Horse: A Novel

Geraldine Brooks has written a resounding book about American horse racing in the deep south, 1850-1861. The narrative goes back and forth in time from the 1800's to the present and encompasses many themes - slavery, art, love, and horses. In the present time, Jess, an Australian osteologist, finds the bones of what she thinks is the greatest race horse of all time, Lexington. She is able to identify the horse because of its stature and an unusual bone growth on its head. Jess meets Theo, a Nigerian-American, who is studying the art of horses as his PhD dissertation. He finds a painting of a horse in his neighbor's trash which turns out to be an important piece of art. Slowly, Jess and Theo form a friendship that becomes a romantic attachment. In the 1800's, Jarret, a slave on a large southern plantation, becomes very close to a newborn foal who later turns out to be America's greatest race horse - Lexington. Jarrett is raised with his father but later sold to a very manipulative slave owner. However, throughout his life, and Lexington's, they remain bonded. Jarrett becomes a 'sort of' assistant to Thomas Scott, a painter, who does several portraits of Lexington and Jarrett. They form a friendship of sorts though it was unusual in those days for a white man to befriend a black slave. Meanwhile, in the present, Martha Jackson, an art gallery owner, comes into contact with a painting of a horse. Her gallery is known for showing contemporary painters like Jackson Pollack and horse portraits are not really her thing. She says she'll evaluate the painting as a favor to her house maid. All these people and themes are interwoven in 'Horse' and the narrative is fascinating and beautifully written. It was sad to read about the conditions of slavery and lack of any agency a slave had. I also was saddened about the way some horses were treated by their wealthy white owners who cared more about making money than caring for the health and well-being of their race horses. This is a book to savor. It blossoms as it moves into the second half. I rooted for Jarrett the whole time I was reading it and loved the characters of Theo and Jess. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who treasures literary and historical fiction.

A friend recommended this novel based on my background and writing interests. I love historical fiction and well-written works of science and medicine. I am an orthopedic surgeon who earned a Ph.D. in veterinary science before attending medical school. This book resonated with me. Geraldine Brooks hit my reading trifecta (history, science, and medicine) with her latest novel, Horse, about Lexington, the greatest racehorse of the nineteenth century, which is interlaced with accurate and entertaining details of equine medicine and science. Brooks’ complex plot uses multiple timelines and characters. The central story occurs during the Civil War era covering the lives of the Thoroughbred, Darley (later renamed Lexington), and his trainer, Jarret, a young slave. Brooks uses her knowledge of this period and her writing skill to portray a beautiful, and at times heartbreaking, relationship between the horse and trainer. The story flips back and forth between the present day and two characters, Jess and Theo. This is where I think Brooks’ brilliance as a storyteller is displayed. Jess is an American transplant from Sydney, Australia (like the author) who has a quirky upbringing, ultimately resulting in a master’s degree in zoology. Note that Jess doesn’t have a Ph.D. which would make her overqualified for her position as director of the Vertebrate Osteology Prep Lab at the Smithsonian Support Center. This is the perfect backstory for Jess. She is a science nerd who makes a career out of studying and assembling skeletons. I’d love to know how Brooks came up with this. Jess receives a request from a colleague at Woods Hole Laboratory in Massachusetts to help assemble a horse skeleton. She begins putting Lexington back together. Theo is a Black Ph.D. art history student developing a thesis project based on nineteenth-century equestrian art (another brilliant backstory). I’ll leave it to the reader to learn the details of Theo’s career as a star polo player. After discovering a painting of Lexington at a neighborhood yard sale, he starts researching the great horse. Through a chance encounter, Jess and Theo meet and discover their mutual interest in Lexington. The third timeline is a brief but wonderful interlude into contemporary art history. Brooks works into the plot the story of Martha Jackson and her involvement with the career of Jackson Pollock. Geraldine Brooks has done a spectacular job telling a complex story. All of the anatomic and veterinary medical details are accurate and well-researched. This a book worthy of a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, I loved it and continue to think about it.

This book is fabulous. It covers many subjects and the writing is marvellous. Thank you Geraldine Brooks!!!!

So well researched and written - I loved every page about Lexington the horse, and the stories and people who surrounded his life and afterlife! The overcoming of slavery laws are dealt with contextually but also affecting in every detail. The devotion and many aspects of love are so well drawn - and so moving!

A wonderful book, especially since horses are a large part of my life. Great characters and interesting plot.

Sich als nicht Pferdeliebhaberc habe ich dieses Buch verschlungen. Sehr schön geschrieben. Die unterschiedlichen zeitlichen Ebenen passen sehr gut zueinander um ein totales Bild zu erhalten.

Well packaged came on time perfect condition . Very good read 👍