Publisher’s Blurb
Twelve-year-old Gillian had never been so scared as the bus wound its way toward Canyon Falls summer camp. She had been dreaming about a horseback riding experience like this for years, but now that she was actually on her way, she was terrified. She had never been away from her family, never mind for a whole month. Would she make friends? Would she be able to keep up with the other girls’ riding?
When Gillian finds herself paired with Beauty, a beautiful silver-gray mare, the negative voice in her head eases up. But then her fears begin to come true. Snobby Katrina causes an accident that injures Beauty and another rider, Gillian’s best friend. Gillian ends up atop the Beast, a horse even the camp counselors struggle to control. Things only get worse when the Beast leaps into a river with Gillian still in the saddle.
Gillian finds herself alone in the wilderness, far from help and facing challenges she never imagined even in her worst nightmares. Will the skills she has learned be enough to save her?
General Book Info
- Publisher’s age group: ages 9-12+
- Discerned age group: ages 12+
- Main character(s): Gillian, age 12
- Character quality: low
- Setting: Contemporary; Canyon Falls horse camp
Content
🙏 Biblical: N/A
📚 Educational: N/A
🪄 Occult: Mention of ghosts; said “good luck” and “luckiest”; Gillian imagines that she has an independent “inner voice” that she named Stella who “talks” through the book; a horse’s spirit haunts the river to warn people of the dangers within it
☠️ Violence/Death/Fear: Gillian was very afraid to go the camp; a boy struck his head against a rock, got dazed, and was sucked underwater (but later saved by a horse); a horse got swept down a river and was never seen again; a girl wanted to swat a horse with a crop
🤬 Profanity: Mention the words “hate” and “shut up”
🚬 Drugs/Drinking/Smoking: N/A
💋 Romantic/Sexual: Mention of a boy rafting down a river in the middle of the night to see his girlfriend (not a good idea, much!)
Other Notes: Mention of urination, envying a girl’s hair, Gillian’s behind falling asleep, name-calling; a camper called a horse “General Ugly Face” and claimed he ate a kid one year; there was a sassy girl at camp
My Review
[I discerned this book a “No”.]
I discovered The Horse of the River at my library one day while seeing if they had any horse books that I missed from last time. The book, based on the blurb, sounded interesting as Gillian is attending this horse camp and gets lost in the wilderness. But never would I have imagined the occult and inappropriate things this book talked about.
First off, Gillian imagined/thought she had an “inner voice, named Stella”, so that the bad thoughts that were coming from her could be blamed on something else and, in this case, it was “Stella”. Quick pop quiz: does the Bible say anything about “inner voices” that we should have to make ourselves feel better that the bad thoughts aren’t really coming from us? Absolutely NOT! In fact, the Bible says to expose the darkness and have no association with it.
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
Ephesians 5:11 (NKJV)
She also mentioned this “horse spirit” that haunts the river. While I didn’t finish this book, I have a hunch that Gillian probably encountered or did something with this “spirit” from what the book blurb says as well as the title.
And if it wasn’t the occult things (which would have been enough for me to discern it a no!), the author sprinkling in inappropriate or not-nice things in the character’s actions. Those things are included in the “other notes” section of this post.
I would recommend you avoid this book, and always keep your discernment at the ready for similar books and resources!
Leave a Comment!
Have you ever read The Horse of the River: A Camp Canyon Falls Adventure before? Is there somewhere in the Bible that allows and encourages “inner voices” and haunted horse spirits? Let me know in the comments below!
Note: I was permitted to use this book review template by Last Days Lifestyle, who is the original creator of it.
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