Dante of the Maury River

by Gigi Amateau Narrated by JD Jackson

Overview

Handsome but headstrong, a retired racehorse finds a second chance in eventing in this affecting, fast-paced novel told straight from the horse's mouth.

When Dante's Inferno is born early, on a February night, there are great expectations for him. He may be the grandson of the greatest racehorse in modern times, but Dante's start proves a rough one: he doesn't bond with many people, as they always seem to be either poking and prodding him or trying to get him to fulfill their dreams. When Dante fails to live up to his bloodline, he ends up at a Thoroughbred rescue facility run by rehabilitating prisoners and is later adopted as a project horse for a student named Ashley at the Maury River Stables.

It's not easy for Dante to befriend other horses, but slowly Daisy and Napoleon let him into the fold, and Ashley begins to work with him to learn dressage and jumping in hopes that he'll find redemption as an eventing horse. Can Dante put his fears aside enough to succeed on the cross country course?

Narrated from Dante's point of view, this is a story that animal lovers will cherish.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Compelling and skillfully written.
—Kirkus Reviews

School Library Journal - Audio

07/01/2015
Gr 4–8—Dante's Inferno is a colt who was born coal black, feisty, and fighting for his life. As the veterinarian battles to get him to breathe, Dante communicates with his ancestors, who tell him he is responsible for completing three tasks. Dante takes this to mean that he is meant to win the Triple Crown like his famous grandfather, but his fiery nature gets in the way of all he attempts. After he loses the only handler able to work with him, Dante is sent to "prison," a stable that pairs retired race horses with inmates in the hope of rehabilitating both. A gentle and patient man helps gain Dante's trust and the horse begins working his way through the riding disciplines in an attempt to find something he excels at. Amateau tells the Maury River stories from the horse's point of view, giving a unique perspective of the healing nature of the human-equine bond. Narrator JD Jackson turns in a masterful performance with delightful character voices that enhance the story and never distract. VERDICT Horse-loving middle school students will appreciate the accurate equine details. Purchase where horse stories are popular.—Lisa Hubler, Charles F. Brush High School, Lyndhurst, OH

School Library Journal

12/01/2014
Gr 4–7—Dante's Inferno comes from a long line of strong and fast thoroughbreds. Expectations are high that he will prove to be just as adept on the racetrack. But while Dante has speed, he has difficulty trusting humans and other horses and quickly earns a reputation for being troublesome. Despite the best efforts of his mother and the few humans he has bonded with, Dante seems destined to be a disappointment. He continues to be shipped around to new places and eventually ends up at Maury River Stables, a horse-riding school where he forms a fragile bond with human Ashley. Will the bond ever be strong enough for Dante to see success? The plot is long on horse-show terminology but short on action. Readers may have trouble getting into the story due to its slow pacing. Give this to horse enthusiasts only.—Beth Cuddy, Seward Elementary School, Auburn, NY

Kirkus Reviews

2015-02-03
A thoroughbred racehorse tells his story in this middle-grade novel. Dante's Inferno has it all—a superior pedigree, striking looks and a comfortable life in an upscale racing barn. What he doesn't have is the right attitude. He nearly dies at birth but is resuscitated with painful shots of adrenaline, leaving him with a deep distrust of pain-inflicting humans. While technically dead, Dante has an out-of-body experience, meeting his deceased grandfather, a legendary Triple Crown winner named Dante's Paradiso, who tells him he needs to "conquer three great tests" but does not name them. Amateau writes a believable horse'-point-of-view narration, giving Dante a confident, even privileged voice as he relates, first, his failed racing career—despite numerous advantages and even more numerous expectations—and then his second career as a dressage/hunter/cross-country competitor in the Maury River Stables. Gradually—oh, so gradually—Dante learns humility, trust and love. The story has a clear arc and seems to end on a powerful note, but then…there are two more chapters. One describes Dante's meeting with a decrepit Appaloosa (the eponymous Chancey from the first in the series), and in the other, Dante provides a brief history of the thoroughbred breed and its future. Both struggle to fit into the story. Overall, compelling and skillfully written, but in this case, less would have been more. (Fiction. 8-13)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940172446672
Publisher:	Brilliance Audio
Publication date:	04/14/2015
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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