War is hell, especially if you are on the losing side. And in 12th Century Spain it is doubly hellish when the victors are the Imesebelen, the fanatical soldiers of the Almohad Caliphate. At the age of fourteen, Diego has seen his father and older sister, Belinda, murdered and two other sisters, Blanca and Estella, enslaved following the Muslim victory at Alarcos in 1195. Confused and alone, he can only join the thousands of Christian refugees streaming northward out of the newly conquered lands, fleeing the carnage and rapine wrought by the Muslim soldiers. Like many others, he finds himself before the walls of Toledo, destitute and starving: His only companion; his faithful horse Sabba; his one goal in life; to free his sisters from slavery. But how? Even at such a young age he knows that he needs a place to stay and skills to survive until he is strong enough to rescue his sisters. It is in a most unlikely place, the stables of a Muslim albéitar, that he finds work and starts to fashion a life for himself. Under the guidance, and with the encouragement of his employer, Galib, Diego learns how to treat the diseases and injuries of horses. But, to become an albéitar himself he knows he must seek out the knowledge written down in ancient Latin and Arabic texts. While he can read Latin, in order to master Arabic, he needs a teacher. And that brings him into contact with the beautiful and exotic Benazir, wife of his mentor. What happens between them causes Diego to leave Toledo, still searching for knowledge. Awaiting him are great adventures, and misadventures, that trace the path of Spain‘s war for freedom. There is no lack of action as young Diego de Malagón fights to make his place in a world ravaged by violence and beset with the ignorance of the middle ages.

"The Horse Healer" by Gonzalo Giner, and translated from Spanish by Adrian West, is an interesting piece of historical fiction. The tale is imbued with that flavor so characteristic of Spanish culture, mixing as it does bravery, romanticism and brutality. It is a work in need of help, however. Both the translation and editing could use a thorough freshening. In the book's 587 pages, you will encounter just about every malady that can befall a novel, bad grammar, misspelling, sesquipedalianism, etc. Obviously, reading Señor Giner’s homage to the veterinary profession is a treat that not all will enjoy. You have to be willing to put up with the "Spanishness" of it, and the error laced prose to do that. However, for that select few only, I do recommend it. And yes, I did enjoy it.

The Spanish author Gonzalo Giner should, if this novel is representative of his body of work, be a far better known name in the world of literature. I love Spanish literature, and I love to read literature in translation, so I had a pretty good idea that I would enjoy this novel. What a joy to discover Giner, and to live in his world for a while. It made my life richer, spending time with Diego in Medieval Spain.

My notes about the novel were quite simple – beautiful.

I honestly didn’t write anything else in my review notebook. I was too engrossed with the book to tear myself away and make even the briefest notes for my review. But the notes are not needed in this case, because the novel has stayed firmly with me in the time since I finished it.

Blubs often fall short, and this one from Amazon falls desperately short of conveying the drama and excitement of Diego’s life, and therefore of this superb novel. A lot happens in these 500+ pages, and every bit of it (even when desperately sad) is fantastic. I would amend the blurb’s focus on revenge, and say that the single thought of the protagonist’s mind is being reunited with his sisters. Certainly revenge is there, but his desire for his sisters gives him the strength he needs to push through some very difficult situations.

Giner’s writing is a wonder to read. I know that the book is in translation, but you can tell a lot about the original writing from the translation, if that work is well done (which here, it is – bravo Adrian West, translator). Giner is subtle. I found myself lost in a world that I knew very little about – the world of Medieval Spain during the Reconquista (battles between the Christians and Muslim Moors for control of the Iberian peninsula). His language flowed over me, and kept me riveted to the book from page 1.

The story of The Horse Healer is, honestly, not one I expected to enjoy that much. But what Giner does with a boy, his horse, and his life of wandering – it’s pure magic. Even though the story is what many would consider ‘far-fetched’ in some spots, I never lost my connection with the novel. I never found myself thinking, ‘That probably wouldn’t happen!’ Giner allows us, by language and story, easily to temporarily suspend our disbelief (necessary for a good reading experience), and leaves us happy we were able to do so.

A superb novel that I highly recommend. Buy it and read it, so that other books by Gonzalo Giner will also be translated into English!