”The dominant stallion chases even off his male offspring when they’re two or three years old. It avoids inbreeding. Nature’s smart.”
…”What about the female offspring?” Will said.
“He doesn’t breed with them. They’ll breed to one of the subservient stallions.”
“Would horses like this know not to do it?”
“No,” Daddy began, but Mateo approached us leading Noble, who was tossing his head and rattling the stud chain, and we went temporarily single-file to allow them to pass. “These animals haven’t been in a feral environment for generations. They don’t have the same relationships they form in a band. Given a chance, any one of them would mount his own daughter.”
No need to worry about confusing this one with National Velvet, Black Beauty or even just practicing all the time. Being a rising star in the equestrian world is a business. There are endorsements to decide on, photo-shoots and interviews to fit in. Of course, Daddy takes care of those arrangements. He is her manager and trainer, and is, arguably, the best in the business. But she has to put on the well-crafted persona her father has constructed for her, do the interviews he tells her to do, and endorse the products he tells her to endorse. The family is quite well to do, with a property in Virginia that is easily large enough for working out the family’s horses. So they do not need the endorsement money, but having her picture in the media, in ads or profiles, helps when it comes to competing for a chance to be selected for national teams. In many ways she is a very lucky young lady, able to pursue dreams that few others could attempt.
Susan Mihalic – image from Levure Litteraire – Photo Copyright by Eric Swanson
But all that nickers is not gold with the athletic, handsome Monty Montgomery. Despite his world-class accomplishments, expertise and training skills, he is a very controlling guy, keeping Roan on a very short rein. Not just controlling her professional advancement, and her very sense of self-worth, he has been sexually abusing her for many years. Mommy Sneerest hates her because Roan is the object of all Monty’s attention. But she keeps well away, between shopping, being blotto, and screwing around.
How much is choice? By the mores of our world none of it. Roan may tell herself that she endures Monty because it is a price she has to pay to get what she wants, which is to be at the top of the equestrian world, an international gold medalist. And she has the talent and the work ethic to make that happen. But cross Monty and there will be a price to pay.
image from The Plaid Horse – Photo by Lauren Mauldin
ThemToo
The promo copy for the book mentions Room, and My Absolute Darling as comparables. There are two other books that might be put on the same shelf. Dark Horses bears a comparison, in part at least, with My Dark Vanessa. Both are about adolescent girls abused by much older men in positions of power over them. Vanessa can at least be seen as welcoming her dark adventure, and had the freedom to walk away whenever she wanted. Not so much Roan, although she comes to a sort of accommodation with it, a prisoner’s accommodation with a jailer. A closer comparison is with Ella Berman’s 2020 novel,
Image from Stroud Show Horses
What differentiates Dark Horses from the MeToo novels noted above is the element of incest. Vanessa was hit on by a teacher. Grace Hyde was victimized by her director/manager. Ma was kidnapped by Old Nick and kept in the room of the book’s title. It is in having a psycho, abusive Daddy that Roan meets Turtle of My Absolute Darling. Turtle’s father, Martin, keeps her off the grid and away from any potential competition. He is not above using physical violence to enforce his will. Monty can control Roan with threats alone, although he does get very physically forceful with her at times. The threat of deprivation or physical harm is ever present. In both novels, controlling fathers train their daughters to be strong, tough, training them in skills they need, or want. Another similarity between Horses and Darling (and with only a gazillion coming-of-age novels, as well) is that when the lead-character girl sees an alternative, a chance, the stable, corrupt world in which she has been living begins to come apart. And the young person faces the challenge that will drive her to grow beyond her youth, or fail trying.
Image from US Equestrian – Photo: Howard Schatzberg
Life gets complicated as Roan’s sixteenth birthday nears. The usual sort. She meets a boy. He is seen as a bad boy but she gets to know him in stolen hours, and he is a pretty laudable specimen of the coltish teen boy species. Roan is drawn not just to the boy himself, but the vivacious (sane) family life he has, so much warmer and richer than the sere, straight (prison-bar-like) lines of her life. He sees her for herself, and not as an externalization of his own ego.
Roan begins to rebel in ways small and then larger. The tension of the novel is not knowing what the future holds. Will she be able to become her own person? Will she rat out her unspeakable father, thus hobbling her own career, or better, escape him somehow? Will she ever have a chance at the career she dreamed of, and can she have something with the boy?
Horse in Acadia – from the WB archives
Roan is a victim, straight up. But that is not all she is. It is the diversity of her characterization that gives this book its strength. We are granted a victim’s-eye view to ongoing sexual and psychological assault. But while we are in there we can hear the wheels inside Roan’s head spinning, trying to figure out how to keep the good things she has, while surviving the horrendous one. She is tough as nails, strong, a serious athlete, but still a girl, with the needs and desires of any other teenager. One thing Daddy has taught her well is the importance of staying in control on the field of competition. The lesson has carried over outside the course. You do not want to mess with Roan, as her enemies at school soon discover.
One gripe I had was the absence of a compelling back story to explain how Monty had become such a monster. Yes, he grew up under a domineering father, but, even though Mihalic’s portrayal of him is persuasive and chilling, that one piece could have used a bit more. Roan’s love interest is a delight of a young man, but I came close to eye-rolling at times as he seemed a wee bit too perfect. The rest of the cast is a professional crew, carrying out their supporting roles efficiently, even offering moments of warmth and human connection, greasing the wheels for the plot’s forward momentum.
Image from Horse Rookie
One nice element of the novel is introducing readers to a world most of us have never encountered. Dressage always sounded to me like a French fashion magazine or an equestrian competition designed by
Image from Kentucky Horse Shows
Mostly, the story, particularly once we are clued in to the underlying dynamic, maintains a strong, and quickening pace until we are in full gallop by the end, fully engaged in rooting for Roan to win her battle with dark forces and finally be unharnessed. There is no certainty that she will. Definitely page-turner territory, and it doesn’t take much horse-sense to know that it is worth ponying up a few shekels for a look-see. Dark Horses is a sure winner. Bet on it.
In this moment I controlled what happened next. If he could use my body, I could too.
Review posted – February 12, 2021
Publication dates
———-February 16, 2021 – hard cover
———-October 12, 2021 – trade paperback
I received an ARE of Dark Horses from Scout Press through a promotion on Lithub. No animals were harmed in the writing of this review .
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to the author’s
ThemToo
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Items of Interest
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—–Equisearch –
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—– No necessitate to worry about confusing this one withor even War Horse. No girl-meets-horse, girl-tames-horse, girl-wins-race here. Roan Montgomery was practically born in a saddle. Daddy was a multiple Olympic gold-medalist passenger, and he is determined to see that his bequest is carried on. Roan is fifteen and on the path to the Olympics a well. It is a ambitious universe. There is about no time for a social life. Her school days are curtailed so she can make it to practice. And it is notpracticing all the clock. Being a rising star in the horseman world is a commercial enterprise. There are endorsements to decide on, photo-shoots and interviews to fit in. Of course, Daddy takes care of those arrangements. He is her director and flight simulator, and is, arguably, the best in the commercial enterprise. But she has to put on the well-crafted character her forefather has constructed for her, do the interviews he tells her to do, and endorse the products he tells her to endorse. The family is quite well to do, with a property in Virginia that is easily boastfully enough for working out the family ’ s horses. So they do not need the endorsement money, but having her movie in the media, in ads or profiles, helps when it comes to competing for a find to be selected for national teams. In many ways she is a very lucky young lady, able to pursue dreams that few others could attempt.- image from Levure Litteraire – photograph Copyright by Eric SwansonBut all that nickers is not gold with the athletic, big Monty Montgomery. Despite his first accomplishments, expertness and train skills, he is a identical control guy, keeping Roan on a very short rein. not precisely controlling her professional progress, and her very sense of dignity, he has been sexually abusing her for many years. Mommy Sneerest hates her because Roan is the object of all Monty ’ south attention. But she keeps well away, between shopping, being blotto, and screwing around.How a lot isBy the mores of our worldly concern none of it. Roan may tell herself that she endures Monty because it is a price she has to pay to get what she wants, which is to be at the top of the horseman world, an international gold medalist. And she has the endowment and the study ethic to make that happen. But cross Monty and there will be a price to pay.image from- Photo by Lauren MauldinThe promo copy for the ledger mentions, andas comparables. There are two other books that might be put on the like shelf.bears a comparison, in share at least, with. Both are about adolescent girls abused by much older men in positions of ability over them. Vanessa can at least be seen as welcoming her dark adventure, and had the freedom to walk away whenever she wanted. not so a lot Roan, although she comes to a sort of adjustment with it, a prisoner ’ second adjustment with a prison guard. A closer comparison is with Ella Berman ’ second 2020 novel, The Comeback. In that one, a young actress is controlled and manipulated, away from her family, by a creep of a director. As with Roan ’ mho concern for her riding career, Grace Hyde knows that if she stepped away at any point, her career, her dreams, would have been over, thanks to that herculean and poisonous director. Both young women were mighty. Where is the breaking point, if there even is one ? evening were these characters erstwhile enough to make adult decisions, can any pipe dream be worth the cost of such ongoing misuse ? Image fromWhat differentiatesfrom the MeToo novels noted above is the element of incest. Vanessa was hit on by a teacher. Grace Hyde was victimized by her director/manager. Ma was kidnapped by Old Nick and kept in the room of the koran ’ randomness title. It is in having a psychotic, abusive Daddy that Roan meets Turtle ofTurtle ’ second don, Martin, keeps her off the power system and away from any potential rival. He is not above using physical violence to enforce his will. Monty can control Roan with threats entirely, although he does getphysically forceful with her at times. The threat of privation or forcible damage is ever stage. In both novels, controlling fathers train their daughters to be impregnable, baffling, training them in skills they need, or want. Another similarity betweenand ( and with only a million coming-of-age novels, equally well ) is that when the lead-character girlfriend sees an alternative, a luck, the static, crooked universe in which she has been living begins to come apart. And the young person faces the challenge that will drive her to grow beyond her youth, or fail trying.Image from- photograph : Howard SchatzbergLife gets complicated as Roan ’ s one-sixteenth birthday nears. The common sort. She meets a son. He is seen as a regretful boy but she gets to know him in steal hours, and he is a reasonably applaudable specimen of the coltish adolescent son species. Roan is drawn not just to the son himself, but the vibrant ( reasonable ) kin liveliness he has, so a lot warm and richer than the dried-up, straight ( prison-bar-like ) lines of her life. He sees her for herself, and not as an externalization of his own ego.Roan begins to rebel in ways small and then larger. The tension of the novel is not knowing what the future holds. Will she be able to become her own person ? Will she rat out her atrocious father, thus hobbling her own career, or better, escape him somehow ? Will she ever have a luck at the career she dreamed of, and can she have something with the son ? – from the WB archivesRoan is a victim, straight up. But that is not all she is. It is the diversity of her word picture that gives this reserve its force. We are granted a victim ’ s-eye view to ongoing sexual and psychological assault. But while we are in there we can hear the wheels inside Roan ’ randomness head spinning, trying to figure out how to keep the good things she has, while surviving the awful one. She is tough as nails, solid, a serious athlete, but still a girl, with the needs and desires of any other adolescent. One thing Daddy has taught her well is the importance of staying in control on the field of competition. The moral has carried over outside the course. You do not want to mess with Roan, as her enemies at school soon discover.OneI had was the absence of a compel back narrative to explain how Monty had become such a monster. Yes, he grew up under a domineering father, but, even though Mihalic ’ s portrait of him is persuasive and cool, that one slice could have used a spot more. Roan ’ s love interest is a delight of a young man, but I came close to eye-rolling at times as he seemed a bitty bitperfect. The rest of the casting is a professional crew, carrying out their supporting roles efficiently, even offering moments of heat and human joining, greasing the wheels for the plot ’ s forth momentum.Image fromOne nice element of the fresh is introducing readers to a world most of us have never encountered. Dressage always sounded to me like a french fashion magazine or an equestrian rival designed by The Ministry of Silly Walks. My exposure to horses is minimal. I touched a beauty of a chestnut mare in Prospect Park many years back and my allergies took at least a minute to speed from eye-itch through a massive adenoidal drip before achieving get off speed with me gasping for air. But, while that conversation with a cover girl passenger was cut dramatically short circuit, my admiration for the beauty of the animal was unaltered by my consistency ’ second panicked reaction. For readers such as I, admirers of equine beauty, while innocent of any meaningful cognition about them, it was a treat to learn a moment about the rigors of educate and competitions, gain an taste for what an all-consuming enterprise such train and its business end entail, and be introduced to a scope of equine personalities.Image fromMostly, the history, particularly once we are clued in to the underlie active, maintains a strong, and quickening tempo until we are in wide gallop by the end, amply engaged in rooting for Roan to win her conflict with iniquity forces and last be unharnessed. There is no certainty that she will. decidedly page-turner district, and it doesn ’ t take much horse-sense to know that it is deserving ponying up a few shekels for a look-see.is a certain winner. Bet on it.Review posted – February 12, 2021Publication dates — — — — — February 16, 2021 – unvoiced cover — — — — — October 12, 2021 – deal paperbackI received an ARE offrom Scout Press through a promotion on. No animals were harmed in the writing of this review .=============================Links to the writer ’ second Instagram Twitter and Pinterest pages — — – My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell — — – board by Emma Donohue — — – The Comeback by Ella Berman — — – My Absolute Darling – Gabriel Tallent — — -Equestrian Queensland – What is a Show Horse — — -Equisearch – Glossary Of Horse Terminology — — – The Ministry of Silly Walks — — – How to Ride & Show Horses Without a Trust Fund by Shelby Dennis
