I was on a bit of a historical fiction kick last month, particularly war-themed historical fiction. During that I read Robert Olmstead's Coal Black Horse.
Okay, so, I'm going to preface this review with a quick disclaimer: I may not have been in the right mood to read this book. I started it when it was cold and gross, and it fit well with that. Two days later, when I picked it up again, it was sunny and warm and had climbed more than 10 degrees. (Yay Alberta weather!)
So maybe I was in the mood, by the time the sun came out, for something a bit different.
That being said, here we go.
This novel takes place during the American Civil War. A woman has a premonition about her husband, and so she sends her only child, fourteen-year-old Robey, out to find him and bring him home. Not far from home, Robey is lent a large black horse, and the two undergo an incredible journey, full of "bravery, boldness, and self-possession", that explores coming-of-age in a time of war and horror.
My immediate response to beginning this novel was: Wow.
Wow.
The writing here is incredible.
For example:
“Of late she'd become impatient with the inexplicit needs of boys and men and their acting so rashly on what they could not fathom and surely could not articulate."
And this one:
“All that night he followed bends of the black road jeweled by starlight until the wan light of the dawn touched the east with red and the pastures turned green."
See what I mean? Beautiful.
The writing is the strength in this novel. I enjoyed some scenes, described so poignantly, and the character of Robey himself is just awesome (though rather perfect...).
But something fell short for me.
Honestly, I think the writing itself was just so good, that the story didn't live up to it. I don't need a lot of action or anything like that in my books, but I want to connect with the characters. I always felt that Robey was being held at an arm's length from me. It was all on the outside. It was beautiful and horrible and incredibly well-written. But that's where it ended for me.
I liked this book, but didn't love it. I really do believe that the writing was so good that it raised my expectations for the story itself, and the story just simply did not live up to it.
Solid three of five stars. Maybe three and a half.
What's your favourite book about war? Or do you stay away from the topic?