A review by matttlitke
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
Overall, Horse tells a compelling story with the right mix of historical accuracy and modern embellishment. I appreciated the interwoven characters and timelines, all brought together by their shared connection to history’s greatest racehorse. Horses are the centrepiece of both the plot and the emotional setting - there are some really lovely descriptions, and the bond between the humans and animals feels strong and natural. It’s clear that Geraldine Brooks knows and loves horses. I also enjoyed the stylistic narrative switch with Thomas J Scott’s chapters, which help with the pacing and provide a different perspective.
The main themes that Horse explores are historic slavery and modern ingrained racism. The book illustrates how difficult and frustrating it must be for people of colour in America, both in the past and the present. An element that I appreciated was the reduction of ‘white saviour-ism”; that the rich and powerful men who opposed slavery weren’t painted as heroic or noble, but reflected as self-serving and manipulative. Often, media set in this time will heroize these characters who, although progressive for their time, are still guilty of upholding and benefitting from a cruel and inhumane system. Although I’m not familiar with her personality or other works, I’d hope that the same sentiment applies to the author, who has penned multiple books in settings featuring real-life oppression and injustice. I think she tried to find a balance between glamorizing the history of horse racing that she clearly loves and admires while considering the humans affected and the related structures which exist to this day.
The main themes that Horse explores are historic slavery and modern ingrained racism. The book illustrates how difficult and frustrating it must be for people of colour in America, both in the past and the present. An element that I appreciated was the reduction of ‘white saviour-ism”; that the rich and powerful men who opposed slavery weren’t painted as heroic or noble, but reflected as self-serving and manipulative. Often, media set in this time will heroize these characters who, although progressive for their time, are still guilty of upholding and benefitting from a cruel and inhumane system. Although I’m not familiar with her personality or other works, I’d hope that the same sentiment applies to the author, who has penned multiple books in settings featuring real-life oppression and injustice. I think she tried to find a balance between glamorizing the history of horse racing that she clearly loves and admires while considering the humans affected and the related structures which exist to this day.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty
Minor: Police brutality