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The Dark Horse
The disappearance of a majestic Thoroughbred unites a community in 1930s India in "one of the greatest horse books ever written. . . . Moving, and highly original" (Lauren St. John, author of The White Giraffe).
In Calcutta, India, John Quillan cares for racehorses belonging to wealthy owners, and Mother Morag, who lives just down the road and leads a group of nuns working with Calcutta's poor, loves to watch these beautiful animals in action. Now, a new Thoroughbred, Dark Invader, has been shipped from England, rejected after a losing season, in which he didn't live up to his owner's expectations.
A beautiful creature with rippling muscles and satin skin, Dark Invader is gently handled with love in his new home, and before long, he is poised for victory in the Viceroy Cup, the country's most famous race. But just days before the event, he disappears--and a desperate effort to find him begins.
From Rumer Godden--the award-winning author of such classics as The Greengage Summer and Black Narcissus, as well as a number of beloved children's books--The Dark Horse is a moving and suspenseful story set in a fascinating historical era.
In Calcutta, India, John Quillan cares for racehorses belonging to wealthy owners, and Mother Morag, who lives just down the road and leads a group of nuns working with Calcutta's poor, loves to watch these beautiful animals in action. Now, a new Thoroughbred, Dark Invader, has been shipped from England, rejected after a losing season, in which he didn't live up to his owner's expectations.
A beautiful creature with rippling muscles and satin skin, Dark Invader is gently handled with love in his new home, and before long, he is poised for victory in the Viceroy Cup, the country's most famous race. But just days before the event, he disappears--and a desperate effort to find him begins.
From Rumer Godden--the award-winning author of such classics as The Greengage Summer and Black Narcissus, as well as a number of beloved children's books--The Dark Horse is a moving and suspenseful story set in a fascinating historical era.
205 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1981
62 people are currently reading
299 people want to read
About the author
Rumer Godden
154 books556 followersMargaret Rumer Godden was an English author of more than 60 fiction and non-fiction books. Nine of her works have been made into films, most notably Black Narcissus in 1947 and The River in 1951.
A few of her works were co-written with her elder sister, novelist Jon Godden, including Two Under the Indian Sun, a memoir of the Goddens' childhood in a region of India now part of Bangladesh.
A few of her works were co-written with her elder sister, novelist Jon Godden, including Two Under the Indian Sun, a memoir of the Goddens' childhood in a region of India now part of Bangladesh.
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June 3, 2024
Dark Invader was a racehorse who was shipped from England to Calcutta, India, in the early 1930s. Mr Leventine, his new owner, arranged for his groom, Ted Mullins, to travel with him. John Quillan, a former cavalry officer, was to be his trainer. The three men were outsiders in various ways, but they came together to race Dark Invader.
The Sisters of Poverty had a convent close to the racetrack where they cared for destitute elderly and disabled people. Every night the sisters made the rounds of restaurants that would give them leftover food. Their aging horse pulled a large cart of food back to the convent where it would be used for meals for the poor. When their horse dies, the sisters pray for another horse--or the funds to buy one. Mother Morag finds a way with the help of Dark Invader.
The book is atmospheric showing the slums of Calcutta to the posh parties of the rich. There was strong prejudice in the Indian caste system, and the English social class divisions. The work of the grooms, trainers, and jockeys was interesting. Mother Morag and her sisters had both disturbing and humorous scenes, especially when the good Mother uses devious methods to obtain funds to do God's work.
The Dark Horse was originally published as an adult book, but was republished as a crossover book for YA readers. The first few chapters have some unfamiliar Indian words, but once you know them, the rest of the book is a relaxing read. The author combined her knowledge of India, nuns, and horses into an engrossing story. It was a heartwarming book with a good sense of place.
The Sisters of Poverty had a convent close to the racetrack where they cared for destitute elderly and disabled people. Every night the sisters made the rounds of restaurants that would give them leftover food. Their aging horse pulled a large cart of food back to the convent where it would be used for meals for the poor. When their horse dies, the sisters pray for another horse--or the funds to buy one. Mother Morag finds a way with the help of Dark Invader.
The book is atmospheric showing the slums of Calcutta to the posh parties of the rich. There was strong prejudice in the Indian caste system, and the English social class divisions. The work of the grooms, trainers, and jockeys was interesting. Mother Morag and her sisters had both disturbing and humorous scenes, especially when the good Mother uses devious methods to obtain funds to do God's work.
The Dark Horse was originally published as an adult book, but was republished as a crossover book for YA readers. The first few chapters have some unfamiliar Indian words, but once you know them, the rest of the book is a relaxing read. The author combined her knowledge of India, nuns, and horses into an engrossing story. It was a heartwarming book with a good sense of place.
August 11, 2016
I finished this last night and have been wondering how to talk about it with sounding too gushy. Rumer Godden's writing does that to me every time. I have read many of her books, from Black Narcissus to Kingfishers Catch Fire. She is an author I always watch for at used book sales so when I saw The Dark Horse at my favorite online used bookseller, I grabbed it so fast I should have been awarded the Viceroy's Cup.
You know from the title that this is a story about a horse, but of course there are people around the horse, and ultimately this book is mainly about how Dark Invader touched their lives and changed one corner of the world. The groom who travels with him to Calcutta, the new owner, the new trainer and his wild but wonderful pack of children, the nun in charge of the convent/old folk's home next to Dark Invader's new digs. They all experience something very nearly magical after this amazing horse arrives in town.
This is a feel-good book for anyone, not just horse lovers. India is brought to vivid life with honesty and respect. The people become your friends, the horse your hero. And according to the author, the events in this 1981 book actually happened.
Author's Note: "This story is taken from an event that happened in Calcutta some fifty years ago and has become a legend in Calcutta's racing circles. It has been published several times in different versions with a variety of characters, but always as an anecdote among other anecdotes. It is documented in the official history of The Royal Calcutta Turf Club, but I have called the Sisters concerned The Sisters of Poverty, because the real Order in the story prefers to remain hidden."
Godden also makes a sort of dedication here: "This novel is based on a version by Sir Owain Jenkins and aided and abetted by him."
Right, so of course I was curious the entire time about which real-life horse might have been turned into Dark Invader. I am not a wizard at internet searching, but I did find Owain Jenkins (quite the character!) and this super list of all winners of the Viceroy's Cup from the first time the race was run to the present. http://www.tbheritage.com/TurfHallmar...
My guess is that Dark Invader might have been . But in her epilogue, Godden threw me with a conversation between three of the characters that takes place two years after the days of the final chapter.
Whoever The Dark Horse was in real life, his story is a clear winner.
You know from the title that this is a story about a horse, but of course there are people around the horse, and ultimately this book is mainly about how Dark Invader touched their lives and changed one corner of the world. The groom who travels with him to Calcutta, the new owner, the new trainer and his wild but wonderful pack of children, the nun in charge of the convent/old folk's home next to Dark Invader's new digs. They all experience something very nearly magical after this amazing horse arrives in town.
This is a feel-good book for anyone, not just horse lovers. India is brought to vivid life with honesty and respect. The people become your friends, the horse your hero. And according to the author, the events in this 1981 book actually happened.
Author's Note: "This story is taken from an event that happened in Calcutta some fifty years ago and has become a legend in Calcutta's racing circles. It has been published several times in different versions with a variety of characters, but always as an anecdote among other anecdotes. It is documented in the official history of The Royal Calcutta Turf Club, but I have called the Sisters concerned The Sisters of Poverty, because the real Order in the story prefers to remain hidden."
Godden also makes a sort of dedication here: "This novel is based on a version by Sir Owain Jenkins and aided and abetted by him."
Right, so of course I was curious the entire time about which real-life horse might have been turned into Dark Invader. I am not a wizard at internet searching, but I did find Owain Jenkins (quite the character!) and this super list of all winners of the Viceroy's Cup from the first time the race was run to the present. http://www.tbheritage.com/TurfHallmar...
My guess is that Dark Invader might have been . But in her epilogue, Godden threw me with a conversation between three of the characters that takes place two years after the days of the final chapter.
Whoever The Dark Horse was in real life, his story is a clear winner.
June 6, 2024
3.5 stars, rounded up.
Do you believe in miracles? In answered prayer? Have you ever felt an accident or a twist of fate was God speaking to you or working for you? I have. So this book appealed to me, because everyone between the pages is working for God, whether he wants to or not.
The Dark Horse is actually a story about a race horse, Dark Invader. He is treated badly by a jockey and, as a result, loses his will to run to win in a race. Because of this, he is bought at a discount by a rich Indian and shipped from England to Calcutta and the stables of John Quillan. His groom, Ted Mullins, goes with him. Ted is a wonderfully drawn character, whose life is changed by his association with Dark Invader, but his is not the only life touched.
Near the race track is a convent where the Sisters of Poverty attempt to care for the old and homeless. To feed them, they make a rounds at night of all the restaurants, collecting the leftover food from the day’s business. They have one very old cart and one very old horse to make the collections in, and they pray for a miracle that comes in the guise of Dark Invader.
Godden’s characters are both interesting and well defined, but for me it is the atmosphere she creates in her depictions of India and its class structure that make this book captivating. She also obviously knows a lot about horse racing stables and the differences between racing in England and racing in Calcutta.
I have now read a good smattering of Godden’s work, and have found each book very different from its fellows. Although she is trying to accomplish something entirely different with this novel, I must admit that Kingfishers Catch Fire gave me an even better sense of India and the complexities of class structure than The Dark Horse did and In This House of Brede is a much more complex look at life within a nunnery.
Do you believe in miracles? In answered prayer? Have you ever felt an accident or a twist of fate was God speaking to you or working for you? I have. So this book appealed to me, because everyone between the pages is working for God, whether he wants to or not.
The Dark Horse is actually a story about a race horse, Dark Invader. He is treated badly by a jockey and, as a result, loses his will to run to win in a race. Because of this, he is bought at a discount by a rich Indian and shipped from England to Calcutta and the stables of John Quillan. His groom, Ted Mullins, goes with him. Ted is a wonderfully drawn character, whose life is changed by his association with Dark Invader, but his is not the only life touched.
Near the race track is a convent where the Sisters of Poverty attempt to care for the old and homeless. To feed them, they make a rounds at night of all the restaurants, collecting the leftover food from the day’s business. They have one very old cart and one very old horse to make the collections in, and they pray for a miracle that comes in the guise of Dark Invader.
Godden’s characters are both interesting and well defined, but for me it is the atmosphere she creates in her depictions of India and its class structure that make this book captivating. She also obviously knows a lot about horse racing stables and the differences between racing in England and racing in Calcutta.
I have now read a good smattering of Godden’s work, and have found each book very different from its fellows. Although she is trying to accomplish something entirely different with this novel, I must admit that Kingfishers Catch Fire gave me an even better sense of India and the complexities of class structure than The Dark Horse did and In This House of Brede is a much more complex look at life within a nunnery.
June 7, 2024
This is considered an adult novel, or YA, but it seemed more like a children’s book to me, and read that way, it’s lovely.
I grew up in the suburbs not knowing much about horses. I’ve only ridden one once when I was almost too young to remember, and my one experience with a racetrack was sneaking in with high school friends just to walk through. It seemed a scandalous place!
So I came to this story with an open mind. It tells of an intersection between rich and poor, between people and horses. It’s 1930’s Calcutta, and among the rich are the horse owners who can afford lavish homes and tables full of sumptuous food, while an order of nuns fittingly called The Sisters of Poverty go out in the cool of night to collect leftovers from restaurants to feed the poor of their city.
Godden created some marvelous characters. John Quillan, the Irish trainer; Dahlia, his mixed race wife; Leventine, the rich Indian owner; Mother Morag, the savvy Reverend Mother; Ted Mullins, the jockey turned stable boy with a tragic past; the title character himself--Dark Invader, the horse who refused to be mistreated.
The story is simple and sweet, but the view of time and place and culture made it a very enjoyable read.
“Pigeons picked grain from the grain shops, pai dogs nosed rubbish and everywhere was a hubbub of voices, creaking wheels, motor horns, shouting, vendors’ cries, mingling with a smell of sweat and urine, woodsmoke, acrid dung smoke and a pungent smell that later he was to learn came from cooking in hot mustard and oil and, now and again, a waft of heavy sweetness as a flowerseller passed, or from a garland of flowers hung on a door, or from a woman in a clean, softly flowing sari, with flowers round the knot of her hair.”
I grew up in the suburbs not knowing much about horses. I’ve only ridden one once when I was almost too young to remember, and my one experience with a racetrack was sneaking in with high school friends just to walk through. It seemed a scandalous place!
So I came to this story with an open mind. It tells of an intersection between rich and poor, between people and horses. It’s 1930’s Calcutta, and among the rich are the horse owners who can afford lavish homes and tables full of sumptuous food, while an order of nuns fittingly called The Sisters of Poverty go out in the cool of night to collect leftovers from restaurants to feed the poor of their city.
Godden created some marvelous characters. John Quillan, the Irish trainer; Dahlia, his mixed race wife; Leventine, the rich Indian owner; Mother Morag, the savvy Reverend Mother; Ted Mullins, the jockey turned stable boy with a tragic past; the title character himself--Dark Invader, the horse who refused to be mistreated.
The story is simple and sweet, but the view of time and place and culture made it a very enjoyable read.
“Pigeons picked grain from the grain shops, pai dogs nosed rubbish and everywhere was a hubbub of voices, creaking wheels, motor horns, shouting, vendors’ cries, mingling with a smell of sweat and urine, woodsmoke, acrid dung smoke and a pungent smell that later he was to learn came from cooking in hot mustard and oil and, now and again, a waft of heavy sweetness as a flowerseller passed, or from a garland of flowers hung on a door, or from a woman in a clean, softly flowing sari, with flowers round the knot of her hair.”
March 13, 2015
20th-century novelist Rumer Godden (1907-1998) was born in England but raised in British India (actually in the part that's today Bangladesh), and spent much of her life there. This short gem of a novel is set in Calcutta's high-stakes horse-racing milieu, ca. 1932, and fictionalizes what is said to be a real-life incident, imaginatively recreated here with the flair of a master writer. Godden brings to her tale something of the feel of Kipling, a touch of Dickens, a palpable love and feel for horses, and a style that's all her own. Around her four-legged title character (and he's a character as realized as the humans) a perfectly crafted plot entwines the lives of a cast of characters: a wealthy horse owner, a trainer and his unconventional family, an ex-jockey with a dubious reputation --and a convent of nuns. (How did they get in there? Well, you'll just have to read the book and find out!)
A writer in the Realist tradition (which doesn't mean she's without emotional sensibility, or an openness to a touch of the miraculous!), Godden brings the Calcutta of that day --its beauty, its exotic quality, its extremes of wealth and poverty, its teeming polyglot masses (Brits, Indians and Chinese; Christians, Hindus and Moslems; the high and the lowly-- to vivid life, with just the right amount of description and sensory appeal to allow readers who haven't been there to experience it. Her characterizations are wonderfully real; all of the important characters and many of the minor ones could practically walk off the page. A noticeable feature of her style is the frequent incorporation of flashback vignettes directly into the "real-time" narrative to illuminate and clarify it. This is never done in a confusing way, however; some readers would probably dislike the technique, but for me it enriched and fleshed out the narrative. She incorporates a wealth of solid, textured detail about horse raising and racing, Indian culture and conventual life seamlessly into her story, with no info dumps. As the story unfolds, you first come to care for all of the sympathetic characters, and then experience very real tension and suspense as those characters face their challenges.
Godden has a sharp eye for social injustice and hypocrisy, and she draws, among other things, a starkly ugly picture of the racism, sexism and lechery of many (happily not all) of the British and other privileged whites, a world where Indian and mixed-race women supposedly exist to be sexually used by entitled British males, but where marrying one for love means much of your race and class will disown you and forever ostracize your wife and kids. (The author isn't endorsing that, just holding it up to the light of day so we can see how really nauseous it was, and is.) But she's aware of life's wonderful possibilities as well as its injustices. A strong point of the book is the sympathetic treatment of the faith, and the lives of dedicated service, of Mother Morag and the nuns here, which brings a note of Divine grace into a world that's in need of it. (Godden was herself an adult convert to Roman Catholicism.)
My wife is an avid horse lover, and fond of any books that are horse-related; that attracted her to this one in a Reader's Digest condensed edition back in 1981, when we read it together. A foray into general fiction isn't my most characteristic reading choice nowadays, but I'm eager to identify books like this one where I've forgotten the author or title (the latter, in this case); so when I suspected that this was the correct title, I wanted to confirm it. I'm glad I did, and that I finally got to read the book in full, as it was intended to be. I found it a wonderfully satisfying and rewarding read; its appeal as general fiction goes beyond the narrow confines of horse-fiction fans. (I'm not one of the latter; but here the human element intertwining with the horse element is what makes the book succeed.) And I'd definitely be open to reading more by this author!
A writer in the Realist tradition (which doesn't mean she's without emotional sensibility, or an openness to a touch of the miraculous!), Godden brings the Calcutta of that day --its beauty, its exotic quality, its extremes of wealth and poverty, its teeming polyglot masses (Brits, Indians and Chinese; Christians, Hindus and Moslems; the high and the lowly-- to vivid life, with just the right amount of description and sensory appeal to allow readers who haven't been there to experience it. Her characterizations are wonderfully real; all of the important characters and many of the minor ones could practically walk off the page. A noticeable feature of her style is the frequent incorporation of flashback vignettes directly into the "real-time" narrative to illuminate and clarify it. This is never done in a confusing way, however; some readers would probably dislike the technique, but for me it enriched and fleshed out the narrative. She incorporates a wealth of solid, textured detail about horse raising and racing, Indian culture and conventual life seamlessly into her story, with no info dumps. As the story unfolds, you first come to care for all of the sympathetic characters, and then experience very real tension and suspense as those characters face their challenges.
Godden has a sharp eye for social injustice and hypocrisy, and she draws, among other things, a starkly ugly picture of the racism, sexism and lechery of many (happily not all) of the British and other privileged whites, a world where Indian and mixed-race women supposedly exist to be sexually used by entitled British males, but where marrying one for love means much of your race and class will disown you and forever ostracize your wife and kids. (The author isn't endorsing that, just holding it up to the light of day so we can see how really nauseous it was, and is.) But she's aware of life's wonderful possibilities as well as its injustices. A strong point of the book is the sympathetic treatment of the faith, and the lives of dedicated service, of Mother Morag and the nuns here, which brings a note of Divine grace into a world that's in need of it. (Godden was herself an adult convert to Roman Catholicism.)
My wife is an avid horse lover, and fond of any books that are horse-related; that attracted her to this one in a Reader's Digest condensed edition back in 1981, when we read it together. A foray into general fiction isn't my most characteristic reading choice nowadays, but I'm eager to identify books like this one where I've forgotten the author or title (the latter, in this case); so when I suspected that this was the correct title, I wanted to confirm it. I'm glad I did, and that I finally got to read the book in full, as it was intended to be. I found it a wonderfully satisfying and rewarding read; its appeal as general fiction goes beyond the narrow confines of horse-fiction fans. (I'm not one of the latter; but here the human element intertwining with the horse element is what makes the book succeed.) And I'd definitely be open to reading more by this author!
March 14, 2025
Rumer Godden’s novels are so well crafted. It’s a pleasure to read her on the level of craftsmanship and to enjoy being in the hands of a master storyteller. Her characters have a way of taking on lives of their own and living alongside me as I read. John Quillan, Ted Mullins, and Mother Morag are especially this way in this novel. I loved all three of them so much. They’re each distinct and surprising and endearing and when one of them has a fall from grace, I was heartbroken. I love Godden’s India too. She knows it so intimately and the details paint a vivid picture. We get to see India from Ted’s perspective too and his horror and fascination as an Englishman are quite interesting. There is a spiritual depth to the story too that I loved. One of the characters has significant growth and has to confront his ways of thinking because of his rather unexpected meetings with the Sisters of Poverty. There is Good Samaritan language in the story that works so well.
I had never heard of this Godden until I saw the new Virago cover. I’m so glad they’ve republished it because it is well worth a read.
I had never heard of this Godden until I saw the new Virago cover. I’m so glad they’ve republished it because it is well worth a read.
February 4, 2025
I love this book so much!
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Original review:
This charming book is like getting classic Rumer Godden storytelling in a condensed package. Although it might be condensed there is character, depth and atmosphere — you feel you know the people and you feel as if you've had a trip to India. There are also moments of light and inspiration. I really loved Mother Morag's horse-sense (literally) and her negotiation tactics at the end. Most of all I liked that main characters had complicated lives, even if we only saw some of the results of those complications. A minor classic that I just discovered.
======
Original review:
This charming book is like getting classic Rumer Godden storytelling in a condensed package. Although it might be condensed there is character, depth and atmosphere — you feel you know the people and you feel as if you've had a trip to India. There are also moments of light and inspiration. I really loved Mother Morag's horse-sense (literally) and her negotiation tactics at the end. Most of all I liked that main characters had complicated lives, even if we only saw some of the results of those complications. A minor classic that I just discovered.
June 7, 2024
This was a sweet tale about a racehorse, reminding me somewhat of Black Beauty. Definitely rated G for general audiences, you could read it aloud to 10 year olds, I think. I thought it dragged a bit in the beginning, but it picked up, and although there were no real surprises, it held my interest to end. Still, a good to read during the triple crown season. I love a good horse race.
November 9, 2025
Godden amazes me again--she can write well about animals as well as people young and old. I liked the characters in this one and the story arc. Another beautiful portrayal of a religious community, too. Since my USA home base is now Kentucky, I also enjoyed the inside view of horse racing (though this is set in India). A great story!
And many thanks to Elizabeth for the recommendation!
And many thanks to Elizabeth for the recommendation!
November 8, 2011
John Quillan, a disillusioned ex-British-Army officer, has a new addition to his Calcutta stables: Dark Invader, beautiful, powerful and fast, but with a checkered racing history. With Dark Invader comes Ted Mullins, his stable lad, banished from racing by an old scandal. Along with Darkie's owner, Mr. Leventine, the four are all "dark horses," their promise hidden and perhaps fatally flawed. But Mother Morag, superior of the Sisters of Poverty, is a dark horse in her own way. When the Sisters have to find a way to replace their own ancient horse, Mother Morag's compassion and shrewd understanding may find a way for her neighbors and their horse to get their second chance.
I love Rumer Godden. Can you believe my library is getting rid of all her books? Why, why why? Yes, I got to buy this gem for only a quarter, but really, I would be happier if the library kept making the book available to everyone. This is a lovely book - a true story, too - and Godden's delicious writing and clever insights make it the perfect bedtime reading.
I love Rumer Godden. Can you believe my library is getting rid of all her books? Why, why why? Yes, I got to buy this gem for only a quarter, but really, I would be happier if the library kept making the book available to everyone. This is a lovely book - a true story, too - and Godden's delicious writing and clever insights make it the perfect bedtime reading.
January 17, 2017
I ended up reading this book twice. At first, I didn't find it as impressive as some of her other books, and I think Rumer Godden is a beautiful writer. This seemed, to me, to be just a little out of focus after such gems as "In this House of Brede" and "An Episode of Sparrows". It seemed a little too much a told story. But-
Then I reread it. It's a subtle, rather quiet story of what must be to many a very strange world: upper-class Calcutta in the 1930s, and the men who trained racehorses there. In just a few words, characters appear, complex and fully alive. The most notable of these are Ted Mullins, a middle-aged English horseboy; John Quillan, an Anglo-Irish ex army officer; his charming wife Dahlia; Mother Morag of the convent down the street; and the young horse, Dark Invader himself. He is a big, powerful, lazy and kind-hearted beast, and he naturally wins many fans. But there is trauma in his past. Can he overcome it?
A very satisfying story that left me wanting to know more about all the characters, perhaps especially the horse. That's no bad thing!
Then I reread it. It's a subtle, rather quiet story of what must be to many a very strange world: upper-class Calcutta in the 1930s, and the men who trained racehorses there. In just a few words, characters appear, complex and fully alive. The most notable of these are Ted Mullins, a middle-aged English horseboy; John Quillan, an Anglo-Irish ex army officer; his charming wife Dahlia; Mother Morag of the convent down the street; and the young horse, Dark Invader himself. He is a big, powerful, lazy and kind-hearted beast, and he naturally wins many fans. But there is trauma in his past. Can he overcome it?
A very satisfying story that left me wanting to know more about all the characters, perhaps especially the horse. That's no bad thing!
September 13, 2023
The story's climax is built on randomness so much of the novel feels aimless. Who or what is the focus of the entire novel - the horse? The nuns? The stable boy? The rich people? The lack of clear focus makes the story feel meandering. Also, the colonial backdrop (and perhaps nostalgia) detracts somewhat from the coziness of the story.
February 24, 2025
4 1/2
August 21, 2010
You just have to love wily nuns and horse racing.
June 13, 2024
This is the story of an Irish-born horse named Dark Invader who is sold to the wealthy Mr. Leventine who takes him to his facility in Calcutta to train Dark Invader for racing. The story is about Leventine’s actions with the Invader’s handler, Ted Mullins, who accompanies Dark Invader to India, and trainer John Quillan as they deal with the locals, the authorities and other obstacles while trying to get the Invader ready for Viceroy Cup, India’s premier horse race. Included in the locals are the nuns at a local convent led by Mother Morag, where John Quillan’s family attends church and school. Nuns and India let the reader know that this is a Godden novel.
I enjoyed the story while reading the first portion of the book. The wide array of characters were well-developed as was the storyline. Then, at the book’s 2/3 mark, an event occurred that created some key dramatic tension. I found the actions of one of the aforementioned characters during the event to be irritating, which affected my ability to enjoy the storyline. Luckily, I managed to overcome that irritation and returned to the level of enjoyment I had maintained during the first 2/3 of the novel. As a result, I ended up satisfied with the rest of the tale. Overall, I rate this as a 4-star book.
My ratings and ranking of the Rumer Godden novels I have read so far.
RATING-------NOVEL-----------
1) 5 stars - China Court
2) 4 stars - A Fugue in Time
3) 4 stars - The Greengage Summer
3) 4 stars - In This House of Brede
5) 4 stars- The Dark Horse
6) 4 stars - Black Narcissus
7) 3 stars - Kingfishers Catch Fire
I enjoyed the story while reading the first portion of the book. The wide array of characters were well-developed as was the storyline. Then, at the book’s 2/3 mark, an event occurred that created some key dramatic tension. I found the actions of one of the aforementioned characters during the event to be irritating, which affected my ability to enjoy the storyline. Luckily, I managed to overcome that irritation and returned to the level of enjoyment I had maintained during the first 2/3 of the novel. As a result, I ended up satisfied with the rest of the tale. Overall, I rate this as a 4-star book.
My ratings and ranking of the Rumer Godden novels I have read so far.
RATING-------NOVEL-----------
1) 5 stars - China Court
2) 4 stars - A Fugue in Time
3) 4 stars - The Greengage Summer
3) 4 stars - In This House of Brede
5) 4 stars- The Dark Horse
6) 4 stars - Black Narcissus
7) 3 stars - Kingfishers Catch Fire
February 7, 2022
Really enjoyed this book! Happy I didn’t read the back cover, so I enjoyed the climax a bit more. Loved the character development of so many of the main players and some exposure to new time/place for me. The nuns were a beautiful part of the story!
May 18, 2024
Rumor Godden is an awesome writer. Her descriptions are so vivid, you can see and hear and smell India. And always interesting characters.
February 7, 2025
Absolutely loved this!
June 18, 2021
Godden writes so beautifully and my love of horses when I was a little girl was kindled once again while reading this. I couldn't put it down, it's just such a wonderful story. I intend to read ever so much more by Rumer Godden :)
January 6, 2024
Of all the Rumer Godden books I've read, this is the one I have liked the least. Not at all because of the characters or its focus on horse racing or placement in Calcutta either.
It's primarily because it has very little focus on a plot progression OR a tale per se. It's random events and a lot of situational telling. Telling, telling, telling.
Part of my problem with this is I fail to completely grasp the depth of beggary involved. The nuns are endlessly productive and kind and good to the core. Yet the system! Well, it is dated in too many numerous ways to list. Perhaps it was even 40 years ago when it was new. Most of this author's works are not, considering they are often 100 years in the past. Or nearly. Many are prime relationship emotional and core motive 5 star. This one I felt fell far short of that connection.
I'm sure I am outlier. I have immense trouble considering Mother Teresa a saint as well. Feeding people and enabling a constant needing position without much healing, doctors, or productive work/ activity to base a life? Good works indeed but often far from the best ones.
It's primarily because it has very little focus on a plot progression OR a tale per se. It's random events and a lot of situational telling. Telling, telling, telling.
Part of my problem with this is I fail to completely grasp the depth of beggary involved. The nuns are endlessly productive and kind and good to the core. Yet the system! Well, it is dated in too many numerous ways to list. Perhaps it was even 40 years ago when it was new. Most of this author's works are not, considering they are often 100 years in the past. Or nearly. Many are prime relationship emotional and core motive 5 star. This one I felt fell far short of that connection.
I'm sure I am outlier. I have immense trouble considering Mother Teresa a saint as well. Feeding people and enabling a constant needing position without much healing, doctors, or productive work/ activity to base a life? Good works indeed but often far from the best ones.
April 4, 2025
This is my first Rumer Godden and it's a nostalgic journey to the kind of novels I was weaned onto in the seventies (although Dark Horse's maiden run was in 1981). Old-school, humorous characterization meets a brisk plot and a winning love for horses that even non-horsey people will enjoy. We share the Darkie's suffering at the hands of his arrogant first jockey, his determination to get his teeth into as much bread and salt and sugarcane in this life as possible and his affection for those of his human friends that understand him. Pampered and spoilt individuals in the story get either a gentle ribbing or a come-uppance in keeping with their follies and the harmony of the moral universe is maintained. There are also interesting observations on the culture of Indian animal care from the dedicated grooming practices of the syces who work at the stables to the less benevolent husbandry of those who drive carts in Calcutta. No wonder Jacqueline Wilson rates Godden as one of her favourite childhood authors.
February 1, 2021
This is a great book. Set in India in the 1930s it's about horse racing and better than any Dick Francis ever wrote. It is not a mystery. It is a story about the ups and downs, trials, failures, and in the end an interesting success. It is also a story about redemption without being sanctimonious.
Ms. Godden colors her setting with all the smells and colors and lives of Calcutta, whether you like what you smell or see or not. This is India just before separation but there was no mention of the politics except what you might infer by watching the surroundings.
The English reaction of India is probably not much different than other foreign reactions to India: good and bad. But those reactions are not a fundamental feature of the story but add to a complex set of feelings by people who lived, worked, and died there. Well worth reading almost just for that.
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Ms. Godden colors her setting with all the smells and colors and lives of Calcutta, whether you like what you smell or see or not. This is India just before separation but there was no mention of the politics except what you might infer by watching the surroundings.
The English reaction of India is probably not much different than other foreign reactions to India: good and bad. But those reactions are not a fundamental feature of the story but add to a complex set of feelings by people who lived, worked, and died there. Well worth reading almost just for that.
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January 25, 2023
Story of a beautiful race horse "Dark Avenger", his rider, owner and trainer. When an up and coming race horse throws his rider and loses his races, he is sold and moved to Calcutta. His groomer soon becomes his rider due to their incredible bond. The horse becomes an overnight success and soon becomes the favored horse to win. The new "rider" has one bad evening after the trainer's daughter calls his deceased wife "ugly." That one night becomes a nightmare for all involved except for the local nuns who have just lost their aging horse and find a muscular horse in their yard. Their answer to a prayer. I found this part of the story the icing on the cake. Funny how things work out.
January 4, 2024
I haven't read a Rumer Godden book in years and I'm so grateful to have rediscovered her: this story set in 1930s Calcuttta swept me away. Dark Invader the racehorse won my heart instantly as did most of the characters-- it's a deeply spiritual book, where everyone seems to have a sense of call and a longing for love and meaningful work, where themes of prayer and sanctuary and redemption weave through with a light touch and humor abounds. The multicultural, multi-religious city with its classes and castes and prejudices, obscene wealth and appalling poverty, flowers and laughter and children, lives and breathes, and racing through this city, one incredible horse.... Apparently based on a true story, I'm so glad she brought it to life with these indelible characters.
June 17, 2017
I love Rumer Godden's writing, and I loved this book, too, though not as much as some of her others. She tells a cracking good story, and is so convincing in her descriptions that one could waste A LOT of time researching the true events on which the novel is based. At least I could, and did. Though I'm frustrated to say I don't think I've pinpointed the real horse, let alone the actual people.
A great, warm-hearted story with some memorable characters, including the horse!
A great, warm-hearted story with some memorable characters, including the horse!
August 29, 2017
In Godden's novels for adults, the atmosphere she creates is usually what carries them, and The Dark Horse is no exception. The world of Calcutta in the 30s, the slums, racecourses and animals, are all vivid. The story focuses on Dark Invader, a race-horse who has failed in England, but under the care of Ted Mullins, an elderly jockey, he comes to life. This is an idyllic story with few twists, but is very easy and light to read. A good book for a sleepless night.
August 4, 2022
Magical realism, except the magic is real
Set in 1930's India, a land that then as now that takes the sacred seriously, this is a story of sacrifice and redemption. At the center is the dark horse who is greedy, lazy, and fearful. Some might claim that the ending is too perfect. Perhaps, but it is based on real events. Rumer Godden's writing is a joy to read. Her descriptions of people and nature are textured and true.
Set in 1930's India, a land that then as now that takes the sacred seriously, this is a story of sacrifice and redemption. At the center is the dark horse who is greedy, lazy, and fearful. Some might claim that the ending is too perfect. Perhaps, but it is based on real events. Rumer Godden's writing is a joy to read. Her descriptions of people and nature are textured and true.
June 2, 2023
The Dark Horse was deftly written, and highly enjoyable. The characters were well crafted, the horses were accurately portrayed, and overall the story was fascinating. The setting and history of racing in Calcutta were unique and Godden's lovely writing style is such a refreshing difference from anything I've read in years. The plot included some good twists, and overall this is an older book well worth seeking out.
July 15, 2021
Enjoyable, quick read. Will be exploring a few more by this author. Not a huge favorite for me, but certainly worth exploring.
Race horses and nuns, and all hearts involved are touched.
Great exploration of India, if from the British POV for the most part.
Fun watching the character growth.
Fun to read the unsaid as well as the unsaid.
And humor, which always counts for a star in my book.
Race horses and nuns, and all hearts involved are touched.
Great exploration of India, if from the British POV for the most part.
Fun watching the character growth.
Fun to read the unsaid as well as the unsaid.
And humor, which always counts for a star in my book.
January 7, 2023
Rumer Godden is one of those writers who through descriptive writing let's you know exactly what's going on, what characters look like, and the feel and look of each setting.
Dark Horse is a fast-moving thriller about finding and returning a magnificent, beloved horse to the track before the race.
Dark Horse is a fast-moving thriller about finding and returning a magnificent, beloved horse to the track before the race.
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