Silverhorse
by Lene Kaaberbol

Release Date: 4th Apr 2008
Publisher: Pan Macmillian
ISBN: 978 0 330 44486 7
RRP: Ł6.99

Forget Unicorns... I want a Hellhorse!

The last time I read a piece of fantasy this good was when I read Rothfuss’ The Name of the Wind. Whilst Silverhorse is aimed at a slightly younger audience, this is certainly not a novel that should be overlooked by adults just because it is classed as ‘Children’s’ literature... indeed, if you pass this over, you will miss out on not only a exhilarating story, but the pleasure of immersing yourself into a completely credible world where women hold the power and daughters are desired above sons.

Kat is twelve going on thirteen. As her name implies, she has a natural tendency towards temper and prefers being autonomous rather than led. Inevitably, this leads to relationship problems with her stepfather, Cornelius, who serves up regular beatings for her defiance and results in her mother sending her away. But as fate would have it, a chance meeting with a Bredarini and her Hellhorse, Frost, cause Kat to consider what it is she wants from life and so her journey towards becoming a Bredarini herself begins.

Hellhorses are a fantastical creation, one which will leave any horse-mad person in a state of huge excitement and exuberance... where once Unicorns were the universally desired mystical horse figure, now the Hellhorse could well take its place.

But Silverhorse is not all about becoming a Bredarini or learning to ride a Hellhorse – it also touches on the politics and dynamics of a race where only women are permitted to own and cultivate land and only women are eligible to become maestra (master). It also illustrates the subtlety of human nature and how characteristics can alter over time – we see Kat grow up in just the space of a few months and transform herself into someone who has more self awareness and self control. It is the subtlety that makes this so poignant and magnificently understated.

This is a MUST read for anyone of any age. I only hope that there will be a sequel from Kaaberbol – there are too many questions unanswered... and I want answers. I want a sequel.

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