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Cover of The Black Stallion

The Black Stallion

Walter Farley

642 pages

A sweeping, wind-in-your-hair adventure about the primal, unbreakable bond between a boy and a wild creature.

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What it feels like

Reading this classic is like feeling the thrum of hooves through the ground—it is pure, unadulterated childhood wish fulfillment wrapped in a high-stakes adventure. The narrative moves with a brisk, muscular energy, sweeping the reader from the terrifying, salt-sprayed chaos of a shipwreck to the sun-baked isolation of a desert island, and finally to the roaring crowds of a racetrack. The prose is straightforward and earnest, stripping away modern cynicism to focus entirely on the raw, reverent awe of the human-animal bond. It is a triumphant, wind-in-your-hair experience that feels both untamed and deeply comforting. This is the perfect read for anyone who has ever looked at a wild creature and dreamed of earning its absolute, unwavering trust.

Mood
  • sweeping
  • untamed
  • triumphant
  • nostalgic
Tone
  • earnest
  • adventurous
  • reverent
  • thrilling
Pace
brisk
Themes
human-animal bond · survival and resilience · the thrill of the wild · coming of age · trust and loyalty
The writing
Straightforward, vivid, and action-oriented, capturing the raw power of nature and animals without unnecessary embellishment.
The arc
Moves from terrifying isolation and primal survival to a triumphant, heart-pounding culmination of trust.
Who it's for
Animal lovers and young adventurers who dream of forming an unbreakable bond with a wild, magnificent creature.
Content notes
  • shipwreck
  • animal peril
  • drowning

About the book

Story of a horse the New York Times has called ''the most famous fictional horse of the Century!''

Young Alec is on his way home when a black stallion is loaded on to his ship. In a tragic shipwreck Alec saves the life of the black stallion. Stranded on an island the only way to survive is to trust the other. Will Alec ever make it safely home? Will the Black beat the two best racing horses in America? Well........you'll have to read to find out. 🐎

GOODREADS Review: Feb 15, 2018 Candace rated it 5 of 5 stars. ''..it was amazing'' Alex Ramsey first meets the black stallion when they're both booked on a ship called the Drake. When the ship is destroyed during a storm, the Black stallion and Alex are the only survivors. They wash up on a deserted island. Alex knows if it wasn't for the Black he won't have survived the shipwreck. When Alex is rescued from the island, he insist on the Black being saved too. Soon they are on a voyage to New York in America. What fate awaits for a boy and a wild black stallion?

I can remember reading this book around ten or eleven years old. I loved it so much I went on to read all the horse books by Walter Farley, and some by other authors as well. This was my first taste of reading for pleasure. Later, I would extend my love of reading about horses to actually owning a horse on my stepmother's farm. My stepmother, Lynne, saved horses from neglect and abuse. My first horse, Tonka, was a prancer and I loved her. Reading this book again brought back memories of bygone years of pleasurable midnight rides on Tonka. I recommend this children's novel to kids and adults alike. My copy was illustrated by Domenick D'Andrea.

Description from Open Library.

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