Funerals for Horses

By: Catherine Ryan Hyde

Narrated by: Carly Robins

Length: 5 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's Summary

Funerals for Horses, Catherine Ryan Hyde's critically acclaimed first novel (initially published in 1997), is a deeply felt and heartrending story of redemption and love, disappearance and faithfulness, by the author who would go on to be known for the best-selling Don't Let Me Go and Pay It Forward.

Ella Ginsberg's brother, Simon, has disappeared. His clothing, shoes, and watch were found abandoned near a freight line track in Central California. His jockey shorts and wallet were never found. The police have no clue, and Simon's wife had no warning that anything was wrong.

Ella takes off on foot across much of California and Arizona, thinking she can find Simon using nothing but her knowledge of the way he might think. Her search leads her to the Navajo Nation in Arizona, where she is helped and befriended by three Native Americans and an aged paint horse named Yozzie.

Ella has serious mental health issues, and Simon, who raised her, is still the most important person in her shaky world. Only maybe it's not as unstable as it looks from the outside. Maybe inside Ella, a core of unexpected strength is emerging. Maybe Ella is even stronger than the brother who held her family's lives together for so long.

©2013 Catherine Ryan Hyde (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"A tale of sibling loyalty, madness, pain, and redemption. In this restrained but compelling narrative, Hyde movingly conveys the toll of years of emotional damage." ( Publishers Weekly)

Funerals for Horses

I tried to listen to this book because I had already paid for it, but finally decided I couldn’t finish it. The sexual descriptions were disgusting.

Not Her Best

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

I felt this was a confusing book. It was difficult to follow Ella"s mental illness.

Would you ever listen to anything by Catherine Ryan Hyde again?

Oh Yes!! I love all her other books!!! I think she is a great writer.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Frustration

Another Catherine Ryan Hyde wonderful book.

I do not know how Ms. Hyde writes these deep, thought provoking books. Her simple use of words like "perched" gives instant meaning to a situation where the characters are being careful, yet in a position where they could run away instantly. This book is about a young girl searching to find her real self. She has a mental loss not of her own making. I always love anything to do with horses, so I appreciate the presentation of how horses and their own spiritual beings come into her life. A definite read. The narrator is amazing.

One of Catherine Ryan Hyde's more unusual story s

This is not one of my favorite stories by this author. I had a bit of trouble trying to figure out just what the plot was. It seemed a confusing story about sad, confused characters trying to find meaning in their lives.

No thanks

This book is not my style, I tried it to explore new authors. The authors writing style wasn't bad, I just didn't enjoy the storyline.

Spoiler alert

Be aware that there is perverted sexual matter as part of the story. Didn’t expect that after reading so many others of her books.

Trigger warning

This book needs to come with a warning. Couldn’t get past the first several chapters, and for an empath still can’t get images out of my head. So unlike the rest I have read. But i respect her writing and have truly enjoyed others.

Good but not great

I have read many of Catherine Ryan Hyde's books. I have not been upset with any of her books up until this one. While she has written many, I have either learned something at the end but this one let me down. The story itself was a good read but the ending was disappointing! I will still read her books but I will pray for the ending to not be a dud!

Hard to follow

I have enjoyed many of her books,but I found this one hard to follow. And the story seemed to drag.just my opinion.

Slow slow slow

I am HUGE fan of Catherine Ryan Hyde but this read was really hard to stick with. I wanted to give up on it several times. The final chapters got better, but I did appreciate it's ending.