This is a story of redemption about a washed up country musician, addiction, loneliness and a horse. This i s my book review The Horse by Willy Vlautin.

The Horse

Don’t confuse this book with Horse by Geraldine Brooks. Although that was an excellent book The Horse by Willy Vlautin is very different.

Music and Misfortunes

Sixty year old Al lives on a remote mining claim, barely surviving on canned soup and whiskey. He is in a deep depression with memories of his childhood, his ex-wife and his time touring as a country musician. Vlautin takes us through all the stages and misfortunes and mistakes of Al’s life with a series of flashbacks. Vlautin writes with compassion and empathy bringing his story full up to present day – the day the horse arrives.

Horse

One frosty frozen morning Al looks out the window of his shabby cabin to see a horse. Is he imagining it? Al realizes the horse is real, blind and nearly frozen. As Al considers, for days, what to do about the horse he is reminded of a loveless life of tragedy, addiction and the small time country music life.

A beautiful book about humans surviving tough times, about tenderness, loneliness and grace, and of course how animals can sometimes save us from the darkest times.

*****Five stars for The Horse by Willy Vlautin. Thanks for reading my book review The Horse by Willy Vlautin. See last week’s book review There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak.