The Horseman by Tim PearsMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
A list of some twenty-eight characters at the beginning of the book is somewhat confounding. It is necessary to get your head around these from the start, otherwise confusion will spoil your enjoyment of this gentle, pastoral novel set in Devon in 1911/1912. Composed as a calendar through the months and seasons and following the daily, hardworking lives of the Sercombe family: Albert Sercombe, a ploughman, Ruth, his wife, Fred, Sidney and Leopold (Leo), the three sons and Kizzie, their daughter. These are the central characters - in particular the twelve year old Leo - along with Arthur, Lord Prideaux, owner of the estate and Charlotte (Lottie), his only child.
A bucolic blend of Flora Thompson, Laurie Lee and Thomas Hardy, sprinkled with countryside words and events through the seasons: how to groom a Shire horse, how to plough a field, how to slaughter and butcher a pig (in graphic detail), the harvest cycle of collecting, stack-building and threshing. It's all here in forensic detail. One wonders - where is this going? Is there a plot?
Remember Leo and Lottie? Working class, humble lad and privileged daughter of landed gentry. Leo loves horses. His mind is set on working with them, one day. Lottie is at first antagonistic towards him, but at the same time intrigued by this quiet lad. They share a love of all things equine. It will take them on a journey through their age of innocence to a simple act, misinterpreted, that leads to devastating consequences. The last ten minutes of this beautiful story left me stunned...
My thanks to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for this ebook.
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