Structure

The Perfect Horse is divided into four parts of unequal length. A short prologue and epilogue bookend these four sections. Part One focuses on the European side of the story from the 1930s until just before the end of the war in 1945. This is the longest section of the book at just over one hundred pages. The length of this section is significant because it lays the foundation for the story, introduces the main European characters, and explores some of the background context of the war, Gustav Rau’s breeding program, and Nazi ideology.

Part Two is by far the shortest section with around forty pages. It introduces the major American players and the 2nd Cavalry regiment which will ultimately be responsible for the horses’ rescue. Letts does not cover as much background content in the section on the Americans, however she does introduce the important debate...