I went back and forth with this book. There is a wealth of inside information regarding the care of, abuse of, superstitions about, and shady dealings that surround professional horse racing—Smiley obviously did her research. I liked the numerous anecdotes about horses and race tracks and enjoyed the funny ‘horse’ jokes. However, this information is woven around a cast of 50+ characters including the main protagonists—six thoroughbred horses, and I think therein lies the difficulty. There was just too much going on. It was hard to keep track of even with the character list at the front of the book. Each of these magnificent animals could have sustained a book all on its own. For example, I loved reading 11-year old Audrey’s letter in Chapter 4 where she contacts the original owner of Mr. T, an abused race horse in whom she takes an interest and is instrumental in saving. However, we don’t hear about Audrey again until Chapter 36 and then only three more times in this long book until the synopsis, I wanted her to reconnect with Mr. T, who goes on to tell his own story, like when he meets the animal communicator Elizabeth who is able to read his mind. Now this made sense to me—anyone who has an animal learns to know when it’s hungry, what food it likes, when it wants to go outside, etc. However, when Mr. T starts giving advice about how to place bets at the track, Smiley lost me. I also thought it was a stretch when Smiley narrated Chapter 48 from the dog’s point-of-view, though she does get kudos for naming a Jack Russell terrier Eileen.So I’m giving this book three stars for all the inside information and interesting tales, but taking away two for the convoluted story line. It would have been so much better if Smiley had left some of her characters on the shelf for another book and developed her story around Mr. T or Justa Bob or even the temperamental Epic Steam. Wouldn’t it be fun to read a book about each one of them!One of the best ‘horse’ stories I’ve read is Laura Hillenbrand’s “Seabiscuit” about a real horse who won the hearts of America in 1938. If you want to read a really good horse story, I recommend it.
The reviews pretty much say it all. This is a great, sprawling book with many characters, both human and not, that manages to suck you in and leave you broken and bereft at the end, not because it is sad, or that, like many a bettor of horses, you lost everything, but simply because you do not want it to end.This was my first successful attempt at a Jane Smiley book (A Thousand Acres being the only other attempt, and now I might go back). There are so many characters that there’s a list at the front. Feel free to ignore it and just read and enjoy. I found that easier than constantly flipping back and forth. But once you do finish, go back to the start and read again or at least skim. It helps with the withdrawal symptoms.Having been horse crazy as a girl, I couldn’t help but wonder if the trainer Farley Jones was an homage to Walter Farley, author of The Black Stallion series. And Epic Steam could be the Black himself. And for a writer, there is much to love: the almost omniscient POV. We get most characters’ perspectives, even a dog and several horses (and yes, Justa Bob steals the show). The book is loaded with good writing. The copy I read was borrowed and since returned, so I can’t flip to find pithy phrasing. It’s the kind of writing you want to study if you are a writer like me. Sure there are weird lapses, some boring parts, some characters who you wonder why they are there. It’s longer than it needed to be but shorter than I wanted it to be. Although this is about horse racing, and I feared what it might include, it is called Horse Heaven for a reason. This isn’t the Black Beauty of horse racing. This has a happy ending. Literally, there’s a chapter so titled (though it isn't actually the ending). But there is enough to give you a sense of what goes on. A scene with Justa Bob and his companion broke my heart. Things are mentioned so there is an undercurrent of knowing that the life of a race horse is not all winner’s circles and broken records. The book could have gone there, but it didn’t need to. Another book can do that. So set aside a few nights and cozy up to some wonderful characters.
What do You think about Horse Heaven (2003)?
I'm not really sure how I feel about the book overall. It was excellent in many ways, but sort of pointless overall. It's a soap opera about horses & the people working with them on the track with a sort of beginning & a kind of end, but there was a lot of history & certainly life goes on after the book ends. The writing was good, engaging & yet there wasn't a single defined plot, so I got a bit lost at times. Toward the middle of the book, I almost gave it up due to characters musing & then it suddenly picked up again. I guess that was the biggest flaw, there was a very realistic unevenness to the story. Tons of crazy things happen, then life sort of drifts along & the cycle repeats.There are a lot of characters, both horse & human, but there is a pretty good list in the front. It might be worthwhile to make some extra notes. Some of the characters were tough for me to keep separated. For instance, two trainers, Farley & Dick were similar enough that I confused them on more than one occasion, although that didn't really hurt the story at all. Most stood out wonderfully like Justa Bob & Mr. T, super horse characters.I have enough experience to know that Smiley REALLY knows the business & her take on it, the way she describes the horses & the people, is fantastic. If you like watching any of the big flat races (e.g. the Kentucky Derby) & wonder what sort of life led up to & goes on after, I can't think of a better way to do it.
—Jim
If you were ever a horse-obsessed youngster, this book is your grown-up version of Black Beauty, The Black Stallion, and all those other horse books. If you are a person who likes to visit the track, put a few dollars on the ponies, then this book could be for you as well. Semi-sprawling, it incorporates so many characters, human and equine (and one Jack Russell terrier) that it can be a little confusing at first. But keep going and eventually all of them gel into individuals you know quite well. The book is structured like a horse-race - all the individuals starting out, then they are all bunched up and it's a little confusing, things move along in the backstretch at a leisurely pace, then suddenly here they all come at the end, their positions clear as they move past the finish. The race meet at Saratoga will look very different to me next time I go!
—Maura
Horse Heaven by Jane Smiley is a novel about horses and their breeders, owners, trainers, grooms, jockeys, traders, bettors and other turf-obsessed humans. It takes place over two-years and chronicles the lives of various horses and their people.I know a little about horses - that is to say I've ridden horses, been to riding competitions, and been to the race track - but I still found this book particularly hard to get into. You see nothing ever happens, there is no real plot. The entire novel is much more a character epic, and the only redeemable characters are the horses. The horses are quirky and sensitive, and you become attached to them all and feel their ups and downs, their victories and defeats. The book bounces from character to character, in a way that makes you assume that the stories will converge at some point, but they never really do. They are all loosely related by being in the racing world, but that's it. Every time I felt I had a handle on everyone in the book, Smiley added another set of characters - I couldn't keep up!In conclusion, let me say this to you: if you enjoy plot-driven novels, this book it not for you; if you enjoy slow-moving character studies, you'll enjoy Horse Heaven. My advice is to read this book for the horses, because the humans will disappoint you every time.
—Susan
