Reviews with content warning for Racial slurs - Horse

Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

Horse by Geraldine Brooks

32 reviews

probablyoverthinking's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense

2.0

I really struggled with this one. The history is absolutely fascinating and I love the idea of connecting a painting with its origin story. I do think it might have been better as a history book without the fiction, or with another author. She clearly put in work to be real about the race issues but it feels wrong. It feels like overstepping for a white person to write a first person account of American slavery. I recognize it's well researched but the writing is almost like she was overcompensating for being white which then ends up being somehow performative. I wonder if the two POV black characters had to be extraordinary and sophisticated in their talents and manners. And other tropes that would be a spoiler with a dash of white saviorism. Actually more than a dash, because it happens in all 3 timelines.
I don't necessarily hate every book that feels like it kills me a little on the inside. But if it does that it has to be really well written, and this was just not. I had issues with all three timelines. I guess I could have just ended this after saying someone else should have written this book.

Content Warnings

jenmeyers's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

Content Warnings

bookloca's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
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

There is a lot of technical jargon, complicated wording, and French phrases that are necessary in some case. The theme of this book can be confusing, although the storyline seems clear. The person who reads this book will have to enjoy reading between the lines and reading in context.

Content Warnings

joshtuttle's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Content Warnings

chelle22's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging hopeful inspiring tense

5.0

Content Warnings

chlschn's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional informative sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

jourdanicus's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective medium-paced

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? No

3.75

I'm finding it so hard to rate this book.

Based on the summary and my past experience with the author, I figured this would be a resounding 5⭐ read for me. The going was really good, and I loved the writing style. Having multiple narrators made the audiobook so engaging (although the English narrator for Theo has an awful American accent... Lol, sorry).

But... I just... Felt that the ending was SUCH a flop. Maybe I'm spoiled on having happy endings from reading so much romance, I don't know...

Aside from the ending, I mainly have complex feelings on how the topic of race was handled in this book. There was so much detail and sensitivity, and yet... Not a lot of nuance? I know from the Afterword that Brooks really did her research for this book, including having Black early readers, which is good to do. But there were still some parts that felt a little forced. And then (back to my problems with the ending)

to kill Theo off, in a police shooting no less?

Like... Why? I'm not against tragedy in a story, but tragedy that seems to serve no purpose to the plot? Okay, maybe that was the point, since police violence against Black people is so senseless in real life. But I was then made uncomfortable by the focus shifting to Jess's awkward grief and white guilt over the whole thing.

I wish the end hadn't soiled the rest of the book for me, because really it was an interesting, uncommon story, beautifully told. It just needed a stronger finish.

I'm off to look up nonfiction accounts of Black equestrians now!

Content Warnings

alekguerrero's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

A fantastic book! So layered and nuanced. You think you’re reading a book about a historical famous racing horse but it’s about so so much more. Makes you think, makes you question, makes you angry, makes you cry. Moving in its entirety!

Content Warnings

alainab113's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Content Warnings

mlander's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional informative medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

Content Warnings

More...