The Mare

The Mare follows the story of Velveteen "Velvet" Vargas, an eleven-year-old Dominican girl from Brooklyn who temporarily moves to upstate New York through a fostering program. Her host family consists of Ginger, a recovering alcoholic and former artist, and Paul, whom Ginger met in AA. During her stay in Rhinebeck, Velvet forms a connection with a troubled former racehorse at a nearby stable named Fugly Girl, which she renames Fiery Girl. The relationship between Velvet and the horse develops as Ginger arranges riding lessons, while both girl and animal work to overcome their respective challenges. The novel alternates between multiple perspectives, including those of Velvet, Ginger, and Velvet's mother Silvia, creating a complex portrait of family dynamics, cultural differences, and personal growth. The narrative spans several years as Velvet returns for multiple visits, tracking the evolution of relationships between all parties involved. The Mare explores themes of motherhood, belonging, and the intersection of race and class in American society, using the metaphor of horse training to examine how humans both tame and free each other.

Many readers describe The Mare as a complex character study that explores race, class, and relationships through multiple perspectives. Readers highlighted the authentic portrayal of horse-riding culture, the depth of the mother-daughter dynamics, and Gaitskill's unflinching examination of difficult themes. Several reviews noted the strength of the alternating viewpoints and how they revealed different facets of the same events. Common criticisms focused on the pacing, with some readers finding the middle section repetitive. Others felt the racial dynamics and savior narratives weren't handled with enough nuance. Some readers struggled with the shifting first-person perspectives. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4/5 (150+ ratings) Sample reader comments: "Raw and honest but sometimes meandering" - Goodreads reviewer "Beautiful writing but problematic white savior overtones" - Amazon reviewer "The horse scenes ring true but the story loses momentum" - LibraryThing reviewer

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë A self-reliant orphan girl navigates class barriers, relationships, and personal agency in Victorian England through her relationship with a troubled man and the redemptive power of connection.

National Velvet by Enid Bagnold A working-class girl in rural England forms a transformative bond with a spirited horse and pursues her dreams against societal expectations.

The God of Animals by Aryn Kyle A teenage girl working at her family's struggling horse ranch confronts class differences, family dysfunction, and awakening sexuality while caring for horses and wealthy clients.

Riding Lessons by Sara Gruen A former equestrian returns to her family's horse farm after personal tragedy and rebuilds her life through renewed connections with horses and her past.

The Hearts of Horses by Molly Gloss A female horse trainer in World War I-era Oregon breaks social conventions and finds her place in the world through her work with horses and the rural community.

🔹 Mary Gaitskill's "The Mare" (2015) was partly inspired by her own experience as a host family member in the Fresh Air Fund program, which provides free summer experiences to children from low-income communities. 🔹 The author spent two years working at stables and learning about horse care to authentically portray the equestrian elements in the novel. 🔹 "National Velvet," the 1935 novel that partially inspired "The Mare," similarly features a young girl forming a special bond with a difficult horse, but was set in rural England rather than modern America. 🔹 The book's unique structure features multiple narrators, including the horse Fugly Girl, creating a complex narrative mosaic that earned praise from critics for its innovative approach. 🔹 The Fresh Air Fund, which forms the backdrop of the story, has been operating since 1877 and has provided free summer experiences to more than 1.8 million children from New York City.