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PhyllisE
Irresistable and clever
Thanks to First Look Book Club & Penguin Random House for a gifted copy. All comments and opinions are my own.
I couldn’t resist this one – a pony solves a murder mystery. This unique novel met my high expectations and more. I was reminded of "Black Beauty" (which I loved as a child) as the story is mostly told from Pony’s point of view. He travels back and forth across the country in search of Penny, “his person” who has been arrested for a murder he (and we) knows she didn’t commit. Chapters alternate between Pony and Penny, and offer humor, heart, and insight into the world of animals from a fictional
…more perspective.
Please be forewarned this is so much better than a cutesy animal story, even though it has heartwarming moments. This unputdownable novel is an homage to Homer’s Odyssey, with Pony encountering various perils and challenges during his travels as he searches for Penny.
Themes of friendship, family, and integrity mixed with magical realism. This easy-to-read novel kept me on the edge of my seat as Pony continually escapes from the humans who are preventing him from reaching Penny. I highly recommend this entertaining and charming mystery that kept me turning the pages until the end. (less)Initially I felt the concept and dialogue was off and a bit surreal but once I got into the journey of the Pony a.k.a "Ulysses", I really enjoyed the story. The mystery seemed second nature - the journey home was more important. The Pony constantly makes insightful comments on the kindness and inhumanity of humans, especially to animals. Can easily see that someone will think it is necessary to ban the book because of all the great comments on diversity and equality. This book is just the type of book anyone with an imagination needs to read. Many will not want to read the Iliad or Odyssey but will like the
…more adventures of the Pony. Penny was not as enjoyable or developed character as the Pony, but she did eventually recognize the importance of love and family. Her comments on the public defense system were spot on. After going back to read parts of the Odyssey, even the chapter titles reflect the journey with storge- familial love and nostros- to return home being integral to the adventure. In the end, the book was fun to read and would make a great animated series. (less)Pony Confidential turned out to be a charmer...at first thought it to be a kids book but it's a delightful light summer read. The voice of Pony is reminiscent of Mr. Ed (a 60's TV Sitcom) half of the main characters...Penny, is his long lost owner and Pony's quest is to find her 25 years later. Nothing heavy here but a fun read.
Janice A. (Colfax, WI)
Pony Confidential
Christina Lynch has written an interesting and unique novel. The main characters are Penny and Pony. Penny is in her late 30s, a wife, mother, third grade teacher and charged with a murder that occurred 25 years prior. Pony is the riding pony that Penny owned when she was a child and thought of as her best friend. The murder occurred when Penny was 12 after which she and her parents moved to Chicago and sold Pony. The story is told by both Penny and Pony in alternating chapters. Each tells their story of the past 25 years along with the present. The novel is a testament to love between a person and their
…more childhood pet, the struggle to understand the past and determination to find the truth and the connections that remained strong after loosing each other for 25 years. Lynch does a remarkable job connecting the storylines and joining them for an astounding conclusion. I highly recommend this book. (less)I loved this book! Critics will say it was unrealistic, which it 100 percent was, but was such a fun story and I loved each character ( except the villains and I really disliked them!) This book was written for animal lovers and those with an open mind about our relationship with our pets. I just thought it was a fun story, but also brought up some good points about how animals are treated and also the holes in our justice system. Read this if you just want a whimsical story told by a pony and his owner, with a little bit of mystery mixed in.
Kathleen C. (Cockeysville, MD)
Humor and a Pony
Thanks to NetGalley, BookBrowse, and Berkley Publishers for a copy of Pony Confidential in exchange for an honest review.
Pony Confidential is a thoughtful, touching, suspenseful murder mystery which uses laugh out loud humor in describing fantastical animal adventures, and the often harsh realities of human behavior. Pony and Penny alternate their stories which began 25 year earlier. Pony is curmudgeonly and vengeful due to his abandonment by Penny years ago. He has held on to his grudge and it keeps him motivated to find her. This requires stamina, luck and a bit of pony mind control. Over the course of the
…more book he learns about himself, and Penny learns about her family, the legal system and most importantly herself. If you enjoyed Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, or Perestroika in Paris by Jane Smiley you will want to read this book. (less)Oh, how sweet this book was. A grumpy pony named Pony has had many owners but has only loved Penny, a little girl who owned him years ago. He sets out to find her. But instead of a joyful ever-after, he finds Penny, now an adult, standing accused of murder. So, Pony sets out to prove that she didn't do it.
I loved Pony and rooted for him. You will love this book if you loved Six-Thirty in Lessons in Chemistry or Marcellus in Remarkably Bright Creatures. If you just want something heartwarming and different, please pick it up.
Jennifer B. (Oviedo, FL)
Pony Confidential
A pony that can communicate via telepathy, travel alone across a continent and solve mysteries? Come on! That was my first thought when given the opportunity to read and review Pony Confidential. Now, having read the book I can say it's one of my favorite books ever! The characters, human and otherwise, cover the gamut. There are scoundrels and up-standing examples of both people and animals. I laughed and cried and cheered for a pony trying to find and help his best friend and former owner. This clever story will become a bestseller!
