Flying Changes: A Novel
by Sara Gruen
List Price:
Our Price: $5.85
You Save: $8.14 (58%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Sara GruenEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-04-03
ISBN: 0061241091
Number of pages: 400
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Book Reviews of Flying Changes: A Novel
Book Review: Quick read, hard to believe
Summary: 3 Stars
First off, let me say that this book is an enjoyable read - it goes by fast for the most part. I read it in a couple days and would call it a fun book, but not something I will likely pick up again.
That being said, there are a few issues with this book and story. As others have stated, it is hard to care for the main characters, Annemarie and her daughter Eva, as they are both immature for their ages, 40 and 16. Eva runs around like a spoiled 5 year old half the time. However, I would imagine a main reason for this is the complete lack of parenting skills on Annemarie's part. She is a mother without a backbone, unable and unwilling to discipline and stand up to her daughter. When Eva gets expelled from school, what does Annemarie do? Send her off to train with a top jumper trainer in the area. Yeah, what kind of punishment is that? The girl is in need of a good bit of discipline, and the character of Annemarie falls short as a mother. She is also useless as a girlfriend to poor Dan. She is whiny and self absorbed - it is hard to believe anyone would want to be with her. And when the idea of marriage comes up, she can't even discuss it with him? What kind of adult can't discuss this sort of thing with someone they want to marry? Perhaps she should do a little growing up first. Also, even though I did read the first book, Riding Lessons, it has been a few years since I did. The author alluded to events that happened in that story without explaining them ... that made it a little more difficult since I couldn't remember exactly what occurred in the last book.
Also, there were some equine related things that I could not get past. First off, if Eva loves horses so much, then why is she galloping around on frozen ground at dawn trying to jump paddock fences? And on an older horse too ... I can't even imagine allowing someone that irresponsible around my horses. Also, there is the whole issue of the Nokota horse. While I know Nokota horses are athletic and versatile animals, I have a very very very hard time believing that a top jumper barn would have one in their string of show horses. Hello ... warmbloods, thoroughbreds ... indian pony? I just don't feel that was a plausible thing in the book. My other main gripe is the whole Smokey Joe not letting anyone but Eva ride him ... and then she jumps on his back and starts doing canter pirouttes, passage, and advanced dressage moves. That is completely not believable to me as it takes YEARS of training to learn that sort of thing. And how is a horse who no one can ride going to get that kind of training? And how is this little girl of 16 who has never even competed before getting him to do these things? It is basically not believeable to anyone who has any sort of horse knowledge whatsoever.
If you can get past that, realize that the equine events are a little unbelieveable, and ignore the character flaws, then I would recommend this book. If you just want a good beach read, I would recommend this book. If you are looking for a book that is accurate and digs deep, I would recommend you look elsewhere.
Summary of Flying Changes: A Novel
Anxiety rules Annemarie Zimmer's days?the fear that her relationship with the man she loves is growing stagnant; the fear that equestrian daughter Eva's dreams of Olympic glory will carry her far away from her mother . . . and into harm's way. For five months, Annemarie has struggled to make peace with her past. But if she cannot let go, the personal battles she has won and the heights she has achieved will have all been for naught.
It is a time of change at Maple Brook horse farm, when loves must be confronted head-on and fears must be saddled and broken. But it is an unanticipated tragedy that will most drastically alter the fragile world of one remarkable family?even as it flings open gates that have long confined them, enabling them all to finally ride headlong and free.
Family Saga Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Family Saga Books
Elephant Manby Christine Sparks
Ballantine Books; Published: 1986-11-12; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.03
Price in other shops:
Assegaiby Wilbur Smith
Thomas Dunne Books; Published: 2009-05-12; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $2.00
Price in other shops:
Birds of Preyby Wilbur Smith
St. Martin's Griffin; Published: 2003-05-16; Paperback; Book
Best price: $48.99
An Act of Loveby Nancy Thayer
St Martins Pr; Published: 1997-09; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $7.85
Price in other shops:
Honoluluby Alan Brennert
St. Martin's Press; Published: 2009-03-03; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $8.51
Price in other shops:
Family Treeby Barbara Delinsky
Anchor; Published: 2009-10-27; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.99
Price in other shops:
Those Who Save Usby Jenna Blum
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Published: 2005-05-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.97
Price in other shops:
Vinegar Hillby A. Manette Ansay
Penguin USA (P); Published: 2000-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.99
Billy Phelan's Greatest Gameby William Kennedy
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 1983-01-27; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.79
Price in other shops:
Quicksilver (The Baroque Cycle, Vol. 1)by Neal Stephenson
William Morrow Paperbacks; Published: 2004-09-21; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.22
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
Chosen by a Horseby Susan Richards
Mariner Books; Published: 2007-06-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.68
Price in other shops:
Saddled: How a Spirited Horse Reined Me in and Set Me Freeby Susan Richards
Mariner Books; Published: 2011-01-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.49
Price in other shops:
Broken: A Love Story - Horses, Humans, and Redemption on the Wind River Indian Reservationby Lisa Jones
Scribner; Published: 2009-05-12; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $6.02
Price in other shops:
Broken: A Love Storyby Lisa Jones
Scribner; Published: 2010-05-18; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops:
Chosen by a Horseby Susan Richards
Mariner Books; Published: 2007-06-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.14
Price in other shops:
Chosen Foreverby Susan Richards
Mariner Books; Published: 2009-05-14; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.57
Price in other shops:
The A Circuitby Catherine Hapka, Georgina Bloomberg
Bloomsbury USA Childrens; Published: 2011-05-24; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.83
Price in other shops:
Water for Elephants: A Novelby Sara Gruen
Algonquin Books; Published: 2007-04-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.58
Price in other shops:
Ape House: A Novelby Sara Gruen
Spiegel & Grau; Published: 2011-04-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.19
Price in other shops:
Riding Lessons: A Novelby Sara Gruen
William Morrow Paperbacks; Published: 2007-04-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.71
Price in other shops: