Rating: 
Summary: Jane Smiley's best--by a furlong
Review: I am not an unequivocal fan of Jane Smiley (I enjoyed Moo and Ordinary Love and Good Will, but did not like A Thousand Acres) and I have no interest at all in horses or horse racing. But this is a rollicking big-hearted vibrant book, with wonderful characters, lots of laughs, and sentences to savor. I was thrilled that it was so long--I wanted to stay in this magical place as long as possible. Highly recommended.
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Summary: Justa Horse Lover
Review: Except for a couple of times when the book went off track, I really loved it. Justa Bob, Mr. T and Eileen seem like part of my life now. (Especially that rascal terrier.) Ms. Smiley gave insight into the racing business and at the end I felt satisfied and held no grudge against any of the huge cast of characters. Justa Bob, Mr. T and Eileen should have stories of their own. Her venture into the stalls of the human minds was thought provoking. Well worth reading if you love horse racing and dogs. (I do!)
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Summary: Horse Heaven
Review: This was the best book I'd read in a long time. I love horses, so maybe those who don't won't think it was as engrossing as I did, but it was thoughly enjoyable.
Rating: 
Summary: You'll need a corral to keep track of the characters
Review: OK, it was a loving look at the world of thoroughbred horseracing and training and breeding, etc. But there were too many characters and plotlines to follow. On the upside, the horses themselves were marvelously drawn as luminous characters well worth keeping track of. I fell for "Justa Bob" and would have kept reading more about him alone!
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Summary: I don't want it to end...
Review: This is the first book I have read by Jane Smiley so I can't make a comparison to any of her other books, but I am really enjoying this one. I am near the end and I am rationing the time I give myself to read so I won't finish it too soon. There are a lot of characters, but the author gives you a list of them at the beginning of the book, if you forget who someone is and how they relate all you need to do is look them up. The author has a wonderful knowledge of horses and Jack Russel terriers. It is nice to hear someone refer to such topics using the proper language. So many other novels I have read come close to talking the talk, but miss by a little bit.What a perfect book to be reading just before the Kentucky Derby!
Rating:
Summary: Not quite another MOO
Review: I write as a big fan of Jane Smiley. Her previous novels have. . . . well, nothing short of grandeur. I eagerly looked forward to HORSE HEAVEN, but found the characters were not very finely drawn, nor were the subplots put together with the finesse found in MOO. There's lots to admire here, but the total work drifts here and there. HORSE HEAVEN feels to me like a draft that needs some hard editing.
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Summary: Disappointment
Review: Smiley is one of the most gifted of all writers. Unfortunately,in this book, there appears to be a greater interest in impressing theliterati then communicating with the reader.
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Summary: Loved this book!
Review: I just finished this book and had to hop on line to see what others said. I enjoy reading Jane Smiley's occasional articles in Practical Horseman and thoroughly enjoyed both A Thousand Acres and Barn Blind - the latter because it also dealt with horses. However, I couldn't finish Liddy Newton or Moo...so! I'm really a fan of any horse-related fiction and truly enjoyed this book and experienced that "Oh No! I Finished It!" feeling when I was done. I'll admit there are a lot of characters, but it's not so hard to keep them straight. Anyone who is interested in horse racing or thoroughbreds in general (hunter jumper people too) will want to read it. Those who are not will still enjoy the characters and the excellence of the writing. I especially liked the team of Farley, Joy and Elizabeth. Give it a try - and to those on-line reviewers who put it aside, take it up again. You really won't be sorry.
Rating:
Summary: Great book!
Review: This is one of the best horse racing novels I've read! The cast of characters, horses and people, is confusing at first (I needed to keep checking back to the list in the front through the first few chapters), but I soon worked it out becasue each character has such a distinct personality. To really enjoy the book, like I did, though, I think you need to be a true horse lover and an avid racing fan.
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Summary: Literary Horse Racing Triumph
Review: Horse heaven is bold. Jane Smiley strives to explore all facets of racing, from the Derby and internationally listed races to minor track sprints to layup farms and killers. She is equally bold to sketch the many characters found in racing, broadly divided among the horse-struck and the rest, but also split among the good, the indiffernt, and the evil. Most excitingly she delves into the minds of the horses and animals, exposing the dialogue we all know goes on behind those eyes. Other comments are well-taken. There are so many characters laced throughout the story you'll need to thumb back to find them. Dostoevsky made me do the same thing. If you love horses and racing, and if you love literature, you will truly love this book.
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