Audiobook10 hours
Dark Horses: A Novel
Written by Susan Mihalic
Narrated by Alex Allwine
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
A “sweeping and raw story of courage, resilience, and clear-eyed grace” (Sara Gruen, #1 New York Times bestselling author) about a teenage girl’s fierce struggle to reclaim her life from her abusive father in the vein of My Absolute Darling and Room.
Fifteen-year-old equestrian prodigy Roan Montgomery has only ever known two worlds: inside the riding arena, and outside of it. Both, for as long as she can remember, have been ruled by her father, who demands strict obedience in all areas of her life. The warped power dynamic of coach and rider extends far beyond the stables, and Roan’s relationship with her father has long been inappropriate. She has been able to compartmentalize that dark aspect of her life, ruthlessly focusing on her ambitions as a rider heading for the Olympics, just as her father had done. However, her developing relationship with Will Howard, a boy her own age, broadens the scope of her vision.
“[A] heart-pounding, can’t-take-your-eyes-off-it debut novel” (O, The Oprah Magazine), Dark Horses explores the themes of abuse and resilience in a way that will leave you transfixed. This is “a provoking and needed book” (Booklist, starred review).
Fifteen-year-old equestrian prodigy Roan Montgomery has only ever known two worlds: inside the riding arena, and outside of it. Both, for as long as she can remember, have been ruled by her father, who demands strict obedience in all areas of her life. The warped power dynamic of coach and rider extends far beyond the stables, and Roan’s relationship with her father has long been inappropriate. She has been able to compartmentalize that dark aspect of her life, ruthlessly focusing on her ambitions as a rider heading for the Olympics, just as her father had done. However, her developing relationship with Will Howard, a boy her own age, broadens the scope of her vision.
“[A] heart-pounding, can’t-take-your-eyes-off-it debut novel” (O, The Oprah Magazine), Dark Horses explores the themes of abuse and resilience in a way that will leave you transfixed. This is “a provoking and needed book” (Booklist, starred review).
Author
Susan Mihalic
Susan Mihalic is an editor and writer who teaches therapeutic horseriding. She lives in Taos, New Mexico and this is her first novel.
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Reviews for Dark Horses
Rating: 4.459183673469388 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
98 ratings7 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is a very deep emotional And troubling read. The writing was wonderful. It’s based on Rowan, a high school age girl who lives with her father. Her mother abandoned her. Basically the father has all the control and just not as a parent but with other things. Things that are dark. So this could be a trigger for some readers so make sure you understand the content of this book. I felt like the everything wrapped up beautifully. I will definitely be looking into this authors other books. I did listen to this an an audio and the narrator was fantastic. Perfect for the part.
3 people found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5As Rowan unburdens herself of the vicious control of her father, you never once wonder why she does what she does, why she makes the choices she does. She is surviving. We are with her in her survival, and the intensity of this novel is at times almost too much to bear, but the characters are so incredibly believable that you almost can't imagine a different way for events to play out. Sparsely written (Rowan has no time for boys, let alone purple prose) and taut through the entire narrative, an excellent and horrifying book.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Unreal. What a ride, and yes I intended every bit of that pun. This book was incredible from beginning to end. If you have a history of abuse in your life it may be triggering and/or even not something you can get through. But if you do, don’t or would just like to read about the inside trials and terrifying day to day of someone who is going through it in real time, then listen to this book. I was amazed from beginning to end. Great job on narration and thought process. Just wonderful, sad and horrifying all at the same time. Great read! Would definitely recommend to those who can stomach it.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Hard to say love. Very difficult subject matter but well written.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5If you’re in to listening to titillating details of underage sex, incest, and child sexual abuse, then this is the book for you.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wow. Not for the faint of heart, but compelling nonetheless.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The book and it really too abruptly. It was disturbing and I almost didn’t finish it because I thought the contact was hard to listen to but there were a lot of holes in the story. It was just OK