The God of Animals

The God of Animals by Aryn Kyle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Twelve year old Alice is left to bear the brunt of her screwed up family.  She is left, after her older sister runs away to get married, to deal with her dad, the horses, her mother, her own self doubts and ability to navigate her small Colorado world.

I had this book sitting on my reading pile for a long time--I don't remember where I picked it up and threw it in my briefcase for a long flight.  2:45 AM the next morning I was still reading.  The haunting feel of the book, the need for me to hope for the situation to get better and the reality that it wasn't going to kept me reading well into the night.

Compelling read.  The violence towards the horses repelled me and I learned about taking care of horses.  This book is sad from start to finish and it grows with intensity so be aware.

Recommended, but not if you are depressed.