Greetings Readers! Are you the one interested in historical fiction? Or a student studying literature or history? An individual curious about the human experience during historical crises? Or, most likely, a fan of Geraldine Brooks’ works? Then “Horse” is for you.
“Horse” by Geraldine Brooks is liked by enthusiasts seeking intriguing and action-packed narratives. My love for art and science, racial factors of history, a bit of love and obsession, covered with the human-animal bond—all were pointing me towards “Horse.”
In this detailed guide to Geraldine Brooks’s “Horse,” we will discuss every possible aspect of the book: the plot, the summary, the history, and also the author. Stay up with me; we are going to dive into the history.
*SPOILER-FREE EVERYTHING*
Horse Plot Synopsis and Overview:
“Horse” seems like an animal story, but it shows the beauty of art and the royalty of race. We meet a horse (the Horse’s real name is Lexington) and the journey of people related to it. Besides the book, Lexington was a real horse with ultimate power. Winning race after race, having limitless energy and endless sprints. The book uses the real story of the 1800s superhorse with a touch of fiction.
The key overview of the story is that in the mid-1800s in Kentucky, an enslaved groom named Jarret forms a strong bond with a young bay horse. She stayed with it, leading the horse to remarkable victories in races across the South. When the Civil War started, a young artist who gained fame painting the horse joined the Union Army. On a dangerous night, he reunites with the horse and groom, far from the racetrack’s glamour.
1954, in New York City, Martha Jackson, a bold gallery owner, becomes attractive for the mysterious nineteenth-century painting of a horse and rider.
Fast forward to 2019 in Washington, DC, where Jess, a scientist from Australia, and Theo, an art historian of Nigerian-American descent, find themselves linked by their interest in the horse. Jess studies the horse’s bones to understand its strength, while Theo explores the forgotten history of Black horse riders crucial to its racing success.
The novel “Horse” elaborates on themes of art, science, love, and the ongoing struggle with racism.
Themes and Analysis:
The novel “Horse” explores the themes of the racing society and historical sciences. We get enlightened from love, knowledgeful culture, and the dirt inside the human for the Black People. Geraldine Brooks beautifully exposed racial society and animal-human relations.
Furthermore, our analysis found the following leading themes:
The world of horse racing: The vibrant world of horse racing appears as a central theme of the book “Horse.” The book captures the thrill and intensity of the horse racing.
Societal issues: Geraldine Brooks explores societal issues, most commonly focusing on racist people.
Personal and moral dilemmas: The novel goes through the emotional and ethical dilemmas faced by its characters. The characters are presented with challenging decisions that shape their lives and relationships.
The writer has organized the real-life experiences and ethical matters with fiction; it is such a great writing strategy.
Summary:
The novel is written over three separate timelines. 1850s in Kentucky when “Lexington” lived. 1954 in New York, where a gallery owner came across the painting of Lexington. Lastly, in 2019, where a scientist reconstructs Lexington’s skeleton and meets a Nigerian art historian. While this book is mainly like a tribute to the world-class horse, it also shares the topics of injustice, slavery, racism, World War and culture. A very well-researched novel by Geraldine Brooks.
Let’s go through the plot. The story takes a start in Kentucky during the 1850s. An enslaved groom named Jarrett forms an extraordinary bond with a bay horse. Jarret loves the horse and understands what the horse needs. Jerret is black, and like always happened in history, Jerret also made the white owners a lot of money. This was the time when black people were treated more harshly than animals.
The horse is trained hard to be the fastest on the racetracks. Lexington goes on to achieve record-setting victories across the southern region. With its terrible strength and thunder-like speed, the horse was well-known in the area.
Times passed, and their nation entered the chaos of the Civil War. A talented young black artist known for his paintings of the Lexington joins the Union Army. Their destinies connect in unexpected ways, far from the glamour of racetracks.
| Publisher | Viking |
| Publishing Date | First published June 14, 2022 |
| Language | English |
| Pages | 401 Pages |
| Title | Horse: A Novel |
| Settings | Kentucky (United States, 1850), New York City, New York (United States, 1954), Washington, D.C. (United States, 2019), Lexington, Kentucky (United States) |
| Characters | Jarret, Jess, Theo |
| Literary awards | Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Fiction (2023), Audie Award Nominee for Literary Fiction & Classics (2023), Dayton Literary Peace Prize for Fiction (2023), Australian Book Industry Award (ABIA) for Literary Fiction (2023) |
| ISBN-10 | 1501110349 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1501110344 |
Fast forward to 1954, Martha Jackson lives in the heart of New York City. She is a renowned gallery owner. Martha becomes attractive to a mysterious 19th-century oil painting. This painting’s ownership adds an exciting layer to the narrative, keeping readers engaged from start to end. A black painter owns the painting.
“He came to believe that horses lived with a world of fear, and when you grasped that, you had a clear idea how to be with them”.
Geraldine Brooks, Horse
Jumping to the present day, we found ourselves in Washington, DC, in 2019. Here are two charming characters, Jess and Theo. Both share a passion for the horse with each other. Jess is a Smithsonian scientist from Australia. He studies the horse’s bones and seeks clues to its extraordinary power and strength. Jess is funny and nerdy, trying to showcase her skill of reconstructing small skeletons.
Meanwhile, Theo, a Nigerian-American art historian, uncovers the lost history of the untold black horse riders, the trainer, and the one responsible for the horses’ racing success. As Jess reconstructs the horse, she gets the story of the 1850s Lexington. Theo has just developed a crush on Jess. Theo is black but more cultured than Jess. Jess and Theo are facing problems due to the complexities of racist culture.
All the scenes get interconnected with feelings and emotions in your heart. Every topic, every timeline and every character here is giving a lesson; with the solving issues and deep messages, the novel ends.
That’s it for “Horse’s” spoiler-free summary. Keep exploring the world of books.
Behind the Story —A Brief History:
What makes this novel so special is that it’s based on the true story of the record-breaking horse, Lexington. “Horse” connects art, science, love, and the complex issues of race and racism into an interesting tale that is beyond time and societal boundaries.
“Not just Horse,” she said. “The horse. What you have here is the greatest racing stallion in American turf history.”
Geraldine Brooks, Horse
As we read, we’re taken on the ride of emotions, witnessing the darkest aspects of humanity along with its beauty and strength. It’s like watching a live horse race, completely gripping.
Review:
The book engages the reader with its layered narrative structure. I personally praise this book for its multi-timeline storyline. The book is a complete exploration of the historical culture, particularly Kentucky. “Horse” provided me with an informative insight into Kentucky’s culture; I will try to visit it and explore it more soon.
The writing style is commendable, keeping readers hooked throughout. I kept on reading and was getting more and more interested in it. The plot was well-written with engaging content. The educational insights into historical events and horse-related themes offered valuable historical knowledge.
While enjoying the book, I experienced that the content was forced to expose racism, which might feel uncomfortable and detracting for some readers. I have a conflict here: Is the main message a horse, or is only racism targeted?
Overall, it was a great journey and worth reading. Rating this book 4.5/5 ~Final decision 🙂
Final Words:
Join the thrilling journey of “Horse” by Geraldine Brooks, where history, art, and society come together in an exciting story. Feel the excitement of horse racing and learn about how people of different races interact. The characters face tough choices in difficult times. From talking about racism, it reminds us of the struggles many people still face today as many did in the past. “Horse” is going to take you on an adventure you won’t forget. Overall, “Horse” is the perfect choice for you. Go ahead and buy it!