Horse by Geraldine Brooks

“Brooks’ chronological and cross-disciplinary leaps are thrilling.” —The New York Times Book Review “Horse isn’t just an animal story—it’s a moving narrative about race and art.” —TIME “A revelation . . . [the] best horse book I’ve ever read.” —Jane Smiley, The New York Times Book Review A discarded painting in a junk pile, a skeleton in an attic, and the greatest racehorse in American history: from these strands, a Pulitzer Prize winner braids a sweeping story of spirit, obsession, and injustice across American history Kentucky, 1850. An enslaved groom named Jarret and a bay foal forge a bond of understanding that will carry the horse to record-setting victories across the South. When the nation erupts in civil war, an itinerant young artist who has made his name on paintings of the racehorse takes up arms for the Union. On a perilous night, he reunites with the stallion and his groom, very far from the glamor of any racetrack. New York City, 1954. Martha Jackson, a gallery owner celebrated for taking risks on edgy contemporary painters, becomes obsessed with a nineteenth-century equestrian oil painting of mysterious provenance. Washington, DC, 2019. Jess, a Smithsonian scientist from Australia, and Theo, a Nigerian-American art historian, find themselves unexpectedly connected through their shared interest in the horse—one studying the stallion’s bones for clues to his power and endurance, the other uncovering the lost history of the unsung Black horsemen who were critical to his racing success. Based on the remarkable true story of the record-breaking thoroughbred Lexington, Horse is a novel of art and science, love and obsession, and our unfinished reckoning with racism.

I read this for a book club, so I'm admitting right off that this is not the sort of thing I would choose for myself. The review can be taken in that light.

I enjoyed the historical fiction aspects of the story. Brooks tells the story of Jarrett's evolution as a trainer, and how he made Darley/Lexington into a champion, while maintaining a trusting and affectionate relationship with the horse. He accomplishes all this while dealing with the unjust limitations of being enslaved. I wish Brooks had trusted that this was enough to make her book satisfying.

The art collecting portions of the story didn't go anywhere and seemed unnecessary. But this wasn't the problem.

Why I took my rating from good to just acceptable is because of the inclusion of the modern-day storyline. In 2019, the characters Jess and Theo had a loose connection to the historical portions of the story. Brooks chose use them as a device to point out the continued racial tensions in the United States today.

Using characters as a demonstration of social and political statements is not my favorite technique. There are subtle ways to inspire readers towards meaningful thoughts on the topic. In fact, she does the intelligence of Jess and Theo a huge disservice in order to make her point. This is all done to manipulate the readers into something or other—anger, fear, or guilt presumably. But it's transparent so therefore, not effective.

So, she doesn't trust her story, nor does she trust the intelligence of the reader.

I'm a bit of a sucker for books where two vastly different timelines tell one linked and cohesive story. The focus here on the horse and everything around it were incredibly deep and engrossing.