The Black Stallion And The Girl

Rating:
Summary: Not a great one
Review: If you are a fan of the Black Stallion series, you may notice that this book is different. In all of the others, Alec and The Black have a unique bond that no one understands. In my opinion, it should be kept that way. Here, the girl can ride The Black, and Alec is obsessed with her. I recommend readers to read all of the series except this one.

Rating:
Summary: "The wind her fingers..."
Review: As I mentioned in my review of THE BLACK STALLION LEGEND, I think that this book foreshadows all others in the series. THE BLACK STALLION AND THE GIRL brings the reader up to date with the time it was published in 1971. In the chapter titled "Wild Flowers and the Blues," there is mention of Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan and Buddy Guy, musicians still going strong today.
The girl, Pam Athena comes like a breath of fresh air into Alec's life, bringing with her powerful emotions that Alec is not prepared for. A love interest soon develops, and Alec must give of himself by letting Pam ride the Black in THE EMPIRE STATE HANDICAP when he is suspended as a jockey for reckless riding during a race. No one had ever rode the Black except Alec, or Abu Ishak, his original owner.
But it ends all too soon. Citing the need to "find herself"and visit some friends down in Maryland, and eventually France, Pam jumps into her car and leaves with the promise of someday returning to Alec and Hopeful Farm. Where does that leave Alec? In one of the most beautiful and bittersweet endings, Alec looks into the starlit sky and realizes that: "Whenever he wasn't with her, her fingers would be the wind, and the wind her fingers, and all space would be the smile of her." Rarely can I look into the nighttime sky and not feel those words of loss and longing...

Rating:
Summary: The story behind this book...
Review: Don't know how many readers are aware of the fact that Pam in this book (and a short snippet in the following book) is based on Walter Farley's own daughter, Pam Farley, who loved horses...she passed away in a car accident at the age of 20 in 1968 in Europe. Mr. Farley stated several times that this book "The Black Stallion & The Girl" was meant as a memorial of her free spirit and love of horses.

That being said, I do not think it is the best of the series. For one thing, I think that Mr. Farley had lost his 'spark' some time before that - and the early death of his beloved daughter didn't help much. The book has not aged well either - Pam comes across as a '60's hippie girl. Henry becomes an intolerant old geezer, and Alec begins to question his parents' values (why he would do that when they have given him a free rein all this time...well...).

I do admit that it was nice to read about Alec falling in love but all those scenes seemed so contrived to me...

It's still better than the followup that was released 12 years later "The Black Stallion Legend" which is just DEPRESSING.

Rating:
Summary: Great book
Review: I loved this book and I think it's the best book of Walter Farley's that I've read. I guess because I'm young, I liked the fact that it was a sort of romance story, but still had the main theme being focused on horses. I also liked the fact that the book didn't focus mainly on racing as some of his other books do. I thought that Pam was a very well developed character and that she is very unique (which is probably one reason Alec is attracted to her). I can't wait to read the next book and find out what happens to Alec, the Black, Pam, Henry, and everything going on at Hopeful Farm.

Rating:
Summary: A rare perk in the middle of medicore or bizarre plots.
Review: Love finally comes to Alec and Farley handles what could have been a disaster with sensitivity. Carefully skirting sexism, he creates a touching story about what happens when you fall in love. No, this book doesn't have a fairy tale ending (thankfully!) and no it is not mushy but touchs on the very personal ways that people can be changed. A rare treasure in the waning years of the Black Stallion series and a thoroughly unpredicatable and satisfying book.

Rating:
Summary: page turning love story between humans, horses and freedom.
Review: New York's famous ex-jockey, Alec Ramsay of Hopeful Farm, just had to let a new employee go and is in desperate need of another who is good with handling horses, but he never expected a girl. Henry, one of the farm managers, would never approve of female employee. Alec decides to hire the girl, Pam, and Henry finally agrees to letting her stay. Her favorite horse at Hopeful Farm is the first horse she rode there, Black Sand. The two year old colt is doing much better since Pam's arrival. Black Sand is deathly afraid of whips and Pam trains him with soothing words, not whips. With Pam's love, patience, and help, Black Sand is becoming ready to start racing other horses. So what happens when Becky Moore, an apprentice jockey, uses a whip on her own horse during a race against Pam and Black Sand?

This fictional book by Walter Farley is full of romance and freedom. It is a story of love between people, and love between a horse and a girl. Black Sand was even present during Pam's first kiss with Alec. I really enjoyed this book because it grabbed you from the first page and kept you interested all the way through until the end of the story. I could not put this book down! The story has many twists and turns and you cannot tell where the story is going or how it will end.

This is one of the best books I have ever read! You should definitely read this book. I highly recommend it to anyone above age nine who enjoy's horses and romance.

Rating:
Summary: Great book
Review: Pam is a great addition. This book explores Alec's life even more, which I found nice. Even when I was young, I was touched by Farley's sensitive portrayal of their love. Aside from that, it is another great story about the Black. You gotta read it if you really want to understand the whole series. Read it.

Rating:
Summary: Black Stallion & the girl
Review: This was a very good book. I enjoyed it because Alec finally found someone who was unlike him in so many ways, Pam, and he fell in love with her. The story is sad because Hopeful Farm loses a precious horse,Black Sand, and Alec loses Pam in a terrible car accident. I think everyone who has ever wanted to own a horse should read this book.