The Horse
Willy Vlautin
The Horse
Willy Vlautin
'There's a horse', he whispered. 'An old horse that's standing in front of my house. He's blind and he won't eat and I don't know what to do.'
65-year-old Al Ward is several years into an isolated stint living on old mining land in Nevada left to him by his great uncle. One morning, the horse arrives outside his home, seemingly unable to feed itself or stay safe from coyote attacks. 6000 feet up, 30 miles from the nearest town and broken by alcoholism and anxiety, Al must decide what to do. Intercut with Al's present-day story are episodes from his long life as a songwriter and guitarist. Beginning in Reno, we follow his chequered career as a touring musician, struggling to make ends meet and to survive the reality of a life devoid of the glitz and glamour of mainstream success.
Vlautin's new novel is a gorgeous homage to the uncelebrated musicians who make our lives more joyful, and, as always, an exploration of loneliness, humanity and resilience.
Review
Daniel Carroll
Outside a shack, in an abandoned mining camp in the snow hills of Nevada, stands a horse: silent, near blind, alone, stoically waiting for something – salvation or redemption. Inside the shack, Al Ward: a 67-year-old seasoned, hard-working guitarist and songwriter, a reclusive alcoholic; struggling, troubled, restless in his memories.
Willy Vlautin dedicates this wonderful novel, perhaps his most personal, to two fellow musicians: John Doe and the late Dallas Good of the Sadies. Vlautin is himself a composer and guitarist of the bands Richmond Fontaine and the Delines. The Horse is full of music, wild stories of the road, hearts and minds broken, loves lost and songs written, and enduring friendship.
The Horse is the tale of the extraordinarily difficult and punishing life and sad times of Al Ward, a desperate, drunken optimist, a life-long musician and cook for hire, a compulsive writer of sad songs; the highs and terrible lows, and how the wonder of song can be a redemptive thang. And what the hell to do with a blind horse refusing to eat or drink or move, when your old car won’t start and you’re miles from nowhere and you can’t make yourself shoot it even when you’re half drunk! And so this wonderful book travels between Al Ward’s life as a musician, wanderer, seeker of songs of love and redemption, and his present dilemma of this horse, there for no reason. Was it even real? And, if so, what to do?!
Vlautin writes with heart and soul, a knowingness, a certain gentleness and generous warmth, though not afraid to put his characters through hell. This is a life burger of a novel with the lot: love, pain and the whole damn thang.
Al Ward is a truly wonderful character that one cares about, for his decentness, perseverance and love of songs and people. Willy Vlautin has given us another great story. Enjoy the ride.
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