters' arc has a more depressing end than the arc that heavily features slavery.Graphic: Racial slurs, Slavery, Racism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Trafficking
Moderate: Classism, Misogyny, Gun violence, Grief, Bullying, Death of parent, Sexism, Police brutality, Murder, Violence, and War
Racism, slavery, and mistreatment of horses are very important to the themes of this book, but did not feel gratuitous to me.madelinekramer2021's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and Police brutality
paperknotbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Graphic: Classism, Slavery, Racism, Hate crime, and Colonisation
Moderate: Police brutality
Minor: Racial slurs
charlajane's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The characters wrap around your heart in a way that makes this story of a horse in the time just before the American Civil War, the actual historic figures in the story, and the characters in all the timelines relevant to today’s headlines about prejudice, history, and critical race theory (also known as teaching the real parts of history, not just the sanitized versions).
Graphic: Animal death, Racial slurs, Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Police brutality, Racism, and Slavery
Minor: Death of parent
rachelwastaken's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Horse is written from several points of view and I'm not sure this story would have been as relatable without the competing timelines. Meticulously researched and based heavily on the lives of real people - Horse is a novel that is going to stay with me for a long time.
I loved reading about Lexington and his groom, Jarret. The connection the two shared brought back many memories of my childhood, also spend in the company of horses.
The way Brooks weaved these timelines together was masterful and left me wanting more. It's almost unbelievable that one of America's greatest racehorses was simply forgotten and left to gather dust in the attic of the Smithsonian, and I am delighted to think that this book will inspire a resurgence of love for this amazing animal. It's difficult not to question how this story would have been written had it not been for the civil war and it saddened me to be confronted with the realities of our current outlook on race over a century later.
Moderate: Racism and Racial slurs
Minor: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Murder, and War
friskreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Animal death, Slavery, Racial slurs, Animal cruelty, War, and Gun violence
pandapjays's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Spoiler
I felt it lost focus at the end and, while addressing the threat of police violence and the murder of people of colour managed to centre the experience of a white person which was a choice. I think it would have been more interesting, especially given the forays into art and art history to explore how all the art of this black-owned horse made white profits and how horses from his line are the backbone of white dominated sports. These subjects were there in the text but never explored and I wish they had been.Graphic: Slavery, Racial slurs, Violence, and Racism
Moderate: Police brutality and War
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death