Customer Reviews

Flying Changes: A Novel

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

First off, let me say that this book is an enjoyable read - it goes by fast for the most part. I read it in a couple days and would call it a fun book, but not something I will likely pick up again.
That being said, there are a few issues with this book and story. As others have stated, it is hard to care for the main characters, Annemarie and her daughter Eva, as they are both immature for their ages, 40 and 16. Eva runs around like a spoiled 5 year old half the time. However, I would imagine a main reason for this is the complete lack of parenting skills on Annemarie's part. She is a mother without a backbone, unable and unwilling to discipline and stand up to her daughter. When Eva gets expelled from school, what does Annemarie do? Send her off to train with a top jumper trainer in the area. Yeah, what kind of punishment is that? The girl is in need of a good bit of discipline, and the character of Annemarie falls short as a mother. She is also useless as a girlfriend to poor Dan. She is whiny and self absorbed - it is hard to believe anyone would want to be with her. And when the idea of marriage comes up, she can't even discuss it with him? What kind of adult can't discuss this sort of thing with someone they want to marry? Perhaps she should do a little growing up first. Also, even though I did read the first book, Riding Lessons, it has been a few years since I did. The author alluded to events that happened in that story without explaining them ... that made it a little more difficult since I couldn't remember exactly what occurred in the last book.
Also, there were some equine related things that I could not get past. First off, if Eva loves horses so much, then why is she galloping around on frozen ground at dawn trying to jump paddock fences? And on an older horse too ... I can't even imagine allowing someone that irresponsible around my horses. Also, there is the whole issue of the Nokota horse. While I know Nokota horses are athletic and versatile animals, I have a very very very hard time believing that a top jumper barn would have one in their string of show horses. Hello ... warmbloods, thoroughbreds ... indian pony? I just don't feel that was a plausible thing in the book. My other main gripe is the whole Smokey Joe not letting anyone but Eva ride him ... and then she jumps on his back and starts doing canter pirouttes, passage, and advanced dressage moves. That is completely not believable to me as it takes YEARS of training to learn that sort of thing. And how is a horse who no one can ride going to get that kind of training? And how is this little girl of 16 who has never even competed before getting him to do these things? It is basically not believeable to anyone who has any sort of horse knowledge whatsoever.
If you can get past that, realize that the equine events are a little unbelieveable, and ignore the character flaws, then I would recommend this book. If you just want a good beach read, I would recommend this book. If you are looking for a book that is accurate and digs deep, I would recommend you look elsewhere.

I have nothing but praise for Sara Gruen's work. Although there do seem to be some minor equestrian-related inaccuracies (cleverly explained in this sequel), both Riding Lessons and Flying Changes are really great reads that focus on realistic, character driven storylines and avoid the much-overused cliches found in most contemporary horsey fiction. While these books will not win awards for ground-breaking fiction, they are entertaining and absorbing tales of real-life situations. The romantic subplots are true to life, as is the protagonist's relationship with her daughter. Other reviewers have noted that the main character's choices and behavior are often questionable, but this is precisely what makes these books an entertaining (and sometimes enlightening) read. We can relate to the characters because they are not infallible - they show errors in judgement and emotional reactions, but continue to learn and persevere throughout. I'm eagerly awaiting a third book.

Sara's first novel and its sequel. I enjoyed both of them thoroughly. In fact, it was hard to put them down and I finished them both in record time.

Annemarie, the main character, is an almost-40-year-old divorcee with a tempermental, yet adorable, teenage daughter. They move back to her parents' horse boarding stable out east (from Minnesota) where Annemarie rekindles an old romance. Dan is also in the horse business, but at a different level. His organization, Day Break, is a horse-rescue mission for abused and at-risk animals.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the transition to a different, yet familiar, living situation, being a single mom, Annemarie's parents, her new boyfriend, and especially her daughter, Eva, take its toll on her emotions and she is her own worst enemy with little effort.

But, her biggest challenge is battling old demons concerning her relationship with the true love-of-her-life, her horse Harry, and the new charge that appears later to take his place. And when Eva shows signs of having the same passion for riding and competing as Annemarie did, her motherly instincts to protect her only child from possible physical and emotional injury continue to get in the way.

What happens in the short couple of years since her husband left her grabs at your heartstrings, yet pushes your cheerleading buttons to the extent that all you want to do is see her come to terms with her life choices and be happy.

As much as I loved Water for Elephants, I have to say I really liked this story even better. Perhaps because of the gender of the MC, I don't know. In any case, I highly recommend the read.

After reading Water for Elephants, which I adored, I immediatly went to Amazon and ordered Sara Gruen's other 2 books; one of which being Flying Changes. I was disappointed from the get-go. It was less than sophmoric and drab. I forced myself to keep reading thinking "It's gotta get better - look at how genious Elephants was." That'll teach me to think. I gave up on it yesterday after getting about 3/4 of the way through it. I started "Where's My Wand" and am extremely pleased. I'm afraid to even open the other Sara Gruen book - it may just lie under my bed in and hide in shame.

I just got my copy of FLYING CHANGES Today! I have been waiting to read the sequel since I heard there was one coming out! Once again, I could not put it down! I read this novel very quickly and that is not because it was a fast read per se, but because I got lost in the storyline and could not put it down! The cover was great too! I loved the horse in a flying change!

FLYING CHANGES has picked up exactly where RIDING LESSONS had left off. I was happy to see that the same characters were in the story, in addition to the introduction of a new breed of horse I had never heard of before, The Nokota! The brindled horse "Hurrah" has also continued into the sequel as well!

Annemarie still has many issues to deal with in this novel, but she has grown as a character and her relationship with her daughter is better as well! Eva, the daughter has come a long way too and is starting to follow in her mother's foot steps! But again, when things seem to get better, there is another tragedy for the family to surmount! And once again, Sara Gruen has realistically written the characters reactions to this tragedy and has had them deal with it in a way, I think I would, if faced with the same decisions. It makes you feel for them all, I went from happy and laughing to crying. When I read both these novels, they played like movies in my head, they were so well written! Sara Gruen has really outdone herself with the sequel.

Being a NH Native, it was great to see some quirks from our State included in the novel. It seemed to have more specific descriptions about the area and some of our history, like our old houses and barns and our symbol....The Old Man of the Mountain.

I just finished the novel and went to the author's website and she has continued to support horse rescues and that coupled with her awesome writing and storylines, will keep me coming back for more! I plan on reading all her novels!

Sara has written another gritty and emotional novel, with realistic plotlines and accurate details, she has done her research well. This novel will appeal to anyone who loves horses, or who has had tough times and wants to read a great novel with a strong female character, who will grow on you and keep you wanting more!

I was so excited that the story was continued as I was left with many unanswered questions from RIDING LESSONS! And I am happy to say, most of my questions were answered in the sequel! I hope there will be a third novel...as once again I have more questions left unanswered.

If you have not read FLYING CHANGES or RIDING LESSONS, I suggest you get one quick! This is also a great novel for a pre-teen or teenager. I plan on letting my 13 year old daughter read it next!

Love it, love it, love it! I have gotten into quine fiction and have read the entire Laura Crum series as well as Julie Singers book and have enjoyed them very much as well. If you like books with strong female leads and plot twists that really suck you in, you'll enjoy these books. She is also portraying the emotion of a divorced women in her late 30's, early 40's and her teenage daughter with an honest feel and a quality that I think is very true to life. The book is fun and dramatic while still offering a happy (but not sugar coated) ending.

This is a great story of a modern woman struggling to redefine herself after several life-changing events. Gruen manages to bring her characters - in sharp detail and with a complete lack of sentimentality - to a hard and inevitable denouement. She is also horsewoman enough to accurately describe the loving and respectful connection that can happen between horse and rider.

In the literary world, there are two types of novels. In the first, the protaognists undergo a series of trials, which changes them in ways the reader can clearly see, even if they aren't always for the better. There are a series of scenes, built like ladder rungs that develop the characters and their problems, until the book reaches a climax, in which everything is pulled together and resolved.

In the second, the characters experience many ups and downs but emerge at the end of the book almost the same as they began it.
Scenes are put in, but the reader doesn't have the slightest idea where the book is going, why the details the writer includes are crucial, and why the characters are behaving the way they are.

Flying Changes is the latter type of book. The mother and her daughter (whose behavior I'll get to in a moment) are pretty alike: self-absorbed, histrionic and prone to running away at the first hint of a problem, rather than staying and dealing with it like a mature adults. They engaged in this in the prequel, but one hoped that the tragedy they endured in it might have matured them.

Alas, this is not so. Far from it. The daughter's behavior would be considered inappropriate and excessive for a five-year-old, but what can you expect with a mom who lets her gallop bareback on her blind horse without so much as a weak scolding?

The story itself centers around a Black Stallion plot in which the daughter rides a horse that only lets her on his back. Then there is a serious accident, the details of which I'll leave unspoiled.

As in the first book, there is tragedy at the end, but the mom and child react the same as they did to their more minor setbacks. At least the mom winds up seeing a therapist, so I guess that qualifies as change.

My friend gave this book for my birthday. We are both avid readers and she knew that I had read Sara Gruen's "Riding Lessons". I really enjoyed that book and I was delighted to receive the sequel, Flying Changes. With eager eyes I sat down that evening and read the book (well almost, I finished it up the following evening). It goes without saying that Ms. Gruen is a wonderful storyteller and she continued that ability in this story. I'm not expert on horses, but I thought that in this book she created a moving story with well crafted settings and high emotions. Annemarie, the single mother, pain is just one example. There are already excellent reviews posted and I won't go into detail and spoil the story for you if you haven't read the book. I will add that I found I could easily relate to the story and the characters. The ending wrapped everything with no loose ends and there's never a dull moment in this moving story.

This was such a wonderful book! I could not put it down! Don't forget to read the first one before starting this.