D'you know what arrived at the library the other day? Brand new copies of Stacy Gregg's twenty-first pony book, that's what! If there's a horse-mad tweenage kid in your life, guaranteed, this is the perfect summer read. It's exciting, gripping, full of exotic animals and horses (of course) , and - according to Miss Missy - it's Stacy Gregg's best ever book. Miss Missy's got to be one of Stacy's biggest fans, so I reckon she knows what she's talking about.
We were lucky enough to get our hands on a copy of The Diamond Horse recently, and we both thoroughly enjoyed this story of two Russian girls linked across time by their love of horses and a mystical diamond necklace. Anna Orlov is the daughter of a Russian Count, but all the beautiful dresses, exotic pets, and royal banquets don't make up for the fact that her father ignores and belittles her, and her brother bullies her relentlessly. Valentina is an orphan who rides a beautiful pink horse in a Russian Circus act, and dreams of a better life for herself and her beloved horse.
I loved the way Stacy mixed history and modern legend into this tale of two feisty girls who refused to let anyone crush their dreams. The story of Anna is inspired by the real Anna Orlov, whose father developed the Orlov Trotter horse breed, and was a courtier of Catherine the Great. The story of Valentina and her horse, Sasha, is inspired by the true story of Balagur, a modern day Orlov Trotter, who surprised the dressage world by winning competition after competition, all the way up to the Olympics. I also loved the descriptions of the snow-covered Russian landscape, which were so realistic I felt like I needed to wrap up in a blanket to keep warm.
Miss Missy said that she enjoyed learning about the origins of Orlov Trotters (of course, she knows the name of every breed of horse known to man, so the name Orlov rang a bell for her, while going completely over my head). She also enjoyed the family dynamics, which, she told me, is not the sort of thing Stacy Gregg usually writes about. I asked Miss Missy what one word she would use to describe this book; she said "Exquisite" and I can't think of a better one!
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For more great reads, check out the list I put together of Miss Missy's Favourite Pony books. There's a few stand-alone novels, and a few series too. - Read our interview with Stacy Gregg
- Read about New Zealand equestrians
The Diamond Horse
by Stacy Gregg
Published by HarperCollins New Zealand
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