In the interests of full disclosure, I must tell you that I did not technically read this book. Many, many years ago, my mother read it to me. Every night, for several weeks, she would read to me just before I went to bed.
To be even more honest, I really only have a clear memory of the beginning of the book.
The beginning; all was good in my world. I had my awesome mother reading me a story that she loved. The main character had a bad relationship with his father. His father was distant, domineering and either unconcerned with his son's feeling or incapable or understanding them. Given my opinion of my own father at the time, I was just giddy to see an “accurate” representation of Fathers. I don't remember if I ever said anything about that to mom.
Speaking of moms, the main character's mother was pretty much perfect; rather as I thought of my own mother at the time.
Oh, and there was a horse. Yes, the boy at the center of the story was in rather desperately in want of a horse of his very own. He gets the horse, loves the horse and finally lets the horse go. There's also a bit about a cougar and also something about at thunderstorm. It's a whole big metaphor or growing up; or whatever.
All the subplots and subtexts aside, because of when this book came through my life, it'll always be about the mother and the father.
As much as the father is distant and, frankly, cruel the main character craves his attention, affection and approval. As marvelous and reliable as the mother is, the main character treats her as a throw-away; he mostly ignores, or tires to ignore, her. He can only be himself, be free when, he moves beyond them.
Oh, well. What do you know? I guess it is a whole big metaphor for growing up, after all.
Or whatever.
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