The Last Wild Horses focuses on the protection of the fabled Przewalski horse to knit together three timelines: Mikhail, a Russian zoologist who, in 1881, ventures to Mongolia to capture the rare horse. Karin, a modern-day (1992) veterinarian who has dedicated her life to saving the breed from extinction. And Eva, a veterinarian in 2064 who is facing climate dystopia while she tries to care for the Przewalski horses on her family farm.

I selected this book, honestly, because I love horses. After listening to the snippet, I was intrigued. Without prior experience with Lunde or knowledge of her Climate Quartet series, I enjoyed the book. Lunde has mastered characterization: I cared about each of the characters and found myself thinking about them even when not reading. To me, that emotional impact is the key to effective characterization: If I feel like I know these characters. Like they are friends about whom I am concerned. I also enjoyed the human connection between the timelines – and the metaphorical representation of the human condition through the lives of the horses. Nice parallel to stress life is life. With the admittance that I have not read Lunde before and had no acquaintance with her Climate Quartet, I found much of the plot forced. What do I mean? It seemed Lunde had great ideas for moments and merely glued them together in a weak structure. I also found the sexual relationships awkward – people don’t interact the way she portrays. Those criticisms, however, do not negate the warmth and value of the story which is thoughtful and left me with continued concern about the characters and what happens to them after I closed the cover.

And I love the horses.

Read The Last Wild Horses and let me know what you think!