Wow! The Horse: Awesome by Geraldine Brooks

The Horse

By Geraldine Brooks

Wow!, what can I say about this extraordinary novel, The Horse by Geraldine Brooks. One of my favorite novels written this year. 

A unique put-together novel with three storylines.  It reads like three short stories and then blends together beautifully into one wonderful novel, the 1850s,  New York City 1954, and present-day 2019, Washington DC. 

With rich characters and in historical detail she weaves the story in each timeline. With main characters start in the 1850s, with Jarrett a young slave living with his father in Kentucky. He and his father care for the famous thoroughbred racehorse named, Lexington. Theo, A Nigerian-American who is an art historian student. Who meets Jesse, who is researching and studying the bones of horses at the Smithsonian Institute. In 1954 a rising gallery owner in NYC, who happens to be a patron of Jackson Pollack. What you say! How do these stories collide? Did, I read right? Believe it or not. It does. It will make sense when you start reading the amazing story and storylines, and timelines. 

                  Lexington- Horse thorougbred

The conditions for slaves who worked at the horse farms I felt were a bit far-fetched. . But, that is my take.  Maybe some slaves who worked with horses had better treatment and conditions than actual slaves who worked in the other areas of the plantation. As I was reading. I thought to myself. I am sure not all slaves were treated this well. You will have to read for yourself what you think. 

Of course, the book was fascinating and richly told. At times heartbreaking, and hard to read at times. Also, the book brought hope. It was well worth the read.  I enjoyed reading about the history of horse racing during the Civil War.  How the art and the horse intersected with science and history.  I enjoyed the three storylines coming together. Without hesitation, I give it 5. 

I read Geraldine Brooks's previous novel, People of the Book. Which reminded me of the same writing of The Horse. I recommend the novel for book clubs for lovers of historical fiction, horse racing, slavery, racism, horse farming, policing, and entitlement.