An absolute stunner of a book, coming hard on the heels of Vlautin’s brilliant economic noir THE NIGHT ALWAYS COMES. Career musician Al Ward, now in his 60s, has holed up in a remote Nevada mining camp to run out the clock on his life, writing songs he doesn’t expect to play for anyone. Then a blind horse turns up outside his door, and Al’s determination to save it forces him to reappraise the choices he’s made, dating back to dawn of his days. It’s a brief but shattering read about how to leave a legacy when you feel you haven’t made your mark, and I won’t soon forget it.

This book just wasn't for me. It's definitely a novel for men. I found it difficult to get into the story. I didn't care for the main character. Not my cup of tea.

King of succinct, thought-provoking literary fiction, Willy Vlautin delivers yet again in his latest work! He deftly explores the all too relatable topics of loneliness, art, addiction, regret, love, and hard-won empathy in a way that you can't help but slide into a reflective mood as you read Ward's story.

"The Horse"! It has a horse in it... but the story largely centers around Al Ward-- a bluesy-country musician in Nevada who is down and reflecting on his life. If you're a fan of depressing characters, and the gritty western lifestyle, this a must read for you!

Thank you author Willy Vlautin, Harper, and NetGalley for providing this title to us.

"And who knows, maybe at one time he was a great horse. Maybe at one time he was a cutting horse as good as Smart Little Lena or as fast as Dash for Cash. You just don't know who somebody is. So to me, if all you ever did in your whole life was walk thirty miles to save an old horse, well, shit, that's something, ain't it?"

Al Ward lives in an old abandoned mining camp. He lives on instant coffee and Campbell soup, seemingly counting out his last days. One day, a horse wanders into his camp. It turns out that the horse is blind. Al wonders if he is hallucinating the horse, but eventually, he has to decide how to save it. Meanwhile, he reminisces on his life. He is a creative songwriter and guitar player for various country casino bands across Northern Nevada.

I always love Willy Vlaugtin. He captures a bit of Nevada history that's beneath the margins. As coins get replaced by housing and communities gentrify, he remembers the gritty Nevada—the one people would like to forget but is part of the heart and soul of the state.

Favorite Passages:

There's a guy, I can't remember who, but he said that when you write a good tune and you know it's good, and you haven't played it for anyone, it's like holding hope in your pocket. And the hope has a heart that's beating and it rushes through you and all around you. For a moment you're proud of yourself because you have this little bit of gold that no one's heard and you're the only guy in the world that knows it or feels it or knows how good the tune is. That's the best feeling."

She told me that all the sad and ruined people were living on one side of the street. And they were all okay there, they were all free from themselves, free from their pain and heartache.

You just have to wake up and then you can disappear to see it. You’ll be safe there. I swear you will be. Because it’s the only way for people like us. People not tough enough to live in this world. Wake up Al please if you wake up I’ll forgive you. If you wake up I’ll love you again please Al wake up for the horse. Because the horse has never been given a chance. The horse has always been pushed around and pushed aside his whole life he’s been nothing but an afterthought.

We’ll escape. Some people get to escape, and we’ll be those people.

At least you saved a horse, Al. That's something. If you were dead, if you weren't alive, you wouldn't have saved him. He'd still be there freezing his ass off, trying not to get attacked by coyotes. And who knows, maybe at one time he was a great horse. Maybe at one time he was a cutting horse as good as Smart Little Lena or as fast as Dash for Cash. You just don't know who somebody is. So to me, if all you ever did in your whole life was walk thirty miles to save an old horse, well, shit, that's something, ain't it? That says something. Most people wouldn't cross the street to do something decent, and you walked thirty miles in the snow, and you're a drunk, lazy musician." ,

It’s a dark world if you open your eyes at all..

You know, I really need to stop getting drawn in by books that have the word “horse” in the title, because sometimes they really let me down. The Horse by Willy Vlautin is a quick read that follows the career of one Al Ward, a songwriting guitarist in half-respectable bands who’s now living in a trailer with not a soul nearby. A starving and battered horse suddenly shows up outside his door, and Al Ward suddenly finds a reason for living. The horse is helpless, and it can’t defend itself. Al’s its only hope. He prepares himself as best he can with is tequila at his side, and starts walking to thirty miles to his friend’s farm.

I did not like Vlautin’s writing style, but that was personal preference. It didn’t have enough dialogue for me, and Vlautin tended to ramble. I struggled, sometimes, to differentiate between Al's past and his present, as there wasn't always a clear separation between them. Maybe that was the point—a stream of consciousness from Al’s point of view as he battled addiction, heartbreak, and a tumultuous past with multiple bands. Bands that used him for his talent and little else. The Horse touches on a number of tough topics that demonstrate the often harsh reality of a life in music. If you’re not a star, you only have the dirt to look forward to. You slave away for days, weeks, months at a time, witnessing something you love dearly turning into a burden. Turning into pain. Music leads Al Ward down a very dark path, one he struggles to escape. The reader witnesses his pain firsthand through some of the song titles Ward writes.

I give Vlautin this: The Horse is poignant. At time, it hurts to read. And I love the imagery of this beaten down, abandoned horse. It represents Al himself, in many ways. Left behind and alone, falling to pieces with no reason to carry on. No true will or strength to fight when the coyotes attack. But the horse motivates Al to push himself—he has a purpose now. He has a reason to get out of his home, get out of bed, and face the world. Al Ward helps this haggard horse about which no one else might care. And in the same way, the horse helps him.

I did DNF this at the 25% mark. I enjoyed the writing but it was extremely vulgar with lots of language and explicit sex. I just couldn't finish it. I do think this would be a great book minus the language and open door scenes, however it just wasn't for me.

A sad story about a sad song writer, who wrote sad country songs.
But it works. And reads like one long, country western song.

I LOVED the horse!! I loved the writing, reflecting back on the main character Al's life and his work as a musician across many, many casinos. I loved the reflections and internal thoughts. The writing was heavy but so well done.

A novel like a country song. Full of big emotions and great drama taken in a resigned, matter of fact way. I was afraid it would veer into sentimentalism but it didn't and I came to care for Al, the main character. I had wanted to read something by Willy Vlautin for a long time and am glad I finally did.

Al Ward, a songwriter, is in his sixties and lives alone in an isolated shack somewhere in Nevada, with no electricity and just an old Fender under his bed. He reminisces about his life, the bands he played in, the friends he made, the women he loved. When a blind horse shows up outside, he starts worrying and drinking again.

I listened to the audiobook read beautifully by the author.

This is not a book about a horse.

Rather, it is a book about a down-and-out musician with frequent flashbacks to times when he was less or more down and/or out. If I had known that Willy Vlautin was a musician himself before reading this, it would have made a lot more sense to me. It's on me, I suppose; I knew Vlautin's name from having heard good things about [book:Don't Skip Out on Me|35068765] some years ago, reinforced by putting [book:The Night Always Comes|54275850] on my TBR list almost purely on the strength of its excellent cover, and so I requested this book on NetGalley basically sight unseen.

I probably would not have requested or read it had I known what I was getting into. The book is well-written, I suppose, but as a person who is largely uninterested in music, still less in country and/or blues and associated genres, I could never find myself caring all that much about a narrative so focused on the travails and frequently-poor life choices of a touring and/or casino musician. If that's your jam, particularly if you think you'll resonate with detailed descriptions of guitars (including make, model, and year, like they were cars) or frequent lists of <i>the names of songs</i> the main character is writing, then give this book a spin.

I've been reading Willy Vlautin's books since I stumbled on a paperback copy of The Motel Life about 15 years ago.

The Horse is a poignant exploration of loneliness and redemption. Willy Vlautin's understated (and underrated) storytelling pulls you into the desolate world of Al Ward, a washed-up musician seeking solace in the Nevada desert. The unexpected arrival of a lost, blind horse becomes a catalyst for unexpected growth and healing. The book may feel like a downer, but Vlautin's writing is sharp and packs a punch. Truth be told, I like sad stories. But there are some standout moments that break up the heaviness. It's a short book (208 pages) that will stick with you, as every other book by this author does.

The Horse by Willy Vlautin is one of those short "gem" of a novels that tell poignant character-driven stories. It reminded me of the recent Sipsworth in its consideration of an older protagonist reflecting on life (in not always positive ways) when an animal arrives to upend things and change a trajectory that had seemed sad and fixed. The writing is compact and compelling and though the setting wasn't one I related to closely, it was rendered beautifully.

This was right up my alley because of the poignant main character and his being a travelling musician/songwriter. Al Ward is in his early sixties, an alcoholic, former songwriter/guitarist, now living a solitary existence in a shack without heat or running water on a mining claim left by a relative.

This tragic figure spoke to me with his daily routine of drinking coffee, stoking the wood stove, heating up cans of soup for meals, writing songs in his notebook, and sleeping (when he could find that peace). One day he spotted a horse outside and wondered if he was hallucinating. Another stoic figure, its eyes were crusted over and presumed blind. As the horse stood in the snow refusing food and water, it became a gnawing point of concern for Al.

The book is a compact 208 pages, and was a quick but fulsome read. Al flashes back through his life, documenting an existence as an aspiring musician, drifting through different band lineups, romantic relationships, touring, and alcoholism. Ironically enough, I enjoyed reading about Al's present day introverted existence rather than being taken back into his past, meeting the numerous characters that touched his life. The sad and mysterious manifestation of the horse and Al's commitment to its well-being was like a burning flame in my heart as I traversed this unique story.

Thank you to the publisher Harper who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

This was moving and profound and brilliant, yet never pretentious or philosophizing. It reminded me of Old Man and the Sea in some ways. To find things to criticize in this book you'd have to really be nitpicky. I loved how warm and life-affirming the ending was.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

A cast of sad and lonely characters and it made a very compelling read. Tuck this short story into your must reads.

4.25☆

Overall I just wanted more about the horse, as others have said. The writing was a bit hard to follow, and I found myself getting quite exhausted by the protagonist

Being a musician and a recovering alcoholic, I related to the struggles of the main character. The book is well written and the story kept me engaged and turning pages.

Thank you NetGalley & Harper Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This review can also be found on Goodreads.

I had the pleasure of attending an author's event last month where Willy spoke about 'The Horse' and his experience writing it. I was immediately drawn to his way of storytelling and the insight he had while writing this book (he was also just a really cool, genuine guy). As soon as the event closed, I immediately requested this book, and I'm happy to say I was not disappointed.

- - -

With his musician glory days behind him, Al Ward lives on isolated land, in the middle of Nevada, in a run down shack. His life is simple: wake up, listen to the radio, take a walk, eat, and repeat. He seems to be content in this secluded lifestyle. Then, one winter morning, a horse appears. Al's life is, in a way, turned upside down. The horse is blind, covered in scars, and refuses to leave. There's part of Al that thinks he's imagining the horse. But his heart of gold shines through as he becomes determined to save it, even if it means risking his own life.

As Al grapples with what to do with the horse, readers are taken back in time with Al's backstory. The memories that lead us through the majority book are raw, emotional, and human. Al was a semi successful musician that traveled with many up and coming bands,
hoping to catch their big break. Just when it seems Al is catching a steam of luck, life happens. Things fall apart. It felt like it was an endless cycle of mishaps and unhappiness for Al. All I wanted was a win for him.

I became attached to Al's character, and I felt like I was leaving behind a friend as the story came to an end. This quick read packs a heavy punch. I'm so glad to have been introduced to Willy's work, and I look forward to diving into more!

I started reading Willy Vlautin because he comes from my neck of the woods. In Lean on Pete, every sight and sound was something I knew first hand; but each Vlautin novel I've read since has been a treasure. I think of him as the Elmore Leonard of the rural west.

In The Horse, we have the sad, downbeat yet hopeful story of songwriter Al Ward. It called back my memory of an old film, Tender Mercies -- so that Ward became Robert Duvall in my mind's eye as I read. The tale is heartbreaking, sometimes hilarious, and tender toward our human foibles. It reminded me of the unlikely ways in which we can save each other.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Harper, for an advance readers copy.