One-sentence summary: A Dutch immigrant in the 1950s saves a run-down plow horse from the slaughter house by purchasing him for $80 and then turns him into a jumping champion.
B.A.D. Girls Book Rating: 6
Our favorite thing about it: The overall story and the history of equestrianism in the US.
Our least favorite thing about it: The repetitiveness and poor writing.
Main Topics of Discussion: 1950’s in the US, Competition, Horses, Family Relationships
Our favorite quote: “He believed Snowy had untapped potential – unfulfilled promise that mirrored his own.”
Notes: Our overall assessment of this book was almost unanimous…that it was a great, inspirational story told in a very boring, un-impactful way.
The story of an underdog can be so exciting and inspirational, but this story just didn’t measure up. It fell short of its true potential because of the writing. Almost all of us agreed that it was a little dull, very repetitive, and slow. Although we truly appreciated most of the history of society in the US during the 1950’s as well as the history of equestrianism, the story got bogged down in unnecessary history about the school where DeLeyer taught and in the repetitive details about Henry and especially Snowman.
The reader did not need to be told (over and over again) that Snowman was “fleabitten” or “just a plow horse” or that he was “saved from the slaughter house.” All of these are good details, but it becomes annoying and detrimental to the story to be told these things ad nauseum. We felt that at least a third of the book could have been cut to make the story more punchy and impactful as it should have been.
The ending was also a little rushed and the story seemed to center as much around Henry DeLeyer and his past and character as it did Snowman despite the title of the book.
All these things being said, we did appreciate the story of an unlikely champion and the things we learned about America and the Long Island/NY area in the mid 21st century. We’re just not sure we can recommend this particular re-telling of the story.
Memorable Meeting Moments: Dara opened her birthday books and cards and then broke one of our cardinal rules about book choices (choosing a book that one or more of us has already read…or in this case, all of us but one)…but the decision was sanctioned by everyone!
What We Ate: Pasta Bake with Salad, and Pumpkin Spice cake with glaze
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