A big fan of the film, it took a trip to Montana in order for me to pick this book up. Set in the stunning mountain state, the Horse Whisperer concerns exactly what it says on the tin.
The story begins with a wealthy, somewhat dyfunctional family in New York, who are struck suddenly by a terrible accident involving their daughter. This accident, filmed so wonderfully for the screen, is equally poignant on the page, if not more so. Written in a lot more detail than I expected, the accident is horrifying and suspenseful...all the more worse because you know what is coming. Its aftermath is all too familiar to many a family, but in this case, the mother, Annie, focuses her pain and anguish on the horse. His survival and recovery is the key to not losing her daughter, Grace, into a pit of depression from which she may never return.
Thus Annie contracts Tom Booker, a Montana horse whisperer with a past of his own, to help her daughter's maimed and traumatised horse, Pilgrim. Evans' writing beautifully captures this magnificent state, all the more poignant due to my being on a Montana ranch and working with horses at the time. Evans has obviously done his research, and for much of the book I felt the same ardour and enjoyment that I had for the film. However, the end ruined it for me. And I truly mean ruined. Not the subtle, classy and painfully touching ending that the film had (albeit unresolved for some), but a dramatic conclusion that I felt was entirely over the top and unwarranted. Some may disagree, and I definitely have the downside of having seen the film before reading the book. But I am saddened that I did not love the book as much by the end, and am no longer inspired to read more by Evans. It felt a bit like a cop out to me, cashing in on Hollywood drama, which ironically, Hollywood did not deliver.
What did you think?
3 comments:
You know, it's been such a long time that I can no longer remember the ending of the book. I only think of the movie ending. I think this was the last Nicholas Evans book I read, I think, because I'd already seen the film. I remember enjoying The Loop and The Smoke Jumper but they were both a little over-the-top emotional.
Clover - Over-the-top emotional is a very good description of the end of this book. It was a shame as I was loving the book until that point.
My daughter and I read this book when it first came out...before the movie. WE Loved the book..hated the movie..the endings are totally different and no..Robert Redford did not do this book justice....
this book is a must read and the ending requires a box of kleenex..
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