Morven and the Horse Clan

by Luanne Armstrong

In 3500 BC, a killing drought forces Morven and her tribe to roam the steppes of Kazakhstan, struggling to survive. Fiercely independent and never quite feeling she belongs, Morven feels a greater kinship to animals than her own people. Despite ridicule, she befriends a herd of wild horses. She learns to ride and shows her clan the horses are not just a food source, but they can also help them survive. But it is not just Morven's people who are changed by knowledge. A brash young man from another tribe also learns from Morven. His goals, however, are not just to survive, but to conquer. Morven must learn to accept responsibility for the terrible changes she set in motion, and become a leader amongst her people, or they will die.

176 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2013

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

" Morven and The Horse Clan" by Luanne Armstrong is set in 3500BC after a killing drought forces Morven's clan to roam the steppes of Kazakhstan to find a new hunting ground. As the story opens Morven befriends a herd of wild horses which her tribe thinks of as a food source, but after taming them their destiny and her tribe's will change forever. This is a story not only of a clan's struggle to survive but of a young girl's rebellion against the traditional role of a woman in her tribe. It's a story of changing perspectives as her tribe learns the value not only of the horses but of Morven.

This plot is straightforward, and the dialogue simplistic which is appropriate for the period. The characters with the exception of Morven are uncomplicated.

Feeling disconnected from the traditional role of a woman in her tribe Morven rebels against the norm, wanting a non-traditional lifestyle. Emotionally tied to the welfare of the animals she becomes moody and unreachable when they are viewed not only as a food source but also as a weapon to conquer other tribes. Although she appears selfish and insensitive at times Morven maintains a strong attachment to her tribe, to her friend Lani and to the animals she loves.

The theme centers around a teen's struggle against conformity and her quest to find her destiny at a time when her tribe's survival hangs in the balance. Interwoven into a coming of age story are elements of friendship, unconditional love and sacrifice. Morven's story strikes at the heart of what teens experience today as they try to find their own identity and place in society. I liked it and would recommend this short story.

[Heeta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was lucky winner of this book through a goodreads giveaways.

I loved the style and setting in which this book was written. It portrayed to me a time and a prehistoric era where humans were just in their beginning stage of development, told from the personal perspective of young girl Morven. It was a very fascinating and refreshing story to read, as history of any kind interests me. Considering the plot and summary, the book was comparably a quick read.

But on the other hand, I found the summary to be misleading. Also, I feel the story lacked depth and for a plot such as this it might work but to me personally, I needed a lot more deeper and complicated plot, this story was tad bit too simplistic for me. Nothing much goes on except the main character is constantly in a struggle within herself mostly where she either likes to be an isolated observer or doesn't want to be an isolated human being . Since, it was a quick read it was alright but had it been longer, it would have gotten drag some.

Could not help but draw parallels of the lifestyles in the book to indigenous groups, and I would have expected a much more richer detailing than what is portrayed in here. The names of some of the characters had me rolling my eyes.

2.5-3 Stars

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Essentially, "Morven and the Horse Clan" is one author's feminist take on the domestication of the modern horse. Set in 3500 BC in Kazakhstan, Morven and her nomadic tribe roam the vast grassy steppes constantly struggling to survive. In her own clan, Morvan is the consummate outsider with her red hair and her determination not to embrace the domestic arts of the matriarchy. She, instead, befriends a herd of wild horses and begins to see their potential to serve her nomadic people as beasts of burden as well as a source of food. She learns to ride and hunt and shares her horse whispering techniques with a neighboring clan who then regard the horse as a means to conquer and "own" the land. Morven is shunned from this group and spends one winter in frigid isolation before finding and rejoining her own clan. Definitely a niche item, this is a book that will have limited appeal both because of its specific sub-genre (pre-historic fiction) and also because males do not do particularly well in this story, largely sidelined and vilified by the author. However, it will definitely appeal to independent teenage girls with a strong streak of rebellion.

[Susan Rocan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the ancient time in which this story is set, I think modern teens could easily relate to Morven, as both her moodiness and reluctance to participate in her clan’s activities are similar symptoms to what a lot of teens experience, these days. I found the voice of Morven to be a little simplistic, on occasion, but I considered it a part of the story’s setting, since the language would not have been sophisticated at that time.

I think Luanne Armstrong provides the reader with a wonderful glimpse into the customs and lifestyles of the nomadic tribes living on the steppes during this early point in their history. She does not ramble or expound into complex explanations of how things were done back then, like in the adult stories equivalent to this. She does describe how things were done and why the people did things a particular way when it was necessary. As a result, I think it could be used as an excellent resource for teaching, as well as an enjoyable jaunt through our pre-history.

[Jules Goud · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to win this book off a Goodreads Giveaway.

I found this book very enjoyable. Morven is an outsider in her clan, and she is different. This makes her a very relatable character. Lots of people are laughed at because they are different. This makes her think that she wants to be alone. But, she really doesn't grasp the difference in being alone with someone in the background, there when you need them to just being totally alone.

I thought that this was an interesting way to think about how men first used the horse. I loved the way that Morven took the time to learn about the horse's language and used that to integrate herself into the horse's clan instead of forcing herself on them. Some many people try to force their ways on someone else so it was nice to see that she was taking the time to actually learn their language.

A really unique book that goes way back in time. I have never really read anything like this before and I was glad that I got the chance to read it! I great historical fiction that is really one of a kind!

[Brooke]

I won this book in a giveaway not knowing what to expect. I kinda thought that this would be a really cool book about the past. And it was. Even though it is set in a time period a very long time ago, people will relate to Morven. As a teen myself, I found it very interesting to learn about the struggles in the past. I hope that other teens do as well and they should! I am so happy this is the first book in a series because the characters and plot will grow. I definitely recommend this to fans of The Clan of the Cave Bear. Thanks again for the giveaway win! And I cannot wait for the second installment.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in the Goodreads giveaway.

I enjoy reading YA books and also novels of prehistoric times.

Ms. Armstrong has written an interesting look at how horses could have been introduced to early man. The character of Morven is an interesting one. To feel like an outsider, to be laughed at and scorned would definitely allow young people to relate to her. She is a very strong individual and grows in knowledge of her skills and strengths throughout the book.
I look forward to reading further adventures of Morven and her clan.

[Jonine Bergen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luanne Armstrong has created an interesting and plausible story about how early man may have domesticated horses. Morven feels like an outsider in her clan. She has red hair and prefers to hunt than to do the traditional work of women.
She is a change-bringer in her clan and this can be an uncomfortable thing. When things works, she is celebrated but when things go poorly, she is blamed.
Morven and the horse clan can be described as read-alike for Clan of the Cave Bear series by Jean M. Auel for grades 5 and up.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever struggle to find a good grade 8 book on the transition from hunter-gatherer to settler lifestyles set in the Asian steppes? Ok, so maybe that's only a problem that grade 8 teachers have.... BUT I like to give credit to books that fill niches that most people don't even know exists. I loved the book, but was extremely annoyed to discover that the author chose to turn this into a series. As it stands, the ending is entirely unsatisfactory. I would love to do this as a read-aloud at the beginning of the year, but I fear that students would lynch me.

[Ruth Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a coming of age, historical fiction story. It is an excellent book that I will add to my list of First Nations historical fiction.

Morven is a member of a hunting and gathering clan. She discovers horses and learns to tame and ride them. This story makes me curious about trail blazers in any era--Mr. Ford with his automobile, Marconi with his radio, Bell with his telephone, and Bill Gates with his computer. Did they feel the same ostracism and self doubt as Morven does in this story?

[Colette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book for tweens who love survival stories, Morven lives in 3500BC and her tribe is dealing with a drought. The nomads move to find water but Morven's introversion compels her to follow a clan of horses.Strong willed, independent and lucky, Morven is caught between her loyalty to her family and her love of the horses. The plot builds, tension builds, soon Morven is discovering her warrior spirit. Recommended for vegans.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Such rich writing and a treat to view into a prehistoric world through the eyes of a rebelious teenage girl. I'm excited to see what happens when audiences get their hands on this book - from "Planet of the Cave Bear" to "The Hunger Games", this book has it all and more.

Get it now folks!!

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Morven......great name. I wasn't the biggest fan of this book until the very end. I did not like the main character and found her pretty self centered. I assume that was the point, by the end though her change was well pronounced and MUCH needed. The tie in at the end I feel should have been better explained. Over all it wasn't one of my favorite books, but it was a good read!!

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book set in 3500 BC. Morven and her clan of nomadic people encounter many dangers in their search for a new home in the steppes of Europe. The descriptions of the beautiful and sometimes inhospitable landscape are wonderful.

[Jessica Verhoog · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the book had an interesting outsider perspective for the time period it was set in. I was surprised by some of the violence suggested, attempted and executed in the book since it wasn't given a teen rating by our library. I would suggest it for grades 7 & 8 rather then a 5 to 8 novel.

[Rachel W · Rating 2 out of 5]

definitely not my kind of book. it was ok, but i don't intend to read books similar to this in the future. it's not my genre.

[Breanne Bannerman]

http://breannebannerman.wordpress.com...

[Amy Mathers · Rating 2 out of 5]

http://amysmarathonofbooks.ca/morven-...