This is the debut novel for Kate Milliken. This is contemporary writing that tackles the subject of teenage angst, the search for belonging and coming to terms with one's sexual identity with graceful prose.

Told in dual timelines, through mother and daughter narration, we come to learn the truth about the events surrounding an accident that changes the lives of everyone at the ranch.

As we flip back in forth in time, the story slowly unfolds with haunting clarity...learning that there is a defined division between the haves and the have nots, and what mistakes, secrets and lies actually cost.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster and the author Ms. Kate Milliken for the opportunity to read this Advanced Readers Copy of "Kept Animals". The opinions expressed in this review are mine alone.

Being a horse-lover and growing up around a paddock and racehorses, I really enjoyed the connection to horses and related to their healing powers. Some of the book was confusing and hard to follow with different voices chiming in to narrate, but on the whole it was a well-written story with a traumatic and unexpected ending that has stayed with me.

Thank you NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This is the debut novel from this American author although she has also published an award winning collection of short stories. I admit I almost gave up on this novel as there were so many characters it was hard to follow in the first few chapters. But I went back and tried again and am so glad I did as I loved the book. It is set for the most part in 1993 California, with some of it set in 2015. We follow the teenage life of Rory and also later Charlie, Rory's daughter. Rory works part time at a horse stable and has a crush on the daughter of a movie star that lives near by, but is still coming to terms with being gay. When a tragic accident occurs Rory and Vivian's life become intertwined. This character driven novel examines the themes of girlhood and class and is a great recommendation for fans of such authors as Ann Patchett or Elizabeth Strout.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
“Kept Animals” is the first novel for Kate Milliken, who has made a name for herself in the short story and poetry circuit. Positives of this novel for me were, obviously, the inclusion of horses, stables, riding and all things equestrian. The horse on the cover was, to be honest, the reason I picked this book. It is evident through this novel that Milliken understands the power of horses, and the healing connections they can make with broken humans.
That being said, this novel was a little bit confusing. Told in two timelines, in the 90s and in the early 2010s, from the perspectives of Rory, Gus and Charlie, this novel jumps back and forth. Although the timelines are clearly marked at the beginning of each chapter, not enough time has passed between the two timelines to really differentiate them. All of the characters from the first timeline are still alive (okay, most of them), and the introduction of characters from the second timeline (although it plays a minor role in comparison to the first) do little to help sort through the confusion.
The focus of this novel seemed to be on the same-sex relationships between Rory, June and Vivian, and the drama wreaked by these. The three teenage girls were relatable, and actually not too irritating, full of their teenage angst and drama, which is difficult for me to stomach in most instances. Milliken managed to overcome these pitfalls and produce decent teenage characters.
There are some parts of the writing that threw me too, especially in the conversations of or when the chapters were being narrated by the teenagers. The sentences were short, and choppy, and although this is meant to help a reader connect more with the teenage characters, it was not effective for me. Even though they were short and choppy, the dialogues were more mature and self-aware than any teenagers I know would have.
In short, the characters were relatable and likable, the plot was slightly confusing (and unless it had horses in it, I lost interest) but the animals in this novel (and their human relationships) kept me invested. Also, I thoroughly enjoyed the ending, and wishes that the book had read more like this throughout.