Reviews for Dark horses
Publishers Weekly
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Gossip Girl author Von Ziegesar turns her attention to the competitive horse show circuit. Seventeen-year-old loner Merritt Wenner, still mourning her grandmother's unexpected death a year ago, resorts to destructive behavior that gets her self-absorbed parents to seek help for her at an equine therapy program in Connecticut. There Merritt meets Red, an unruly former racehorse. Riding together cements their bond and leads Merritt to train and compete with Red alongside an attractive Californian named Carvin, with Beatrice, an unstable teen, as Red's groom. Alternating narratives switch between the viewpoints of Merritt and Red, the latter an unusual choice that doesn't entirely pay off: while it foreshadows the dangerous extent of Red's intense feelings for Merritt, his frequent invoking of misheard song lyrics ("We were an island in the stream. Sweet dreams were made of bliss") and other anthropomorphized commentary tends to grate as the plot intensifies. Still, Von Ziegesar's knowledge of equestrian competition and the compelling pairing of a troubled horse with an equally scarred teenager make this an engaging, if somewhat predictable read. Ages 14-up. Agent: Eric Brown, Franklin, Weinrib, Rudell & Vassallo. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Gr 8 Up-Von Ziegesar, best known for the "Gossip Girl" series, makes a solid return to the world of privileged and troubled teens. Merritt Wenner has been struggling with just about everything since the death of her beloved grandmother and her grandmother's horse. When she crosses the line, her parents send her to Good Fences, an equine therapy program for troubled girls. Merritt strikes an unusual connection with Red, a wild and aggressive horse whom nobody else can control. Their bond makes Merritt a standout rider, and she and Red soon find themselves stars of the competition circuit. As she builds relationships with her groom and another rider, Merritt begins to heal, but the horse becomes increasingly possessive and jealous, with disastrous results. This work alternates points of view between Merritt and Red. This is as effective as it is entertaining. Red makes a complex and somewhat unpredictable antagonist, and once a radio is placed in his stall, his sections are peppered with song lyrics, which provide much-needed levity as his possessiveness turns threatening. Other than Merritt, the human characters are a fairly stock combination of the rich and the miserable, but it's unlikely teens will pay them much mind as they read on to see what Red will do next. VERDICT While Von Ziegesar's original fans have long since moved on to adulthood, this page-turner will draw in a whole new audience, with just the right blend of glamor, scandal, and horses. Recommended for public and high school libraries.-Elizabeth Saxton, Tiffin, OH © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
After walking out of the SAT, troubled sixteen-year-old Merritt is sent to a residential equine-therapy program. Her gentle attention subdues Red, an untamable racehorse, and they rise through the ranks of competitive jumping. Chapters alternate between girl and horse; Red's voice feels more like an intense boyfriend's than an animal's, which is bizarre but matches the story's darkly dramatic twists and turns. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.
Since the deaths of her beloved grandmother and her grandmother's horse, Merritt has been out of control. The final straw comes when she walks out in the middle of the SAT and is sent to Good Fences, an equine therapy program, where she meets Red, an angry, destructive ex-racehorse, and bonds with him when no one else can. Soon the two are excelling on the show circuit, but things still slip out of Merritt's control as she balances growing attractions to Beatrice, Red's groom, and Carvin, a competing rider. In an homage to Black Beauty, the first-person narration is split between Merritt and Red. The horse's narration can be perplexing (he's oddly familiar with U.S. landmarks and pop culture), and his animosity and unhorsely murderous tendencies toward Merritt's potential love interests is often uncomfortably absurd. Still, though Merritt's overnight transition into a top jumper strains credulity, the competitive riding world is always a draw, and this is an intriguing look into its dark side. If that weren't enough, von Ziegesar's (the Gossip Girl series) name alone will spur readers.--Reagan, Maggie Copyright 2016 Booklist
