The Horse Healer
Diego’s world is ripped apart when the dreaded Imesebelen, the Muslim world’s most feared warriors, descend upon his village at the border of Castile. By the close of the day, he has lost his father and a sister, and watched as his two other sisters are taken captive and led away to parts unknown. He is left only with this beloved mare, his love of horses, and a burning desire for vengeance and his sisters’ freedom.
What follows is an epic saga set during the Reconquest. Diego’s years-long journey will take him across Spain, and ultimately into the camp of the Caliphate, as he seeks to master the healing arts for horses and somehow track down his sisters. Along the way he accrues both learning and fame to his name while studying under Muslim, Christian, and Jewish masters. If he could but parley his new-found relationships with the courts of Spain into a bid for his sisters’ freedom – and the freedom to treat his equine charges as he sees fit – then he will not only find the inner peace he struggles for, but also the long-sought peace of the realm.
Giner, a veterinarian himself, combines his knowledge of his profession, with the history of the Reconquest of his native Spain, into a moving narrative. You’ll finish the novel feeling you could survive the wilds of the countryside and open up a veterinary practice of your own. His expertise lends his writing a commanding authenticity. This is a debut novel and so his earnestness shines through. The pacing can be off at times, with too much weight given to less important moments, and not enough time spent with the key moments of the tale. Nevertheless, this is a powerful and memorable read. Recommended.
