THE MARE

Velvet Vargas, a city girl of Dominican origin, is sent to visit a family in the countryside through the Fresh Air Fund. There, she creates a special bond with an abused horse at a neighboring boarding stable. Four excellent narrators tell Velvet's story through various points of view in alternating chapters. Each narrator perfectly defines the complexities of the character being portrayed, while showing different sides of Velvet--often not flattering. Velvet's life is split between the fairy-tale horse adventure and the brutal realities of bullying and violence she faces in Brooklyn. When Velvet's abusive but loving mother makes a rare appearance, it's memorable. At times, listeners will be wondering which character is telling the truth--and hoping that Velvet will make the right decisions in the end. M.M.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2015]