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25th out of 36 books
—
187 voters
White Horses
Teresa grew up with dreams of dark-eyed fearless heroes on white horses who would one day come to rescue her. The men her mother told her about were a special breed – rules didn’t apply to them or to her brother, Silver. Their intense attachment becomes the stuff of nightmares rather than fairytales. In a dangerous world, Teresa must rescue herself and rewrite her family m...more
Paperback, 320 pages
Published
October 1st 1999
by Berkley Trade
(first published 1982)
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When I finished this book, I couldn't help muttering to myself, "what a crock of shit."
So yeah . . . the girl smells like roses and is in love with her brother so you've got your romantic chick-friendly incest porn (the whole reason I picked it up) and a bunch of quotes from reviews crowing about how "believable" the story and the girl are, but it was so NOT believable.
I'll give you an example of the kind of stuff that annoys me about a book like this; Hoffman stuffed this books with all kinds o...more
So yeah . . . the girl smells like roses and is in love with her brother so you've got your romantic chick-friendly incest porn (the whole reason I picked it up) and a bunch of quotes from reviews crowing about how "believable" the story and the girl are, but it was so NOT believable.
I'll give you an example of the kind of stuff that annoys me about a book like this; Hoffman stuffed this books with all kinds o...more
This is one of Alice Hoffman's early books and it certainly shows her beautiful gift for lyrical writing and graceful prose. Though I enjoyed reading it I didn't find the two main characters, Silver and Teresa Connor, as sympathetic as I have other characters. Both of them are the product of a very dysfunctional family. Their mother Dina is a dreamer who married for all the wrong reasons and their father, King, is something of a jerk but he's also dealing with a wife for whom nothing is good eno...more
This languorous story of incest and small town life feels underdeveloped and overlong. White Horses has so little plot that it could almost be a short story: magnetic, sociopathic Silver slides into a life of criminality and struggles with his romantic feelings for depressive sister, Theresa.
Though Alice Hoffman is not a bad writer, she overuses summary narrative, describing every banality while rarely allowing the action to develop into full scenes. In fact, Hoffman repeatedly eschews adding dr...more
Though Alice Hoffman is not a bad writer, she overuses summary narrative, describing every banality while rarely allowing the action to develop into full scenes. In fact, Hoffman repeatedly eschews adding dr...more
This book started off well enough. The writing is a little whimsical and I was expecting to be pulled into a story of the fantasies of a girl, of her hopes and dreams and aspirations. However, into the book, I begin to start hating the main character due to her repeated terrible decisions. I am not usually one to judge a book based on the 'stupidity' of the characters - I am quite a fan of the disgusting and terrible Lolita - but I simply cannot suspend my disbelief that this girl is really maki...more
Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite writers, but this was not my favorite book. In fact, there was a point in which I seriously considered not finishing it. I’m used to her writing; it can contain lots of sex, substance abuse, and a certain amount of violence, particularly the emotional kind. But I suppose I’m a little sensitive sometimes and I feel like there is a point when writers need to stop torturing their characters or face some sort of karmic slap.
Anyway, the good thing about White Hors...more
Anyway, the good thing about White Hors...more
Jun 05, 2012
Alice Schray
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
fans of Alice Hoffman
Recommended to Alice by:
no one in particular
Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite authors, and this is one of my favorite books written by her. I often find myself rereading it. Having read hundreds of books in my life, I now find it difficult to begin a book and actually finish it without being bored to tears- even those written by best selling authors. None of Hoffman's books have ever bored me. This is a book that is meant to challenge the reader with their own interpretation of love, desertion and normalcy. Many a fine writer is subtle...more
I enjoyed Hoffman's descriptions but also agree that I was left hanging with magical realist metaphor that had no follow through. There was not sense of the trauma both her mother and her brother caused her and in the end no real understanding of how she finally was able to "let go" of the trauma of her past, even though the incest was consensual. I feel like her sleeping sickness and the scent of roses when she slept was a way to lead me on without rewarding me with a resolution or explanation....more
an amazing book, i adore her style, the description is just WOW! Hoffman has a way to make you feel attached to the caracters, i mean, really attached! you feel what they feel you see what they see you smell what they smell! you just feel everything with your heart and soul!
I loved the caracter of Silver, wild, free, careless, fearless, limitless. gotta admit, at first i hated the end, i thought Theresa and Silver should end up together, i remember i was furious after finishing the book, but wh...more
I loved the caracter of Silver, wild, free, careless, fearless, limitless. gotta admit, at first i hated the end, i thought Theresa and Silver should end up together, i remember i was furious after finishing the book, but wh...more
"White Horses" is a beautifully written and haunting, but oh so disturbing little book. I was entranced by it, so under Hoffman's spell, especially from the middle of it onward, that I was almost late for work tonight--couldn't put it down until I was finished reading it. I thought about giving it four stars because enjoying the book in spite of its taboo subject matter gave me pause, made me a little ashamed of myself. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that nothing in this ta...more
Not sure how I missed this novel and never read it. I have seen many mixed reviews, I am guessing the uncomfortable subject matter is the reason...
******** READ
An awkward read, even if I don't have a brother. I don't think the subject matter would have changed how I felt about the novel. I have noted people who have read this first have not gone on to read other Hoffman novels, which is a shame because she has written wonderful fiction and they are only cheating themselves. Naturally for many, r...more
******** READ
An awkward read, even if I don't have a brother. I don't think the subject matter would have changed how I felt about the novel. I have noted people who have read this first have not gone on to read other Hoffman novels, which is a shame because she has written wonderful fiction and they are only cheating themselves. Naturally for many, r...more
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This book is not for the faint of heart, nor is it for the closed-minded. It is a beautifully written and absolutely amazing character study - one of my favorite books of all time! If you can't get past the taboo topic, you should probably stick to something more generic and predictable like The Help.
After hearing Alice Hoffman at the Festival of Books I decided I wanted to read some of her work. This was the only one the library had. Its a dark, obsessive novel about a young girl who is in love with her brother or the fantasy of him which has been created by her mother. The incest didn't bother me it all just seemed so deary. I'll have to try another.
Girl grows up in an abusive home, has an incestuous relationship with her equally horrible brother, engages in prostitution for companionship. The ending is unsatisfactory. I don't understand why books like this are published without a warning label for romantics and depressives, let alone how it averages 3+ stars on Goodreads.
Sorry, really not into incest. I liked Alice Hoffman's books, but I realized that the first ones I read were the most recently written and the last two I've tried are some of her first books written and they aren't too my liking. I guess I'll go backwards with this author and read newest to oldest.
I found this book disturbing so I had a really hard time reading it. What kind of person spends their entire life in love with and having sex with their own brother????? That is just wrong on so many levels! I have read 4 books by Alice Hoffman and still have 3 more to go. I won't judge her as a whole until I finish the other 3. I might not make it through all 20+ of her books though. Jodi Picoult loves her so I am giving her a chance.
As always, Hoffman's book is about quirky people and quirky stories. This story has incest as part of the story and was difficult to read. All in all, I don't think I can recommend it although it did keep me turning the pages. For me, there just wasn't enough redemption in the ending.
Okay the subject matter of this one was a little creepy only because it deals with some pretty significant incest, but again, the characters are so beautifully described that you almost forget that the two lovers are actually brother and sister. Now that I've gotten into this Alice Hoffman kick, I'm so enjoying reading her novels because I can really see the development in her writing from when she began as an author through now.
I have not quite finished reading this book. I would agree with many of the other reviews. The subject matter is disturbing, but I love Alice Hoffman and her writing style. I will finish it hoping that the end brings some sort of satisfactory resolution.
Almost always without fail one of my favorite authors. This book just floored me. Without giving any of the surprises away she dove to new depths of emotional torment with this novel. Thought about it for weeks after reading.
This book is beautifully written and not at all what I thought. It's pretty amazing how Hoffman is able to take such dark and disturbing topics such as incest and prostitution and make them beautiful and empathetic.
I did like this book. I learned a lot from Teresa. There's a time for following your heart and a time for getting up and walking out. It takes her awhile to let go but I'm so glad she finally did.
Has some of Alice Hoffman's darkest moments. I don't think the characters are as well done here as they are in her other novels of the same vein (Turtle Moon, Property Of.)
This one was really good. It takes place mainly in the Southwest and it is really well done. I love the male main character, his lost and found personality is intriguing.
...I loved her daring,her passion,her very vivid imagination ...you were made to feel every emotion,intensely...it is one of my favorite books....
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The incest in this book is disturbing, but the book has stuck with me for years. As always, Hoffman's characters drive an intriguing plot.
I'd really like to give this 2.5 stars. I liked it, but found it haunting and Teresa and Silver's relationship just sick.
I'm a huge Alice Hoffman fan and her books have never disappointed. I think I can safely say I've read everything she's written!
First Hoffman I ever read, ages ago. So intense I felt dizzy reading it, and can still remember details many years later.
There is some distrubing incest in this book. This not a normal chick lit. A sister is in love with her brother for the entire book. There is a complicated family story intertwined in the story. If I brought a different book on the beach, I would have chosen a different book because I did not understand the sister and brother loving each other sexually.
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Alice Hoffman was born in New York City on March 16, 1952 and grew up on Long Island. After graduating from high school in 1969, she attended Adelphi University, from which she received a BA, and then received a Mirrellees Fellowship to the Stanford University Creative Writing Center, which she attended in 1973 and 74, receiving an MA in creative writing. She currently lives in Boston and New York...more
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Apr 17, 2012 04:37am