Riding Lessons

Rating:
Summary: Move over Jane Smiley and Rita Mae Brown
Review: Riding Lessons is a genuine two-hankie tear-jerker. It is the story of Annmarie Zimmer, an olympic equestrienne whose career comes to an abrupt halt in a tragic accident that kills her horse and leaves Annmarie seriously injured. The story picks up twenty years later, when Annmarie's physical injuries have healed, but her emotional life is in shreds: her husband has left her, her father is dying, and her rebellious teenaged daughter Eve looks like she's heading downhill fast. This book takes off at a whirlwind pace and draws you in immediately. The harrowing first scene is reason enough to read the book, but there is more than that to hold you here-- careful characterizations abound, but the portrait of Annmarie is so recognizably human that you'll find yourself rooting for her until the end. Love women's fiction? Love horses? Either or those will do. Move over Jane Smiley and Rita Mae Brown. Shove your copy of the Horse Whisperers over on the shelf. Riding Lessons by Sara Gruen is a new classic.

Rating:
Summary: Best new novelist I've read this year
Review: Riding Lessons is so well crafted and written that it's astonishing to realize it's Gruen's first novel. The book is worth reading for the first breathless scene alone, but Gruen managed to keep me hooked throughout. I read it in two sittings (a girl's gotta eat), and it's now on my shelf of books that I look forward to reading again.

Annemarie's contemporary family issues ring painfully true, especially her relationship with her difficult mother and her rebellious daughter. But Gruen respects her reader and never resorts to typical solutions. Her father's illness is so poignantly rendered that I found myself biting my thumbnail as I read, aching for Annemarie. Gruen also manages a few deftly written comic scenes when Annemarie gets in over her head. The ending was perfect, no overwrought melodramatic scenes that first novelists can't seem to help, but a profound and moving, even elegant, wrap-up that left me fully satisfied.

I haven't been around horses very much, but the riding and stable scenes show that Gruen certainly has, and though the book appeals to everyone, horse people are going to absolutely love it. After a string of disappointing new novels on the shelves this year, Riding Lessons was a rare treat. Definitely looking forward to Gruen's next.

Rating:
Summary: A fun read with a few wrinkles
Review: Sara Gruen presents a solid debut novel. The first chapter absolutely thrilled me, and I fell in love with the language. Unfortunately, that language and tone is not consistent with the rest of the book.

I found Annemarie to be unlikeable, but that did make for some good storytelling and events. The book is a bit predictable in terms of love and Annemarie's final life decision. My biggest concern is that the book is peppered with cliches. Gruen's writing proves she is capable of creating original phrases and language; I wish she hadn't slipped into the easy answer of cliches through the novel.

Overall, the novel is well crafted and I'll definitely be tempted to read her next.

Rating:
Summary: FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOVED A HORSE--AND LOST
Review: Sara Gruen's book will go straight to the heart. The lady knows
horses, riding (and, God knows, writing)--and love.

Rating:
Summary: Based on the First Chapter here
Review: Sara, what a lovely first chapter. I felt the anticipation of both the horse and rider. You made me FEEL Harry's eagerness and Annmarie's love of the animal. I wish I loved horse stories because I'd buy the book based on the chapter. I write this as one of the people banned from the writing site in question for expressing opinions the coffee klatch didn't want to hear. But it does not detract from your lovely writing. I hope HC does publish your next book and it's about something I would love to read because I'll certainly purchase it.

As far as the writing group in question, I'm sorry that the censorship efforts of a few "friends" on that site contributes to the anger of some. I believe the members of the site should reevaluate their structure and allow ALL writers voices to be heard, not just a few angry regulars. You've always been fair to me though and I'm not going to hold you responsible for the efforts of others to work so hard to ban me for stating different opinions. I'll simply chalk that up to lack of maturity and insecurity over hearing my realities of writing. Every opinion has it's reasons and even here I hope you disregard the ones that aren't complimentary.

Your work from what I've read is exemplary. This chapter moved me, touched me and made me respect you as a fellow writer. Please let me know when your next book is released and I hope to join you either at HC or any other publisher who has the panache and elegance to publish your work. It's nice to see a book so tenderly written.

I write this review not to nurture your career, or because I'm with a group, but purely out of an appreciation for the first chapter here. I have no other motivation, especially since I was banned from that group. But it's the RIGHT thing to do, and I stand by my moral beliefs.

Your (nemesis--LOL) and friend always,
Jennifer Lawson - Zepeda

Rating:
Summary: Great story. Great writing.
Review: The descriptions of Riding Lessons fail to convey in any meaningful way the impact of this story and its author. It is first and foremost a great story, so well written that you become a witness more than a reader.

While horses are a major part of the story, it is wrong to think of Riding Lessons as a book "about horses". It is about people and their complex relations to each other and about a bond between them and certain animals. Each person in the book seems real and believeable....you "know" them, with their loves, absurd mistakes, sometimes ridiculous behavior, and responses to the often painful surprises of life. The depth of the characters unfolds effortlessly, without pretense or affection.

Great story. Great writing. Don't miss Riding Lessons.

Rating:
Summary: Poignant, bittersweet, and wonderful
Review: The first, electrifying scene in this brilliant debut novel had me on the edge of my seat, or rather, my saddle. I was with the author on Highland Harry's back as she carried me through that relentless, breathtaking description of how it feels to be on top of a thousand-plus pounds of eager horseflesh approaching a five-foot jump and holding him in check until the optimum moment for take-off, much like inflating a balloon to its maximum and stopping a split second before it bursts or stretching an elastic band and letting go before it snaps.

As a horsewoman and avid reader, I'm always on the lookout for well-written fiction with an authentic equine background. This one filled my needs, and then some, with a cast of memorable characters and a likeable, believable heroine complete with flaws and a wicked sense of humor. Gruen's rhythmic prose, her impeccable command of the language--especially description--are exquisite. I recommend this book highly.

Rating:
Summary: Almost perfect!
Review: This book was actually quite good. The first chapter just grabs you, and, for anyone who rides horses, is an amazing depiction of the relationship between horse and rider. The only thing that kept me from thinking it was perfect was the main character's relationship with her daughter. It drives me crazy in books when parents realize what they should do but are too busy or tired to do it. The first person perspective was great and I loved the horse details. Quite impresssive - I hope she writes more. As far as the romance is concerned it falls a little short, but it is just a really good book!

Rating:
Summary: Not a very good book
Review: This book was awful. I love horses, used to show jump and had a lots of ups and downs in my life also. I don't like the way the book was written, it was to predictable and the typographical errors in the book I purchased were just awful. Many times, I had to go back and re-read a page just to figure out who was saying what. If they had a zero rating, I would have given it a zero.

Rating:
Summary: GREAT NOVEL for Young Adults- SO MOVE OVER HARRY POTTER!
Review: This books deals with several difficult life situations, and, kudos to Gruen, offers no easy solutions. The heroine is flawed but likable, and unlike so many other horse books, she doesn't come back at the end to win the big horse show. The horse scenes alone are worth the price of the book, but even non-horsey people will enjoy this fast-paced tale. It took me two days to get through the whole thing.