The Hearts of Horses My Rating: 4.4
Set in the winter of 1917, The Hearts of Horses follows nineteen-year-old Martha as she saddles up and travels to a remote county in eastern Oregon in search of work gentling wild horses. She comes upon rancher George Bliss, who offers her a job, especially since many of his regular hands have gone off to fight in the war. Beneath Martha’s flashy rodeo outfit, George recognizes a shy yet strong-willed young woman with a deep and serious understanding of horses.
What follows is an irresistible tale of determination and resilience, as Martha tries to carve out a place for herself in a world dominated by men.
Over the course of the long, unforgiving winter, townsfolk begin to notice something remarkable: Martha speaks to horses in low, gentle tones, calming animals others consider beyond repair—and achieving almost miraculous results. Through this rare gift, she slowly earns the respect of the community and the possibility of making a home for herself..
Perhaps it’s my lifelong love of horses, but I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It transported me back to the rugged days of settlers struggling to survive through hardship and war. The novel is told not only from Martha’s perspective but also through the voices of her neighbors, giving it a rich and intimate feel.
Overall, this book was charming, heartfelt, and quietly powerful.
I am checking to see if my library has this. Have you read Horse by Geraldine Brooks? If not, you might like it. The book was such a well researched book and I love the author’s writing. Have a nice weekend.
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