Horse: A novel

There is not discernible story in this book, but some of the writing is quite beautiful. The opening pages are as fine as anything I’ve read. The young girl finds an abandoned gosling, which she adopts. From there the narrative shifts to the horses on her family’s ranch. She is quite close to her father and is made to break a strong, big horse that has been bought for him. Her almost out-of-control ride mirrors her soon-to-be out-of-control life. When her father abandons the family, he simply disappears from her life. She is confused about why he is suddenly gone and how he could give them all up. The author conveys the confusion of a young girl transitioning to adolescence without the support of her family. Her world is unwinding, culminating with the surprising decisions she makes about her beloved horse. Teagan, the main character, finds that relationships ties are fragile and that there is not permanence between people and animals. There is wonderful writing in this book, but no anchor for this story.