Posted in Book Reviews
First of all, horse books and I have not always gotten along in the past. It’s not that I dislike horses; it’s just that somehow I’ve never quite been able to connect with the emotions expressed in horse books. So I was a little wary when I started A Horse from the Sea by Victoria Holmes.
Set in Ireland, A Horse from the Sea is an account from Nora Donovan’s point of view as to what happens when a ship from the Spanish Armada wrecks on a shore close to home. Washed up on shore are a white stallion and a teenage boy, Jose. Nora, the only one who knows about them, struggles to keep them both concealed from forces that might harm them. Eventually she must make a choice. Is she brave enough to risk her life in order to save Jose?
As I began the book, I feared that this was going to be another horse book that I didn’t get along with. A few chapters into it, however, I found myself immersed in the book. The plight of Jose and Nora was thoroughly interesting to me, and even though the author’s descriptive passages were plentiful, it had enough action to hold my attention.
One thing that I really liked was how the author wove a lot of the Irish culture into the book. Her realistic use of names and places made me feel like I was really there, as well as the way she included a few of the Irish superstitions.
If I had one complaint, it would be that I wished the author had developed some of the side characters a little more. The plot centered a lot on Nora and Jose, and it left me a little curious as to what some of the characters were like. However, that was a minor detail.
All in all, I got along with this horse book quite well. I would say that someone who is a lover of horses might like it even more than I did, but even if you aren’t too interested in horses, I think you would enjoy this book.
