The Horse Whisperer

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Book!
Review: I am 15 years old and read this book. As young as I am, the entire story line had me entwined into the plot as if I, myself, was Grace. The bond between girl and horse as well as mother and daughter were extremely sentimental and full of feeling. They helped very much to add reality to the story which helped to keep me very interested and on the edge of my seat! Wondering what was going to happen next was the best!

Rating:
Summary: This is a wonderful book with a terribly unoriginal ending.
Review: This book deserves all its numerous accolades until the reader reaches the last ten or so pages and then the novel is pure garbage. Tom Booker is a noble man who would never let a horse stomp him to death just because he couldn't have a very selfish woman for himself. The horse should have killed the woman and Tom could then have married the horse!

Rating:
Summary: The story is very impressive.
Review: Once you start reading this book you'll never be able to stop. I got so affected by the story that whenever anything bad used to happen while reading it, I would get depressed as though it was happening to me. Any animal lover would basically fall in love with the story and those who are not animal lovers would still love it.

Rating:
Summary: I couldn't put this book down!
Review: The brilliant way in which the author has combined information for the devoted horse lover and for general readers is incredible. Simply a must read, the book is better than the film. Incedentally, if anyone wants to mail a very horsy gal from the UK, mail me at [e-mail] and have a nice day!

Rating:
Summary: Romantic realism
Review: The relationship between mothers and daughters is often very complicated, especially when the daughters are aged between twelve and fifteen. I experienced that fact with many friend and also with myself. The Horse Whisperer by Nicolas Evans is a wonderful story about love, tragedy and family.

Annie and Grace, the main female characters in this story do not have a perfect mother-daughter relationship. After Grace's accident with her horse Pilgrim, the horse is distracted, wild and distrustful. Grace starts to hate Pilgrim, herself and her life. Annie looks for ways to help her daughter and also herself. She notices that something is wrong in their apparently perfect life. Annie hears from a horse whisperer (Tom Booker) who is known for being able to help mentally distracted horses.

Nicolas Evans the author, does not characterize Tom Booker as an unreal magician but as a person of calmness, patience and empathy. These are talents which he uses to help Pilgrim. With his power of observation he serves also as a bridge or mediator between Annie and Grace.

The story is romantic but it is also close to reality because many difficult relationships between mother-daughter, father-son or amongst friends often need a mediator like Tom Booker who has enough patience to listen and give comfort. The character of Tom Booker has a double function. He explains the way the real horse whisperers work, something that was first described in literature and he serves as a mediator between the family members.

The love-story between Annie and Tom does not turn away from the theme. The Horse Whisperer is a novel and not a factual report. Why not a love-story with the background of a person who seems to influence not only animals but also people. There are love-stories about agents from different sides, doctors and their dying patients, criminals and detectives. This story is something new and it is more in it than just a sentimental love-story.

The Horse Whisperer brings the readers to the verge of tears. Something for romanticists.

Rating:
Summary: Will Movie Do Justice?
Review: Wanted to see the movie, but was told to read the book first. Found the book incredible. Cried at the last tragedy, something that was unexpected by me. I now will see the movie with great expectations that I'm sure Robert Redford's movie will not meet. For the characters that I have crafted in my mind could not be outdone by any Hollywood flick.

Rating:
Summary: One Terrific Book
Review: If you like a bittersweet romance, this is a must read book. It is poignant, moving and dramatic story from start to finish. If you are expecting the same phenominal success from the movie, however, you are in for a big disappointment. Read the book, forget the movie - the movie ended before the whole story was told.

Rating:
Summary: A book that shows healing after a loss.
Review: I thought this book was wonderful because Tom Booker taught Grace Graves how to heal by facing what had hapened to her. He taught Pilgrim how to trust again by using touch therapy. He helped Anne find true love and gave her the gift of the child she believed she would never have. Tom Booker can be seen as a spiritual force in this novel because he gave people strength with his touch and gave his life to save the lives of Pilgrim and Grace. He healed them and remains an eternal spirit.

Rating:
Summary: I can't believe this is his first book!
Review: Evans is a wonderful writer. I had the chance to receive an advanced copy of the loop which was also wonderful too. He writes with the style of an experienced novelist. There are few book out there that spark my interest, but I couldn't put it down. His despcription of the country side was remarkable. The relationship between Annie and Tom was well done in the fact that it was not written like sappy romance novels. Overall recommendation:.......READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: Puerile and pernicious!
Review: This book is fundamentally disappointing for two reasons. First, imagine a story where a husband with a loving wife and recently crippled child suddenly falls for his kid's physical therapist. He's finally found his one true soul mate. How moving right? Wrong -- he's a self-centered cad (particularly if the therapist is half his wife's age). So why aren't stories like this and Bridges of Madison County treated the same? Secondly and more importantly, the Horse Whisperer treats the crippled kid like some sort of stage prop in the narcistic mom's adolescent fantasy. Its implies that life's real meaning doesn't spring from parenthood and marriage (or any of the ordinary relationships in life) but only from finding a down home hunk in a cowboy hat who talks to horses. Ugh.