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Horse Heaven |
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 Horse Heaven byJane Smiley Alfred A. Knopf 561 pages, 2000 ISBN 037540600X Reviewed by Julie Failla Earhart For a behind-the-scenes, up close and personal look at the people - and horses - that call the racetrack home, Jane Smiley’s latest novel HORSE HEAVEN is the book to read. Set in and around the famous and not-so-famous tracks around the country, HORSE HEAVEN is the story of owners, jockeys, trainers, exercise riders, breeders, horse lovers, wannabes and hanger-on-ers. It is the story of winning and losing both on the course and off. It is the story of the exuberance of newcomers to horses and racing, and the ambiguousness of the old-timers. It is also the story of the individuality of humans and animals. Smiley’s detail and ability to bring the reader right into the world she is writing about is the strength that lies behind this massive tale. The characters, for the most part, are well defined and completely drawn. The most interesting character we meet is Rosalind Maybrick, a wealthy and bored socialite who binges on material goods and never goes anywhere without her Jack Russell terrier, Eileen. Eileen personifies the most basic of human emotions. We also meet Dick Winterson, the Maybrick's horse trainer, with whom Rosalind has a brief affair. Both are searching for something, but never quite figure out just what will satisfy each of them. Then there are the horses. The most memorable ones are Mr. T, an aging gelding and one-time champion and Justa Bob, the California-bred brown gelding who goes from fame to obscurity. The main drawback to this wonderful novel is the overwhelming cast of characters. Smiley provided a list of who’s who to help keep track. However, if the complete cast wasn't there, I think that the reader wouldn't get such a complete feel for the racing world. Along with those intimately involved in the world of horse racing, we see Tiffany, a Wal-Mart checker who takes a chance and changes her career. We see the bettor Leo and his "system," sure that with each race, he'll hit the big time. Horse Heaven is not light summer-reading fare. Give yourself plenty of time to read this absorbing novel, a complex study in character development that should be luxuriated in, not rushed to completion. |
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