Date of Reading: 29/03/2013
Author: Michael Morpurgo
Publisher: Egmont
Place: London
Year:2010 (as e-book)
Rating: 3.5/5
Rating: 3.5/5
May be I am a little too old for children's fiction, but here we are. I have watched the Steven Spielberg movie, so thought its time to lay hands on the book too. All in all its Black Beauty gone to war; except for the introduction of World War I, there is not much difference from Anna Sewell's work, Spielberg at least has succeeded in producing a reunion theme out of it.
One thing puzzles me though, how can this horse understand three languages? (English, German, French). And his narrative voice is much like that of a full grown homo sapiens, not of a horse. Pretty impressive!!!
Joey, the horse is narrating his life story and it begins with his separation from his mother. His master turns out to be a gentle boy, Albert, who trains him as a farm horse and also rides him well. With the outbreak of World War I, the situation changes.
Joey is sold to the army where his superior abilities attains him much respect. A new friend -- Topthorne -- comes to life. Joey's owners (first Captain Nicholls and later Trooper Warren) gets killed in the war and soon both horses find themselves in the hands of the Germans. They are used to bring the wounded back from the battlefield.
Emilie, a little French girl, becomes their guardian while they are camped at her grandfather's farm. But the friends are soon parted as the horses are taken away to pull the artillery. Topthorne dies in the no-man's land leaving Joey run for safety. He gets wounded and in a surprising turning point in the story, a soldier from both sides come to help him. They toss a coin for the ownership and the English side wins Joey.
He is transported to the vetenary hospital nearby where he finds his Albert waiting for him. He has joined the army for the sole sake of finding his companion. Joey is nursed through difficult times and the war too gets over. Horses are auctioned in public and Albert loses Joey to Emilie's grandfather. She is dead and Joey is the last part that is associated with her memory. Hearing about Albert's devotion to the horse, the old man hands over Joey asking him to take care of him till his life's end.
Albert returns to his farm at Devon and marries his sweetheart. Joey says she never liked him.
--- the story is adapted for screen by Steven Spielberg in 2011 and film won six Academy Award Nominations including that of Best Picture.
Joey, the horse is narrating his life story and it begins with his separation from his mother. His master turns out to be a gentle boy, Albert, who trains him as a farm horse and also rides him well. With the outbreak of World War I, the situation changes.
Joey is sold to the army where his superior abilities attains him much respect. A new friend -- Topthorne -- comes to life. Joey's owners (first Captain Nicholls and later Trooper Warren) gets killed in the war and soon both horses find themselves in the hands of the Germans. They are used to bring the wounded back from the battlefield.
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| Michael Morpurgo |
--- the story is adapted for screen by Steven Spielberg in 2011 and film won six Academy Award Nominations including that of Best Picture.
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