I pretty much hate horse books. They’re always the same: girl finds horse, girl wants horse, dad says no to horse, girl rides horse anyway, girl enters horse race, girl wins horse race, dad says keep horse.
The Scorpio Races, then, is not a horse book.
I was introduced to Maggie Stiefvater after I won a competition and the prize was this book. I got it in the mail and I wrinkled my nose thinking: is it a horse book hunger games?
I was not pleased.
But I eventually read it anyway, because I’d won a book and that’s what you do.
And goodness.
First off--most of the horses aren’t even horses. They’re capaill uisce. Which are way better because they’re basically sea monsters in horse form, and of course all the boys want one. Ergo, Thisby’s largest event of the year: the titular Scorpio Races.
Enter Sean: horse trainer, capaill uisce whisperer, labourer longing for freedom, independence.
If he wins the races, maybe he can buy himself and his capaill uisce out of it.
Enter Kate: orphaned, two brothers, regular-horse lover--only her brother is leaving and she doesn’t know how to make him stay and her house might get taken by the man they owe money to and the way to get that money is through the races.
Despite the fact the Scorpio Races are a male activity, Kate “Puck” Connely signs herself up. On a regular horse. To face the men and their man-eating steeds on the sand November 1st.
Despite it all, Puck and Sean form a begrudgingly respectful friendship as they train together for the races. (and let’s be honest, we all know it’s going to be a little more than friendship pulling these two together). Though they train together, they both need to win. Facing obstacles of poverty and sexism and owing and staying and powerlessness, both Sean and Puck have everything to lose.
It all comes to a head on November 1st.
If you hate horse books, this is the horse book for you. If you love horse books, you’ve come to the right place.