I bought a few of the Phantom Horse books very cheaply in Devon, thinking they'd make wonderful holiday reading, especially as I vaguely remembered reading a couple of Pullein-Thompson books when I was younger. But I can't say I have found this one particularly relaxing. Jean is so single-mindedly horse-obsessed that she becomes quite rude and inconsiderate. And these days she'd probably be called bipolar - life is either wonderful or absolutely terrible - far more often the latter. Even when something improbably dramatic isn't happening, she's imagining it will. So most of the book seems to involve her being miserable and or / feeling sick.

I pretty much wanted to throttle Jean by the end, which is a pity because I liked the concept of Phantom and I also really liked the contrast between Virginia and Oxfordshire, and the differences not only in geography but in culture. It reminded me so strongly of my experiences of England, and the descriptions of coming "home" and seeing the familiar as if for the first time definitely struck a chord.

But oh goodness, why anyone would put up with Jean is beyond me! ( )

Bought 22 Jan 2007 - charity shop

Now that I've got the main TBR under control (only one shelf of it again!) I am tackling the pile in front of it - made up of pony books, books in French (eeps) and a couple of ones from that Indian publisher.

A nice, adventuresome novel although the sequel to one I haven't read. Jean's family have to return to England and she is in a dilemma over how to ship her wild horse, Phantom, back over there. Then mysterious men appear at the house and the horses are lost... ( )