I am participating in several reading challenges, one being the 100 Bestsellers List. Here’s my review for The Horse Whisperer, by Nicholas Evans.
This post does not contains spoilers.
There was death at its beginning as there would be death again at its end.
After reading that line, how can you not read quickly through the first chapter to see who is going to die and how?
Horses and More
This story has all the components needed to suck you in: forbidden love, a life-threatening accident, a ruggedly handsome cowboy (Tom, the horse whisperer), a driven professional woman seeking healing for her daughter and herself (Annie), a teenage daughter in emotional pain (Grace), a supportive husband who fears he’s losing his family (Robert), and the big sky of Montana. Oh, and horses. Lots of horses.
While I’m not exactly a horse person, I liked almost everything about this novel. The characters were multi-dimensional, the storyline compelling, and the descriptions of Montana made me want to hop in the car and go see it for myself.
Initially I was shocked and angry with the story resolution. I wanted a fairytale ending, which, of course, wasn’t possible. “There would be death again at its end,” remember? (By the end of the book, I’d forgotten that tidbit of information.) The only question was, who would die?
Philosophy of Life
Early in the book we learn Tom’s philosophy of life:
“I guess that’s all forever is,” his father replied. “Just one long trail of nows. And I guess all you can do is try and live one now at a time without getting too worked up about the last now or the next now.” It seemed to Tom as good a recipe for life as he’d yet heard.
Read the rest of my review over on It’s A Mystery Blog.
I have this book, two copies actually. Sounds like I should toss the one I’m trying to read and start this one.
I think you’d like it.