What do you think?
Rate this book
A Whisper of Horses
A middle-grade futuristic adventure fantasy in which an orphaned girl is on a quest to find the last horses on Earth.
Seren, short for Serendipity, is an orphan who lives inside a walled city. Before her mother died, she gave Seren a figurine of a horse that is the girl's most prized possession. When Seren discovers a map that may lead her to the last place horses exist, she starts on a journey that will bring new friends, danger, and wonder. It will also bring her closer to the memory of her mother.
Zillah Bethell is an extraordinary talent whose work will remind readers of classic novels such as Island of the Blue Dolphins, Tuck Everlasting, and The Magician's Elephant.
Seren, short for Serendipity, is an orphan who lives inside a walled city. Before her mother died, she gave Seren a figurine of a horse that is the girl's most prized possession. When Seren discovers a map that may lead her to the last place horses exist, she starts on a journey that will bring new friends, danger, and wonder. It will also bring her closer to the memory of her mother.
Zillah Bethell is an extraordinary talent whose work will remind readers of classic novels such as Island of the Blue Dolphins, Tuck Everlasting, and The Magician's Elephant.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2016
17 people are currently reading
726 people want to read
About the author
Zillah Bethell
8 books72 followersZillah Bethell was born in a leprosy hospital in Papua New Guinea, spent her childhood barefoot playing in the jungle, and didn't own a pair of shoes until she came to the UK when she was eight. She was educated at Oxford University and now lives in Wales with her family.
Zillah has written three adult novels (SEAHORSES ARE REAL / LE TEMPS DES CERISES / GIRL IN PROFILE) and three children's novels (THE SHARK CALLER / A WHISPER OF HORSES / THE EXTRAORDINARY COLOURS OF AUDEN DARE)
Zillah has written three adult novels (SEAHORSES ARE REAL / LE TEMPS DES CERISES / GIRL IN PROFILE) and three children's novels (THE SHARK CALLER / A WHISPER OF HORSES / THE EXTRAORDINARY COLOURS OF AUDEN DARE)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
June 4, 2025
At last, a dystopian Britain that turns out quite nice in the end, once you escape from London. OK, most people have died hideous deaths from inhaling The Gases but that was years and years before Serendipity and Tab saw the light of day.
The whole atmosphere of the tale reminds me of Peter Dickinson's The Changes: A Trilogy from the late 1960s though the story is completely different. Dipity and Tab seem too young for the challenges pushed on them, which reduces their escape from a murderous death squad led by the even more murderous Mordecai to a jolly nice bike ride through the English countryside, an encounter with a pack of remarkably affable wolves and a meeting with the eccentric and so very English Lord and Lady Wessex, gentlefolk who seem to have retained their aristocratic status, and what looks to be considerable wealth, among the local subservient yeomanry. Lord Wessex even has his own private railway with a steam train and passenger carriages and an antique Rolls Royce, or it may have been a Bentley. Toad Hall is an expression that comes to my mind when I imagine his Lordship.
The adventure is in search of lost horses - they are supposed to have been all snuffed out long ago by breathing in The Gases - keeps everything moving along and remaining bright and breezy. Even the little violent finale when Mordecai captures Tab and threatens Serendipity is over very quickly with not much more than a bloody nose and hurt feelings, then we're back to those horses and a young girl whose mind is full of Black Beauty.
If there is anything I found difficult to understand it was, that while Serendipity and Tab had very little education and were both more or less illiterate and ignorant of most things historical, Serendipity in particular would keep making remarks showing that she was actually quite knowledgeable. When she is briefly sheltered by Miss Caritas and shown clothing she might wear, Serendipity can recognize satin, silk, chiffon and velvet and give them the correct names, and when they make contact with the Wizard both she and Tab have no difficulty in understanding that BRAN is a robot. I am only surprised that at some point Serendipity didn't mutter to BRAN “Klaatu barada nikto.” A little more care in the editing would have eliminated all of it. The background story of Serendipity's parentage doesn't add much. It is a little Mills and Boon-ish and I think even an alert eleven-year-old would have guessed by the end of Part One the identity of her father.
Never mind, it is a well written adventure story for a pre-teen audience that moves at a rapid pace and holds one's interest to the end. I totally recommend it.
The whole atmosphere of the tale reminds me of Peter Dickinson's The Changes: A Trilogy from the late 1960s though the story is completely different. Dipity and Tab seem too young for the challenges pushed on them, which reduces their escape from a murderous death squad led by the even more murderous Mordecai to a jolly nice bike ride through the English countryside, an encounter with a pack of remarkably affable wolves and a meeting with the eccentric and so very English Lord and Lady Wessex, gentlefolk who seem to have retained their aristocratic status, and what looks to be considerable wealth, among the local subservient yeomanry. Lord Wessex even has his own private railway with a steam train and passenger carriages and an antique Rolls Royce, or it may have been a Bentley. Toad Hall is an expression that comes to my mind when I imagine his Lordship.
The adventure is in search of lost horses - they are supposed to have been all snuffed out long ago by breathing in The Gases - keeps everything moving along and remaining bright and breezy. Even the little violent finale when Mordecai captures Tab and threatens Serendipity is over very quickly with not much more than a bloody nose and hurt feelings, then we're back to those horses and a young girl whose mind is full of Black Beauty.
If there is anything I found difficult to understand it was, that while Serendipity and Tab had very little education and were both more or less illiterate and ignorant of most things historical, Serendipity in particular would keep making remarks showing that she was actually quite knowledgeable. When she is briefly sheltered by Miss Caritas and shown clothing she might wear, Serendipity can recognize satin, silk, chiffon and velvet and give them the correct names, and when they make contact with the Wizard both she and Tab have no difficulty in understanding that BRAN is a robot. I am only surprised that at some point Serendipity didn't mutter to BRAN “Klaatu barada nikto.” A little more care in the editing would have eliminated all of it. The background story of Serendipity's parentage doesn't add much. It is a little Mills and Boon-ish and I think even an alert eleven-year-old would have guessed by the end of Part One the identity of her father.
Never mind, it is a well written adventure story for a pre-teen audience that moves at a rapid pace and holds one's interest to the end. I totally recommend it.
August 11, 2016
This is a curious book. It’s good and readable and enjoyable, but it’s also an adventure with a modest goal. So many novels set in a grim future version of our world end up in a big fight to change the unbalanced society and make everything better. There are times when I thought this book would be that too, but no, at it’s heart, Serendipity really does just want to find the horses.
There’s nothing wrong with that, but if you’re expecting lots of action and a revolution, you won’t find it here. Serendipity does have adventures and there are some moments of excitement, but mostly this is a road trip book, going from the dark, restricted streets of Lahn Dahn, past the Emm Twenty-Five wall and out into the wider world. Which may or may not have been destroyed by the Gases, and may or may not contain horses.
I think the early chapters will work best for readers who know London fairly well, and can catch the quirky changes to familiar things. Such as Serendipity’s sleeping pod on the London High, the visit to the Gallery Market, the terror of Two Swords and other such scenes, with less obvious puns. I’ll admit I was surprised that the paintings were clearly still at the market and hadn’t been looted, nor had Bucknam Palace, which didn’t seem to fit in with the way the high society Aus live, but they’re minor things in the whole book.
Mostly this book is about dreams, about not letting the views of others hold you back, and daring to step outside the familiar things you know in order to make things better. Serendipity has a lot to learn across the book, but she’s brave and honourable, and her friendship with Tab and Mouse is fun at times and challenging at others. They’re an interesting pair to follow as they travel through the strange, but not completely different, Grey Britain, in search of a legendary dream.
Overall, I enjoyed this. It’s clever at times, has a sense of humour at others, offers up adventure and danger as well as friendship and dreams. It’s more thoughtful than blockbuster, and I’m not completely convinced by the ending, but on the whole this is a good, imaginative read.
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
There’s nothing wrong with that, but if you’re expecting lots of action and a revolution, you won’t find it here. Serendipity does have adventures and there are some moments of excitement, but mostly this is a road trip book, going from the dark, restricted streets of Lahn Dahn, past the Emm Twenty-Five wall and out into the wider world. Which may or may not have been destroyed by the Gases, and may or may not contain horses.
I think the early chapters will work best for readers who know London fairly well, and can catch the quirky changes to familiar things. Such as Serendipity’s sleeping pod on the London High, the visit to the Gallery Market, the terror of Two Swords and other such scenes, with less obvious puns. I’ll admit I was surprised that the paintings were clearly still at the market and hadn’t been looted, nor had Bucknam Palace, which didn’t seem to fit in with the way the high society Aus live, but they’re minor things in the whole book.
Mostly this book is about dreams, about not letting the views of others hold you back, and daring to step outside the familiar things you know in order to make things better. Serendipity has a lot to learn across the book, but she’s brave and honourable, and her friendship with Tab and Mouse is fun at times and challenging at others. They’re an interesting pair to follow as they travel through the strange, but not completely different, Grey Britain, in search of a legendary dream.
Overall, I enjoyed this. It’s clever at times, has a sense of humour at others, offers up adventure and danger as well as friendship and dreams. It’s more thoughtful than blockbuster, and I’m not completely convinced by the ending, but on the whole this is a good, imaginative read.
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
October 2, 2024
"A Whisper of Horses" is baby's first post apocalyptic dystopia complete with walled city and a caste system. The naming system of the caste system reminded me of Plato's Republic which immediately made me think of"The Giver." Given some of the narrative choices in this book I don't think it would be outlandish to summarize this as "The Giver" with horses.
While Lois Lowery classic is written for a similar age group Lowery has much more respect for her audience. Children are not idiots and are capable of understanding a complex and traumatic narrative. I read both "The Giver" and "Number the Stars" before 5th grade. And they are the only pre high school required reading novels I actually remember largely because they dealt with heavy and serious topics. Those books stuck with me because they frightened me and made me think.
I know not every book needs to be like this but is a bit off putting to read a dystopia that completely lacks any believable narrative tension. "Whisper" is a bubblegum and fuzzy kittens dystopia. The plot is fairly ridiculous in that things never get so bad that I never actually believed the protagonist was in any real danger. No matter what happened there was always someone to come bail her out whether it was a dog, a Dickensian orphan, or this universes version of the Giver. (I literally had yackety sax running through my head reading some of the chase scenes.)
I was never fully immersed in what was happening and had to keep reminding myself that this is a children's book written for children and that I shouldn't be so critical of the minutia. The truth is I wouldn't have even been paying attention if I had been engaged with the story.
The characters were all tropey and kind of dull. None of them really stood out in my mind beyond whatever role they played in the narrative. They never felt like indivuals so much as sock puppets to drive the story along.
I'll give this two stars because I was able to finish this novel. It is readable. It's a fine brain break book for younger readers.
While Lois Lowery classic is written for a similar age group Lowery has much more respect for her audience. Children are not idiots and are capable of understanding a complex and traumatic narrative. I read both "The Giver" and "Number the Stars" before 5th grade. And they are the only pre high school required reading novels I actually remember largely because they dealt with heavy and serious topics. Those books stuck with me because they frightened me and made me think.
I know not every book needs to be like this but is a bit off putting to read a dystopia that completely lacks any believable narrative tension. "Whisper" is a bubblegum and fuzzy kittens dystopia. The plot is fairly ridiculous in that things never get so bad that I never actually believed the protagonist was in any real danger. No matter what happened there was always someone to come bail her out whether it was a dog, a Dickensian orphan, or this universes version of the Giver. (I literally had yackety sax running through my head reading some of the chase scenes.)
I was never fully immersed in what was happening and had to keep reminding myself that this is a children's book written for children and that I shouldn't be so critical of the minutia. The truth is I wouldn't have even been paying attention if I had been engaged with the story.
The characters were all tropey and kind of dull. None of them really stood out in my mind beyond whatever role they played in the narrative. They never felt like indivuals so much as sock puppets to drive the story along.
I'll give this two stars because I was able to finish this novel. It is readable. It's a fine brain break book for younger readers.
May 19, 2019
It was okay. I didn't hate it or anything, but I should say this, I should've looked more into this book before reading it tbh. It was generic dystopian novel, with a vivid use of Great Britain, London and everything around it as its setting. The story overall was enjoyable, but the plot overall was REALLY BORING. The characters didn't really strike me as interesting. it's a forgettable book. I mean, the story itself was childish, probably because it's a children's book after all. The hero and heroine didn't really meant much to me. Tab, the hero in this story, wasn't even really explained/had a backstory, something like that. He was just there, and somehow became a main character leading the heroine in their journey into finding the 'horses'. The plot twist was bland, and I would've probably guessed it already in the beginning of the story if it weren't for my high expectations. The ending was rushed, and the epilogue didn't explain anything, only a fast forward onto future events, where (spoilers) she has finally found the horses. I would not really recommend this book for people that loves reading YA fantasy books like me, but if you are in for a simple children's/YA fantasy book with a really simple plot, then you'd probably like this book!
September 27, 2017
The story was a typical YA dystopian tale. I liked a lot of it, like how the language had evolved (Lahn Dan for London, Gray Britan, etc), a lot of the writing (image-wise, phrasing, dialogue) was excellent. The problem was the characters (and, well, much of the world setting). Everyone was black/white -- one lonely rich woman, when mildly thwarted by a girl she (somehow) liked enough to want to adopt moments after she met, went out of her way to destroy that girl when she didn't agree to be adopted right then and there.
The world setting was just plain stupid. There were three classes, Aus, Cus, Pbs -- gold, copper, lead. But they were called that in the book: Aus, Cus, Pbs. I just could not see a society evolving that way. Classes like that, sure. But naming them like that? No.
Add onto that that the main character (a Pbs, so she had no food, never took a bath, etc), was more beautiful than any Aus (who had all the food they wanted and gene teching to be made more beautiful), and I was just done with this book at the 24% mark.
The world setting was just plain stupid. There were three classes, Aus, Cus, Pbs -- gold, copper, lead. But they were called that in the book: Aus, Cus, Pbs. I just could not see a society evolving that way. Classes like that, sure. But naming them like that? No.
Add onto that that the main character (a Pbs, so she had no food, never took a bath, etc), was more beautiful than any Aus (who had all the food they wanted and gene teching to be made more beautiful), and I was just done with this book at the 24% mark.
January 20, 2023
A whisper of horses is a breathtaking ,gorgeous ,lyrical and devine book.
After her mother dies, she begins to see the magical horses in the world so she starts a journey that will take her far from everything she knows. Traveling with an orphan boy, Tab, and his beloved dog, she's soon on the run from a powerful and dangerous man who will do anything to make sure Serendipity never leaves the walled city again.
This is a very heartfelt book with lots of hints beauty of feminine energy throughout it.
I would like to end with a quote from the book itself..
“A pony is a childhood dream. A horse is an adulthood treasure.”
After her mother dies, she begins to see the magical horses in the world so she starts a journey that will take her far from everything she knows. Traveling with an orphan boy, Tab, and his beloved dog, she's soon on the run from a powerful and dangerous man who will do anything to make sure Serendipity never leaves the walled city again.
This is a very heartfelt book with lots of hints beauty of feminine energy throughout it.
I would like to end with a quote from the book itself..
“A pony is a childhood dream. A horse is an adulthood treasure.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2019
It took so long for me to start getting into the story, at first nothing made sense, not the plot,not even the setting seems to be set right. But as the stories started to built up it turned out to be such an amazing read. Not a big fan of the way the book is written, but I LOVE the story and the characters and the little joy they get from each of their adventure. It was such an opening realization to see that serendipity found herself, and her freedom within her through her own adventurous way. Professor and Tab is my favorite character !
June 12, 2017
A young girl leaves dystopian London on a quest to find something she used to think long gone from the world -- horses.
April 2, 2020
This is an amazing book!! Although the journey is to find horses and 🐴 “Seren” didn’t find them until the last three pages of the book. Otherwise the whole theme of the gases taking over Lahn Dan (London) and Grey Britain ( Great Britain ) was amazing! And I love how Tab really turned out to be a good gentle kid! Great book! 🤎🐴
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2018
Years ago, man's veneration of and obsession with technology released the Gases, poisoning everything. Generations later, the walled city of Lahn Dan (capital of 'Grey Britain') sits under a poisonous purple sky, everything outside it dead. Society has been stratified into a rigid class system - Aus' (Gold) in their walled glass towers where everything is pretty but fake (because "fake never dies" you see); Cus' (Copper) those who work in service for the Aus', and lastly the lowly Pbs' (Lead) the toiling worker bees looked down upon by everyone. (Though, as any church roof would tell you, lead might not be the prettiest metal but it's just as precious.) - under the totalitarian eye of the Minister, and enforced by his secret police. Serendipity, a Pb, has just lost her beloved mother, but has just come into possession of something that could point her to something she's always wished to see: horses, said to have died out with the Gases. But with the help of a smuggler boy, Tab, and his dog Mouse, Serendipity will find out that not everything she has been told about the outside, or indeed, even her own city, is strictly true.
A well written, solid mix of familiar dystopian tropes with some nice original touches (the use of chemical symbols to denote class, for example) that nevertheless tackle some very prescient themes: the use of lies by those in power to keep people in check and sustain the status quo; our dependence on technology and the consequences it could have for ourselves and the environment if we're not careful; the importance of history and learning from it. The characters, good and bad, are also well written, Serendipity and Tab being two heroes you can't help but root for, and 'Mad' Commander Mordecai - head of the Minister's secret police who has been tasked with retrieving Serendipity, pursuing them across the country like a demented Inspector Jalvert - is a villain you'll want boo and hiss each time he appears. After a while, their quest becomes less about actually finding physical evidence of horses, than the journey itself and about finding freedom, which the horses remain a powerful symbol of.
But does Serendipity manage to find any horses? Well, I'm not telling you, you'll have to read and find out. ;)
A well written, solid mix of familiar dystopian tropes with some nice original touches (the use of chemical symbols to denote class, for example) that nevertheless tackle some very prescient themes: the use of lies by those in power to keep people in check and sustain the status quo; our dependence on technology and the consequences it could have for ourselves and the environment if we're not careful; the importance of history and learning from it. The characters, good and bad, are also well written, Serendipity and Tab being two heroes you can't help but root for, and 'Mad' Commander Mordecai - head of the Minister's secret police who has been tasked with retrieving Serendipity, pursuing them across the country like a demented Inspector Jalvert - is a villain you'll want boo and hiss each time he appears. After a while, their quest becomes less about actually finding physical evidence of horses, than the journey itself and about finding freedom, which the horses remain a powerful symbol of.
But does Serendipity manage to find any horses? Well, I'm not telling you, you'll have to read and find out. ;)
September 18, 2020
Post-apocalyptic sci-fi not really my cup of tea, but this was not too bad.
June 7, 2018
This was a hopeful and heartwarming adventure across a post-apocalyptic Britain, with some fascinating worldbuilding and beautiful imagery. Seren’s intense longing to see horses came through strongly and made her a distinctive and compelling protagonist. I really enjoyed seeing Tab grow away from the ruthless world he grew up in, and I enjoyed the slow evolution of his friendship with Seren as they learned to trust each other. I loved the way the landscape changed as Seren and Tab moved away from the oppression of London towards the freedom of Wales, and I loved the focus on the power of storytelling and knowledge to make real changes in the world.
May 4, 2017
I was shelving this book at my work and happened to glance at its description, thinking it might be a book to recommend to young horse enthusiasts. I realized that it was nothing like I suspected it would be based on the title--a middle grade introduction to dystopian fiction. Yes, horses are a motivator in the plot, but this book has the potential to appeal to a much wider range of readers than I expected. It's got a solid dose of adventure, mystery, and cleverness, while still introducing readers to dystopian themes.
August 20, 2019
Twelve-year-old Serendipity Goudge lives in the walled city of Lahn Dan (once called London). Spurred on by her mother's death and her love of horses, she sets out on a journey to find the horses with a boy called Tab and his dog Mouse. They're pursued by the Minister (the reigning tyrant of the walled city), the evil Chief of Police and his men. It's a story of journeys, secrets, danger and triumph.
I can safely say that from the ages of 8-14, I would have loved this book. At 25, I realize that I am definitely not in the appropriate age group, so it feels a little unfair to be as underwhelmed as I am. But I believe that a good book should be able to be read by anyone at any age. Lois Lowry's The Giver, for example, is aimed at middle schoolers and young adults, but anyone can pick it up and enjoy it. That's not the case for this book.
A Whisper of Horses is like if you took a little bit of The Hunger Games (dystopian hierarchal society), mixed it with a little bit of The Giver, added some Land of Elyon Chronicles (young girl escapes walled city and is helped along the way by a colorful cast of characters), blended all those elements together and watered it down. It felt like a not-as-good version of a story I'd read before.
The first 200 pages were pretty mediocre, sometimes downright annoying. The words sprinkled throughout the book ("amazerish", for example) started getting under my skin. (Yes, I understand how language changes, especially in an almost illiterate society like this one, but sometimes it bordered on babyish. But that's just me.) Serendipity felt like an almost blank slate. All we really know about her is that her mom died and she's obsessed with horses. Every moment of strength or bravery or emotion felt oddly flat. Her relationship with Tab was really sweet (honestly, this book picked up a little in the first 200 pages when it was just the two of them and Mouse traveling), but her relationship with Professor Nimbus was completely lifeless.
Speaking of Nimbus, here is every wise old man character, but with no heart whatsoever. There's a reason this archetype has endured over the years, but you have to do it well. (Examples: Gandalf, Saruman, Dumbledore, Warvold from the Elyon Chronicles, Shamud from the Earth's Children series, etc.) Nimbus never felt real to me.
Mordecai, the Chief of Police, was the most cartoonish villain ever. He reminded me of a villain from Scooby-Doo and I couldn't quite take him seriously, even though I know he would have scared me senseless at 11.
The character of Lili Wessex, however, felt very real. She reminded me of Molly Weasley. She appears on page 200 and stays for 30 pages. She is every nurturing figure ever and it worked. I loved how she taught Serendipity to read. It was my favorite part of the whole book.
The last 4 pages were also excellent. It was actually moving, and I felt like I learned more about Serendipity and her mother in those 4 pages than I did for the entire book. It was beautiful.
As a kid, I would have eaten this up, and I can say without a doubt that this would be a good book to read to your kid at bedtime, if you're a parent. But as a well-read adult, most of this book just misses the mark for me.
I can safely say that from the ages of 8-14, I would have loved this book. At 25, I realize that I am definitely not in the appropriate age group, so it feels a little unfair to be as underwhelmed as I am. But I believe that a good book should be able to be read by anyone at any age. Lois Lowry's The Giver, for example, is aimed at middle schoolers and young adults, but anyone can pick it up and enjoy it. That's not the case for this book.
A Whisper of Horses is like if you took a little bit of The Hunger Games (dystopian hierarchal society), mixed it with a little bit of The Giver, added some Land of Elyon Chronicles (young girl escapes walled city and is helped along the way by a colorful cast of characters), blended all those elements together and watered it down. It felt like a not-as-good version of a story I'd read before.
The first 200 pages were pretty mediocre, sometimes downright annoying. The words sprinkled throughout the book ("amazerish", for example) started getting under my skin. (Yes, I understand how language changes, especially in an almost illiterate society like this one, but sometimes it bordered on babyish. But that's just me.) Serendipity felt like an almost blank slate. All we really know about her is that her mom died and she's obsessed with horses. Every moment of strength or bravery or emotion felt oddly flat. Her relationship with Tab was really sweet (honestly, this book picked up a little in the first 200 pages when it was just the two of them and Mouse traveling), but her relationship with Professor Nimbus was completely lifeless.
Speaking of Nimbus, here is every wise old man character, but with no heart whatsoever. There's a reason this archetype has endured over the years, but you have to do it well. (Examples: Gandalf, Saruman, Dumbledore, Warvold from the Elyon Chronicles, Shamud from the Earth's Children series, etc.) Nimbus never felt real to me.
Mordecai, the Chief of Police, was the most cartoonish villain ever. He reminded me of a villain from Scooby-Doo and I couldn't quite take him seriously, even though I know he would have scared me senseless at 11.
The character of Lili Wessex, however, felt very real. She reminded me of Molly Weasley. She appears on page 200 and stays for 30 pages. She is every nurturing figure ever and it worked. I loved how she taught Serendipity to read. It was my favorite part of the whole book.
The last 4 pages were also excellent. It was actually moving, and I felt like I learned more about Serendipity and her mother in those 4 pages than I did for the entire book. It was beautiful.
As a kid, I would have eaten this up, and I can say without a doubt that this would be a good book to read to your kid at bedtime, if you're a parent. But as a well-read adult, most of this book just misses the mark for me.
December 7, 2018
In the end I found this book to be an excellent read. When it started off I was lukewarm. I would read a little then come back the next day and have to reread the previous chapter to get my bearings. It wasn't sticking. Then about 50 pages in, it started to take a turn for the better. I continued on and finally I couldn't put it down and finished about 180 pages in one sitting.
I would recommend this book for 10-13 year olds. It's a good introduction to the dystopian genre which has a huge market in teen/YA books. The title and book cover makes this seem like a horse story. It absolutely is not. The horse thread is actually only background music for the real story.
The story is set in future London after an environmental event called "The Gases" occurs. We don't really learn the specifics of this event, but eventually find out that humans stopped caring about everything in their world except their handheld technology devices. While they sat there on social media, the world fell apart. Now London is ruled by an authoritarian regime that has built a wall around the city. They don't allow anyone to leave and tell lies in order to scare the people into compliance. They have separated society into the haves and have-nots. Society is cold and unkind.
Protagonist Serendipity has wondered about some things. She has admired the statues of kings on horses that still remain from old London. Everyone says that all the horses died out after the Gases, but she wonders. Soon after her mother dies she discovers a map that indicates horses may still exist in the world outside of London. Rather than risk immediate deportment to an orphanage, she decides to risk it all and flee across the wall. Aided, by Tad, a smuggler, she makes it across, but the Ministry government is right on her heels. Together she and Tad head west in search of the horses. Along the way she meets kind people, living vastly different lives from hers. She soon learns about the lies of the Ministry, but also learns that there is a reason for hope. More than a book about horses, it is a book about a journey of self-discovery. Learning about the consequences of human error and realizing that the only prescription for true happiness is kindness.
I would recommend this book for 10-13 year olds. It's a good introduction to the dystopian genre which has a huge market in teen/YA books. The title and book cover makes this seem like a horse story. It absolutely is not. The horse thread is actually only background music for the real story.
The story is set in future London after an environmental event called "The Gases" occurs. We don't really learn the specifics of this event, but eventually find out that humans stopped caring about everything in their world except their handheld technology devices. While they sat there on social media, the world fell apart. Now London is ruled by an authoritarian regime that has built a wall around the city. They don't allow anyone to leave and tell lies in order to scare the people into compliance. They have separated society into the haves and have-nots. Society is cold and unkind.
Protagonist Serendipity has wondered about some things. She has admired the statues of kings on horses that still remain from old London. Everyone says that all the horses died out after the Gases, but she wonders. Soon after her mother dies she discovers a map that indicates horses may still exist in the world outside of London. Rather than risk immediate deportment to an orphanage, she decides to risk it all and flee across the wall. Aided, by Tad, a smuggler, she makes it across, but the Ministry government is right on her heels. Together she and Tad head west in search of the horses. Along the way she meets kind people, living vastly different lives from hers. She soon learns about the lies of the Ministry, but also learns that there is a reason for hope. More than a book about horses, it is a book about a journey of self-discovery. Learning about the consequences of human error and realizing that the only prescription for true happiness is kindness.
March 13, 2022
Big Brother inside the Emm Twenty-five
Zillah Bethell writes of a future, dystopian, yet scarily familiar. A beautifully written novel set initially with the walled confines of Lahn Dan, ringed by a barrier encircling the capital of Grey Britan, where the Emm Twenty-five once roared with a teeming population.
Yet life for Serendipity, who has recently lost her mother and has no family, is one of dull drudgery and fear. Controlled by The Minister and his Big Brother-esque edicts. A world where people are born into working, middle and elite class with consequences swift and severe for those who transgress or dissent to the control exercised over them.
A world changed by an apocalyptic catastrophe, The Gases, that wiped life as we know it almost to extinction and for the survivors reset humanity to zero.
Serendipity discovers a map her mother left her, setting off to try to escape from Lahn Dan and travel west to where she believes horses still roam.
I loved A Whisper of Horses. Zillah Bethell creates wonderful characters, heartfelt and believable, developing deep and meaningful relationships between the characters themselves and you as the reader. You are quickly drawn into her narrative, buoyed along by the events and the twists.
I enjoyed the echoes of Orwellian dystopia, a world controlled by a power hungry elite that fear change and the truth. I also enjoyed the journey west through landscapes and places both familiar, yet detached by the pervasive changes The Gases had effected.
But at its heart is a story of compassion and belonging, and of a hope for the world to avoid being drawn into such a nightmarish scenario.
We all need to unshackle ourselves and set out on our own journeys, to chase dreams and freedom. If you follow Serendipity, it may lead you to horses, but first you'll have to take the decision to leave.
Highly recommended.
Zillah Bethell writes of a future, dystopian, yet scarily familiar. A beautifully written novel set initially with the walled confines of Lahn Dan, ringed by a barrier encircling the capital of Grey Britan, where the Emm Twenty-five once roared with a teeming population.
Yet life for Serendipity, who has recently lost her mother and has no family, is one of dull drudgery and fear. Controlled by The Minister and his Big Brother-esque edicts. A world where people are born into working, middle and elite class with consequences swift and severe for those who transgress or dissent to the control exercised over them.
A world changed by an apocalyptic catastrophe, The Gases, that wiped life as we know it almost to extinction and for the survivors reset humanity to zero.
Serendipity discovers a map her mother left her, setting off to try to escape from Lahn Dan and travel west to where she believes horses still roam.
I loved A Whisper of Horses. Zillah Bethell creates wonderful characters, heartfelt and believable, developing deep and meaningful relationships between the characters themselves and you as the reader. You are quickly drawn into her narrative, buoyed along by the events and the twists.
I enjoyed the echoes of Orwellian dystopia, a world controlled by a power hungry elite that fear change and the truth. I also enjoyed the journey west through landscapes and places both familiar, yet detached by the pervasive changes The Gases had effected.
But at its heart is a story of compassion and belonging, and of a hope for the world to avoid being drawn into such a nightmarish scenario.
We all need to unshackle ourselves and set out on our own journeys, to chase dreams and freedom. If you follow Serendipity, it may lead you to horses, but first you'll have to take the decision to leave.
Highly recommended.
July 1, 2017
After the death of her mother, Serendipity Goudge(Seren, for short) leaves her walled city in search of the horses her mother had always described. With the aid of a map and an orphaned boy named Tab and his dog Mouse, she encounters friends and foes on her journey, Serendipity never gives up even while she moves further and further from anything that is familiar to her. She encounters many naysayers who doubt the point of her quest since no one has seen horses in a long time, and she keeps journeying further and further. Not only will readers find the setting interesting--a very different London in the future--but they will fall in love with many of the characters while shuddering at the relentlessness of Mordecai, the man hired by the Minister to bring Serendipity back to the city. Many parts of the story made my heart race as I worried about whether the protagonist would be able to outwit her pursuers, but I also felt terribly sad to consider that the world described here might be in our future. The author doesn't give a clear explanation of what exactly went wrong in the world to bring London and its inhabitants to this point, but clearly, this is not a world in which it's easy to survive. I enjoyed the details about this future world provided by the author even while not particularly liking the story's conclusion. Everything else left me charmed and curious so I suppose I just wanted more of the story and its characters. Honestly, there were some aspects of the book that brought to mind the classic story, The Wizard of Oz. This is a fine debut from an author who lives in Wales, where part of the book is set.
March 17, 2018
Bethell, Zillah A Whisper of Horses 339 pages. Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan), 2016. $16.99. Language G; Mature Content: G, Violence: G.
It’s a hundred years in the future and an event known as The Gases has left the world in turmoil. London is governed by The Ministry who keeps society separated into strict classes. A guarded wall surrounds the city and no one is allowed through. Serendipity is a member of the lowest ranking class. Her mother has just died and there’s a chance that she will be placed in a miserable orphanage. All her life she has wondered about the horse statues that remain from Old London. Everyone says the real horses died out after The Gases, but her mother left a map behind that suggests otherwise. Rather than remain in London, she decides to risk everything to go in search of the horses. First she must make it across the wall.
Don’t be fooled by the title and book cover. This is a classic dystopian science-fiction book set in the future. It’s not your typical realistic fiction horse story. Given that it has a dystopian theme, it is a dark read, but the young protagonist is positive and selfless. Her journey to find the horses becomes a journey to understand humanity and what led to society’s downfall. In general, the book is full of moral lessons. Towards the end, the book takes a direct hit at the negative side of social media. A well-written story and excellent introduction to the dystopian genre for the upper elementary and middle school crowd.
EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Valerie McEnroe, Media Specialist
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
It’s a hundred years in the future and an event known as The Gases has left the world in turmoil. London is governed by The Ministry who keeps society separated into strict classes. A guarded wall surrounds the city and no one is allowed through. Serendipity is a member of the lowest ranking class. Her mother has just died and there’s a chance that she will be placed in a miserable orphanage. All her life she has wondered about the horse statues that remain from Old London. Everyone says the real horses died out after The Gases, but her mother left a map behind that suggests otherwise. Rather than remain in London, she decides to risk everything to go in search of the horses. First she must make it across the wall.
Don’t be fooled by the title and book cover. This is a classic dystopian science-fiction book set in the future. It’s not your typical realistic fiction horse story. Given that it has a dystopian theme, it is a dark read, but the young protagonist is positive and selfless. Her journey to find the horses becomes a journey to understand humanity and what led to society’s downfall. In general, the book is full of moral lessons. Towards the end, the book takes a direct hit at the negative side of social media. A well-written story and excellent introduction to the dystopian genre for the upper elementary and middle school crowd.
EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Valerie McEnroe, Media Specialist
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
June 2, 2017
I read this book with my 9 year old daughter. It is an enjoyable read that kept us wanting to get to the next chapter. It is set in a dystopian future after gases were released that killed many humans and animals, and turned the sky violet and the grasses brown. London is now Lahn Dahn and its a walled-in city. Anyone leaving Lahn Dahn is arrested for treason. Serendipity is the main character and circumstances lead her on a search for horses (which most believe were all killed by the gases). Serendipity's quest is one of bravery and determination. As a parent, I appreciated the lessons learned throughout the book, such as that you can't always trust what someone tells you, what it is like to live in a caste system, and what it means to be a good friend. It also touches on dealing with loss, making the right choice (even if that choice may be bad for you), and finding closure. There are a few quirky laugh out loud conversations in the book, as well as heart touching moments that may bring a tear or two. There are a few scary elements as the police in Lahn Dahn continue to try and capture Serendipity and return her to the city with the order to kill the young boy who is her traveling companion. This book's value is not just in finding whether or not horses still exist, but the courage it takes to set out on the journey to find what your heart longs for and the lessons you learn from the experiences along the way. Disclaimer: my daughter and I are both horse lovers. 4 mommy thumb- up stars.
March 19, 2021
This is the best JFic I've read in a while! I'm usually not keen on science fiction because most often there's an element of fear found in the realization, in reading of the situation, "that could maybe happen."
A Whisper of Horses is set about 200 years in the future in a dystopian London, brought to ruin by "the Gases." Something occurred in the past that brought about an environmental catastrophe and resulted in moving the society into a communist regime ruled by an oligarchy. Serendipity and her mother were members of the lowest caste of three with the leader of the upper cast being ruled by "The Minister."
Serendipity knows nothing of her father, and her mother has just died. She's taken in by the Professor, a storyteller whose job it is to keep alive memories of the past. (Sound a tiny bit like Lowry's The Giver?) Serendipity loves the pictures and statues of horses that she sees everywhere and longs to go on a quest to see if it's true that they still exist in Wales.
She is forbidden to leave the city, however. If she tries to escape and is captured she'll be put to death. Can she make it outside the wall that surrounds the city? Help comes in the form of the Professor, a young smuggler, and the people she finds beyond the wall.
It was fun to read of the many British cultural and geographic landmarks whose description is woven into the story.
The good guys are very good indeed, and the bad guys get their comeuppance. A very satisfying read.
A Whisper of Horses is set about 200 years in the future in a dystopian London, brought to ruin by "the Gases." Something occurred in the past that brought about an environmental catastrophe and resulted in moving the society into a communist regime ruled by an oligarchy. Serendipity and her mother were members of the lowest caste of three with the leader of the upper cast being ruled by "The Minister."
Serendipity knows nothing of her father, and her mother has just died. She's taken in by the Professor, a storyteller whose job it is to keep alive memories of the past. (Sound a tiny bit like Lowry's The Giver?) Serendipity loves the pictures and statues of horses that she sees everywhere and longs to go on a quest to see if it's true that they still exist in Wales.
She is forbidden to leave the city, however. If she tries to escape and is captured she'll be put to death. Can she make it outside the wall that surrounds the city? Help comes in the form of the Professor, a young smuggler, and the people she finds beyond the wall.
It was fun to read of the many British cultural and geographic landmarks whose description is woven into the story.
The good guys are very good indeed, and the bad guys get their comeuppance. A very satisfying read.
April 17, 2022
I’d give this book 3.5 stars out of 5. When my Childhood Lit professor tasked us with reading a dystopian book for younger readers, it was actually somewhat challenging to find something that wasn’t YA or Adult. However, this was a pretty good one. The concept was simple and the storyline/language would generally be easy for a young reader to follow. There was also allusions to violence, but only one somewhat graphic moment. However, since I am personally a huge fan of dystopian literature, it was hard not to notice some of the flaws. To begin, although the protagonist has a very clear purpose/vision of finding horses, the reasoning behind searching for them was unclear (other than for the personal reasons of the connection to her mother). Even if she couldn’t figure it out, one of the numerous adults she encountered on her journey (and specifically The Professor) might have helped give her goal more substance. Additionally, the dystopian society in the background was not fully developed and left a lot of questions unanswered (example: The Gases). Finally, since the setting is dystopian England, a lot of kids may not understand the references. Overall, a solid dystopian text for younger readers.
December 18, 2022
Serendipity's dead mother leaves her with an impossible task - "get outside" of Lahn Dan, the city where they live. When Serendipity finds a way to possibly escape, she and her friend, the Professor, are captured, along with a boy named Tab and his whiskery terrier dog, Mouse. Tab, being a smuggler, lives on the other side of the wall around Lahn Dan and winds up taking Serendipity there.
But Serendipity isn't just escaping, she's on a quest to find horses, which are believed to be killed by the Gases that wiped out many people and animals all over the world. If she can find horses, maybe they can be used to help the people of Lahn Dan.
Now though, she and Tab are being hunted by Mordecai, a man who's the Minister's right hand man, and he's willing to do whatever he must to bring Serendipity back to Lahn Dan, even including killing Tab. So the travelers need to find some friends - and the horses - as soon as they can.
An interesting middle-grade book.
But Serendipity isn't just escaping, she's on a quest to find horses, which are believed to be killed by the Gases that wiped out many people and animals all over the world. If she can find horses, maybe they can be used to help the people of Lahn Dan.
Now though, she and Tab are being hunted by Mordecai, a man who's the Minister's right hand man, and he's willing to do whatever he must to bring Serendipity back to Lahn Dan, even including killing Tab. So the travelers need to find some friends - and the horses - as soon as they can.
An interesting middle-grade book.
July 17, 2023
Dystopian adventure genre with very clever societal names and places. There are positive lessons learned (friendship, loyalty, integrity, perseverance, and diligence) and thought provoking topics (societal class systems and abuse of power).
Probably best for 12+ depending on sensitivities to violence and loss (described below). There are no agenda issues in the book.
> Chapter 1: Serendipity’s mom dies early in the story and her death is descriptively written with dramatic hacking last breaths.
> Chapter 22: a car that blows up with someone in it (but he’s rescued)
> Chapter 33: one of the villains has captured one of the main character children and a gun is pointed to his head.
> Chapter 35 Years Later: The Professor dies of old age which leaves the end of the book with a bit of a sad tone.
There are additional intense scenes, but these stand out as being some of the possible problematic ones.
Probably best for 12+ depending on sensitivities to violence and loss (described below). There are no agenda issues in the book.
> Chapter 1: Serendipity’s mom dies early in the story and her death is descriptively written with dramatic hacking last breaths.
> Chapter 22: a car that blows up with someone in it (but he’s rescued)
> Chapter 33: one of the villains has captured one of the main character children and a gun is pointed to his head.
> Chapter 35 Years Later: The Professor dies of old age which leaves the end of the book with a bit of a sad tone.
There are additional intense scenes, but these stand out as being some of the possible problematic ones.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2018
Serendipity Goudge is a 12 year-old girl who, when we first meet her, lives alone with her mother in a place you will realise is London. But this is not a London of today, it is Lahn Dan, a bleak and broken city that has been devastated by 'the Gases' (climate change), where society is strictly stratified, children are mere workers and which is practically a police state. This is not a place anyone would want to live in. Serendipity's mother dies, leaving her almost no possessions apart from a locket inside which a tiny map has been secreted. The map suggests that somewhere beyond the heavily fortified boundaries of Lahn Dan, beyond which the residents dare not tread, lies the land of Whales, where horses may still live. Serendipity is fascinated by horses, now mythical creatures which everyone has heard of but no-one has seen. When Serendipity's status as an orphan means that her freedom is threatened she decides to try and leave the city in search of the horses she can only dream about. On the way she meets Tab, also an orphan who lives with Smugglers just outside Lahn Dan. Tab decides to accompany Serendipity, believing that it may offer him the chance of a better life too. The two set out on a long and dangerous journey, but they are chased by the authorities who seem very keen to capture Serendipity. Why?
Whilst the setting is bleak, this is a story about hope, about the power of love and friendship and about striving to fulfil your dreams. It's a wonderful book, perfect for 9-12 year olds.
Whilst the setting is bleak, this is a story about hope, about the power of love and friendship and about striving to fulfil your dreams. It's a wonderful book, perfect for 9-12 year olds.
May 24, 2021
I picked up this book at my local library because of the title, I love horses. So, naturally, the title and description appeal to me, I thought it'd be about horses.
I've seen other reviews that complain the characters didn't stand out, the story was bland, it wasn't what they thought it was, blah blah blah. And I don't think that was true because I think they were expecting it to be something it wasn't, and they were unwilling to adjust to it.
It's focus is on horses, but not in the way I was expecting. It's a simple story of adventure, of trying to find these creatures of beauty in a world where it seems like all beauty has been erased. Some people say the story is not memorable, I beg to differ. I remember it distinctly.
I've seen other reviews that complain the characters didn't stand out, the story was bland, it wasn't what they thought it was, blah blah blah. And I don't think that was true because I think they were expecting it to be something it wasn't, and they were unwilling to adjust to it.
It's focus is on horses, but not in the way I was expecting. It's a simple story of adventure, of trying to find these creatures of beauty in a world where it seems like all beauty has been erased. Some people say the story is not memorable, I beg to differ. I remember it distinctly.
February 13, 2025
This book is about a girl named Serendipity who has just lost her mother and lives in London. After losing her mother Serendipity starts to notice horses a bit more.When searching through her mother's things Serendipity finds a map that leads to the last horses on earth. Unfortunately the people of London are not allowed to leave and will be persecuted if they do. Serendipity is determined to leave the walled city and find the Horses in Wales but the journey will be hard and she is being hunted down.
Definitely a science fiction if you ask me and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes City of Ember.
Definitely a science fiction if you ask me and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes City of Ember.
November 17, 2019
Read aloud bedtime book. Enjoyable, well written future fantasy set in England and Wales. We follow Serendipity on a journey, both literal and emotional as she mourns the loss of her mother and sets off on adventure-filled travels across the country from London to Pembrokeshire along with Tab the boy and Mouse the dog. The writing is well paced with plot and action in every chapter. The ending is satisfying with justice served to a particularly evil villain.
February 8, 2024
Not the most engaging story or characters. Pretty bland and forgettable. There was a lack of world building, and the whole setup didn't make sense. The priority of the horses for the main character just felt odd and ridiculous given the things happening. There also just wasn't much character building or things actively happening.
October 1, 2017
An easy read, a beginning, a middle and a definite end with all ends tied up. In some ways it reminded me of Megan Spooner's Skylark. A young girl on a quest aided by a young boy and the dangers they face both on the road and being chased by police from the city they fled.
July 5, 2018
Zillah Bethell takes us to the future distopia land of Lahn Dan and beyond in search of horses from long ago, long before the Gases. Not my regular type of read, Zillah Bethell wrote a beautiful story of grief, friendship, bravery and adventure.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews