HALF BROKE HORSES

HALF BROKE HORSES

By Jeannette Walls

I had a small struggle getting into this book. I recently finished reading Jeannette Walls‘ book The Glass Castle and I loved it. Half Broke Horses is written in a very different style. The author writes it from the viewpoint of her maternal grandmother, and although it is based on factual events, Ms. Walls states that because she wasn’t there to witness all of it, she can only honestly call the book a novel.

As I ventured more deeply into the story of this young girl growing up in Arizona in the early part of the century, I was drawn to the history of those times and of how she and her family, and later she and her husband, lived. It was a hard life, but the family was also hard-working and no-nonsense, and it was compelling to read about living through floods, tornadoes and droughts, and how Lily Casey, the narrator, traveled alone on horseback 500 miles or more as a teenager, to reach a temporary teaching job. That ride was only one of the adventures that Lily encountered, and seeing how her character developed through hardships that to her were simply part of everyday life was fascinating. I was filled with admiration for her character and that of her husband Jim, who were amazingly resilient through lean times. There are very few people I know, certainly including myself, who could last even a few days with the kind of lifestyle they had and loved.

The book also describes the young life and character of Lily’s and Jim’s daughter, Rosemary, who is the mother of Jeannette, whose lives are depicted in The Glass Castle.

This was a book club selection for me, and I enjoyed it very much and highly recommend it.

Reviewed July 2017