The Horse Whisperer Summary
Nicholas Evans

The Horse Whisperer Overview

The Horse Whisperer, a novel by Nicholas Evans, explores the extraordinary connection between people and animals. Grace Maclean, age 13, and her horse named Pilgrim suffer physical and emotional injuries in a truck accident. Her friend Judith and Judith's horse are killed. After a leg amputation, Grace says that she is not interested in riding her beloved horse again. The trauma of the accident has made Pilgrim violent. Grace's mother, Annie Graves Maclean, decides that the only way for Grace to heal emotionally is for Pilgrim to heal, too. Annie entrusts Pilgrim's rehabilitation to Tom Booker, who is known for his expertise with horses. Prevalent themes in the novel are the role of trust in healing, the effects of a disability on the individual and the family, and choosing life over death.