Horse by Geraldine Brooks

Horse by Geraldine Brooks was a title that came up a few times when I asked about what people planned to read in 2024. Or, what book they had recently really enjoyed. And for Horse, it was the latter! Looking on Goodreads, this book has over 100,000 ratings! I now am able to add this book to my read pile. I found it a fascinating read.

Horse follows the journey of one particular racehorse and jumps between the era when the colt was born, raced and then went to stud. But it also tells the tale, a good sixty or so years later, of the location of this horse’s skeleton and his journey from fame to obscurity.

Geraldine Brooks has used history to fuel the imagination for some truly entertaining fiction. And that is what I really enjoy about historical fiction – how you can learn some truths about a particular event, era or person and feel like you’re right there with them, as events happen in their lives. But likewise with fiction, there are scenes that the author may choose to create, to fit in with a particular occurrence in history.

Through the exploration of one particular horse’s life and race history, Brooks also delves into the issues of racism, slavery and touches on the abuse of horses.

Horse by Geraldine Brooks

As she tied together the lives of people with seemingly very little in common, it was fascinating to read how they invariably intertwined. For the aspects that focused on a thoroughbred colt that eventually became a famous racehorse, the horse parts rang true.

I absolutely loved young Jarrett’s character and his growth alongside the horse he raised from a foal, helped to train and fell in love with, in spite of not being allowed to have him as his own horse. I felt keenly the times when he – because of his skin colour – and his father, drew the short straw and had to put up with the twisted way white men played with their lives.

Horse is a long historical novel – around 400 pages. But to me, it didn’t seem wordy at all. Things are well described, and the book explores some unique topics.

I loved learning about Jess and her fascination with the skeleton of animals – and even humans. There were some historical art references that I have to plead ignorance to – and I even learned a new word ‘onomatopoiec’ through this novel! But the horse information reads true and there is plenty of it. Highly recommended, especially if you appreciate the thoroughbred breed and learning some American racing history!

Author: Geraldine Brooks
Historical Fiction
In My Library? No, but I did enjoy borrowing it from our local library!