Book Review: Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

The first of its kind, Black Beauty by Anna Sewell is an autobiography of a horse. A timeless classic – the book has been made into a movie and hasn’t lost its relevance even now. Be it you’re a kid or a grown up who loves classics, you must try this book.

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell was written by the author to bring attention of people towards the treatment given to horses and how to treat them rightly. The author, being a crippled, had a great connection with horses and she has helped a lot to make a world a better place for horses.

Written from the perspective of the horse, Black Beauty is the story of the horse who is born in a meadow where he learns some precious lessons from his mother and then, goes on to live with different owners – good and bad, careful and neglectful, kind and cruel. He describes his experience, while often commenting on the plight of horses that he works with. He also makes a great deal of effort in describing the character of humans, analysing them and talking about them much more than anything.

With subtle hints, the horse, Black Beauty, also gives you cues on how to take care of a horses properly. It is said that the author, Anna Sewell, actually wanted to write a book to educate people on how to treat the horses right but as we all know, she feared that a non-fiction would get limited audience. Hence, she went on to write a fiction – an autobiography of a horse, which would go on to inspire many more classics and also, become a timeless classic loved by one and all.

Written in a very easy manner, I loved how the book has a very nice and smooth pace. It doesn’t waste too much time on descriptions. Apt descriptions with a plot that keeps moving forward, the book gives you a lot of satisfaction as a reader. Obviously, if you’re a person who lives with horses or deals with them regularly, it will teach you how to do it right, how to understand the horses and how compassion and  care can fix any horse.

Even as a city dweller who rarely sees horses, I loved the book. It was such a pleasure to read. I would definitely recommend you to read this book and make other people read it too. It’s a children’s classic – so, the writing and language is very easy to understand but hits a deep note. Go read it now!

My ratings: 4/5 stars