A boy and his grandfather hunt for a stolen horse in this novel "evoking William Faulkner and Cormac McCarthy" (Booklist).
Longlisted for the American Library Association's Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction
In the summer of 1995, Jim Falls, a Korean War vet, struggles to raise his sixteen-year-old mixed-race grandson, Quentin, on a farm in southern Indiana. In July, they receive a mysterious gifta beautiful quarter horsewhich upends the balance of their difficult lives. The horse's appearance catches the attention of a pair of troubled, meth-dealing brothers and, after a violent altercation, the horse is stolen and sold. Grandfather and grandson must travel the landscape of the bleak heartland to reclaim the animal and to confront the ruthless party that has taken possession of it. Along the way, both will be forced to face the misperceptions and tragedies of their past.
"A vivid portrait of Heartland America . . . I've long been an admirer of Joe Meno's work, and this is his most ambitious book yet." Dan Chaon, New York Timesbestselling author of Ill Will
"[Meno] has a knack for giving small happenings emotional weight. . . . Meno knows how to make you love his characters, want what they want. But don't think he's going to let things turn out well for them. Marvels and wonders aren't worth the trouble. Fortunately, this book is." The New York Times Book Review
"It's at once a story about two people and an exploration of the past, present, and future of the country. . . . As the fate of the horse, of Jim Falls, of Quentinof America!becomes more perilous, the book picks up speed. The story is operating on different levelsas a family story, an epic, and in the end a page-turnerbut they remain skillfully balanced." Chicago Reader
"A wise and touching novel of love, loyalty, courage; an extraordinary book not to be missed." Library Journal