Post by tintin on Apr 29, 2014 21:25:34 GMT 1
I discovered this book, as I often do, on the back of the jacket of another book.
I very much liked "Rennie Goes Riding" by the same author, so my first comment is that it is very different, but also very enjoyable.
The book concerns two young girls who live in a fictionalised version of the Rye area of East Sussex, Tamsin and Rissa who are great friends and horse lovers. The story is told through he eyes of Tamsin.
I read the book after having read "Ponies Next Door". There are a lot of similarities, but, to me, this is a better read by far (at a more gentle pace!)
A riding school moves to the seaside for the summer period. The two girls who are always on the look out for a chance to ride try to obtain riding for work, but the school is not keen. However, their prize horse uproots and runs off with a fence post he is tied to. The girls catch him, saving him from serious injury, and are rewarded with free riding. OK this is a bit of a clichΓ©, but so well done you hardly notice.
After quite a lot of adventures Tamsin gets her own pony, a grey such as she has always dreamt of.
I liked this book a lot. It has nice illustrations somewhat after the style of Stubbs (this is even more noticeable in the follow up books - especially the third). It is an unusual book, very domestic and homely - Tamsin's mam and dad and toddler brother are affectionately, economically and skilfully drawn. The tensions are those of a normal happy home and of a normal girl growing up.
It also has a very strong regional identity. Unlike other local identities in the UK Sussex has not survived strongly and the book depicts first hand a probably almost bygone culture. Tamsin's father is a Church Minister and life in the Manse is realistically depicted, but it is not a tub thumpingly religious book.
Not least of the books charms is a splendid side saddle lady,who rides with her nephew. Miss Polkinghorne is realistically depicted - only very reluctantly will she let the boy take his jacket off.
A fun read, interesting with likeable characters and good humane values from a time when money was tight, but people did not think of themselves as deprived.
I very much liked "Rennie Goes Riding" by the same author, so my first comment is that it is very different, but also very enjoyable.
The book concerns two young girls who live in a fictionalised version of the Rye area of East Sussex, Tamsin and Rissa who are great friends and horse lovers. The story is told through he eyes of Tamsin.
I read the book after having read "Ponies Next Door". There are a lot of similarities, but, to me, this is a better read by far (at a more gentle pace!)
A riding school moves to the seaside for the summer period. The two girls who are always on the look out for a chance to ride try to obtain riding for work, but the school is not keen. However, their prize horse uproots and runs off with a fence post he is tied to. The girls catch him, saving him from serious injury, and are rewarded with free riding. OK this is a bit of a clichΓ©, but so well done you hardly notice.
After quite a lot of adventures Tamsin gets her own pony, a grey such as she has always dreamt of.
I liked this book a lot. It has nice illustrations somewhat after the style of Stubbs (this is even more noticeable in the follow up books - especially the third). It is an unusual book, very domestic and homely - Tamsin's mam and dad and toddler brother are affectionately, economically and skilfully drawn. The tensions are those of a normal happy home and of a normal girl growing up.
It also has a very strong regional identity. Unlike other local identities in the UK Sussex has not survived strongly and the book depicts first hand a probably almost bygone culture. Tamsin's father is a Church Minister and life in the Manse is realistically depicted, but it is not a tub thumpingly religious book.
Not least of the books charms is a splendid side saddle lady,who rides with her nephew. Miss Polkinghorne is realistically depicted - only very reluctantly will she let the boy take his jacket off.
A fun read, interesting with likeable characters and good humane values from a time when money was tight, but people did not think of themselves as deprived.