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The Stable Boy
The Stable Boy is historical fiction. It is a love story, a rags-to-riches story, an anti-racist story and a triumph over injustice story. Taking place in the antebellum South, it tells the tale of how a lowly slave... a hidden genius... defies all odds and becomes one of the richest men in America. In Pygmalion* style, the young slave is taught proper elocution and English grammar, a gift that takes him from picking cotton to dealing with some of the wealthiest and most powerful men in America. It’s also a touching, tender... if unlikely... love story between two young men... one a slave, the other his owner. It takes the reader from the rural South to New Orleans, St. Louis, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York and London. It makes the incredible, credible.
*Pygmalion is the George Bernard Shaw play on which the movie "MY Fair Lady" was based. It shows how the gift of language can change a guttersnipe into a princess.
*Pygmalion is the George Bernard Shaw play on which the movie "MY Fair Lady" was based. It shows how the gift of language can change a guttersnipe into a princess.
342 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 15, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 9, 2024
This historical fiction navigates the journey of a young slave in the antebellum South, with elements of a rags-to-riches tale, an unwavering love story, and a triumph over adversity, "The Stable Boy" intricately weaves the narrative of a hidden genius who, against all odds, rises to become one of the wealthiest men in America. John Neubert, a retired journalist with a profound interest in the oft-ignored or romanticized segments of American history, crafts a story that not only entertains but enlightens, casting a light on the struggles faced by minorities and the LGBT community.
June 8, 2025
OVERALL RATING: 3.33/10 -> 2 stars on GR.
Characters: 2
A crucial ingredient that the author probably forgot when crafting Will is his flaws. It’s just unrealistic how bloated Will’s heroic and intelligent is to the point that he seems more like God than an actual living human.
Will’s perfectness also affects other characters because they’re either portrayed as if the sun is rising out of his ass or inevitably win over by his virtue.
Setting/Theme: 5
I’m not totally sold on his portrayal of racism and homophobia. The intention behind each comment wasn’t bad, but there was a clear missed opportunity to dive further than just stating the clear obvious.
What I found more interesting was the Bible reference of God promoting love of all kinds, but even that was recycled to death. Again, it’s a shame that the author didn’t explore the theme deeper than just people misinterpreting or weaponizing the misinterpretation of Christian teaching.
Writing Style: 3
Many conversation responses are just too formulaic and lack individuality. Also, I feel a bit icky at how he sometimes referred to Will as “former slave.” Especially the use in , which makes .
Plot: 2
The length of each stretch needs some serious redistribution. While the good moments were spelling out more than necessary, the tense moments were cut way too early before their impact could even register in the story. Speaking of which, the events are deprived of any real stakes. The bumps on the road feel more like the designated reminders of how godly perfect Will is, given there’s no real threat that challenges him to develop further. You know the momentum is not right if the first and only true danger that Will had to face occurred in the final chapter, and even that was resolved hastily. To sum up, Will’s rag-to-riches doesn’t feel earned—and subsequently rootable—at all with the way everything unfolded.
Logic: 3
There are too many factors that conveniently set up in favor of the protagonist to the point of being unconvincing. A prime example of this is how
I also don’t fancy the injection of contemporary standards into the story. The commentary itself isn’t bad—in fact, most of them deserve to be amplified more in our modern world—but its progressiveness conflicts with the historical settings.
Intrigue/Enjoyment: 5
Despite my long rant, I actually found the beginning to be promising, and the novel still delivered the feel-good sensation. Although it was not a frustrating read, it was not a satisfying one either.
Characters: 2
A crucial ingredient that the author probably forgot when crafting Will is his flaws. It’s just unrealistic how bloated Will’s heroic and intelligent is to the point that he seems more like God than an actual living human.
Will’s perfectness also affects other characters because they’re either portrayed as if the sun is rising out of his ass or inevitably win over by his virtue.
Setting/Theme: 5
I’m not totally sold on his portrayal of racism and homophobia. The intention behind each comment wasn’t bad, but there was a clear missed opportunity to dive further than just stating the clear obvious.
What I found more interesting was the Bible reference of God promoting love of all kinds, but even that was recycled to death. Again, it’s a shame that the author didn’t explore the theme deeper than just people misinterpreting or weaponizing the misinterpretation of Christian teaching.
Writing Style: 3
Many conversation responses are just too formulaic and lack individuality. Also, I feel a bit icky at how he sometimes referred to Will as “former slave.” Especially the use in , which makes .
Plot: 2
The length of each stretch needs some serious redistribution. While the good moments were spelling out more than necessary, the tense moments were cut way too early before their impact could even register in the story. Speaking of which, the events are deprived of any real stakes. The bumps on the road feel more like the designated reminders of how godly perfect Will is, given there’s no real threat that challenges him to develop further. You know the momentum is not right if the first and only true danger that Will had to face occurred in the final chapter, and even that was resolved hastily. To sum up, Will’s rag-to-riches doesn’t feel earned—and subsequently rootable—at all with the way everything unfolded.
Logic: 3
There are too many factors that conveniently set up in favor of the protagonist to the point of being unconvincing. A prime example of this is how
I also don’t fancy the injection of contemporary standards into the story. The commentary itself isn’t bad—in fact, most of them deserve to be amplified more in our modern world—but its progressiveness conflicts with the historical settings.
Intrigue/Enjoyment: 5
Despite my long rant, I actually found the beginning to be promising, and the novel still delivered the feel-good sensation. Although it was not a frustrating read, it was not a satisfying one either.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews