Review of Racing the Wild

[Chi Chiu Michael Mak]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Racing the Wild" by Rosanna Andrea Feeken.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Racing the Wild by Rosanna Andrea Feeken is a slow-paced story about a teenager, who works with stables and horses, trying to make new friends at a new school. Chris, the main character, bears scars from family abuse and bullying. His father and his two brothers mistreat him, and his mother cannot do anything to stop the violence. He was expelled because of a brawl, so he is currently going to a new school, Melaleuca Creek College. Will Chris be bullied at school again? Will Chris’s new peers be welcoming? Will Chris get better?

Chris is a realistic depiction of a teenager who grew up in an abusive household. He is an unconfident, irritable, and defensive boy who believes himself to be nothing but trouble. His fight-or-flight response is so heightened that even friendly physical contact makes him jump anxiously. Interacting with his father is like walking on a minefield; Chris will do anything to avoid his wrath. Throughout the story, he suffers from bruises and serious injuries thanks to his unpredictable father and his antagonistic brothers, but he hides them to prevent retaliation. Chris finds it hard to trust others and open up to them, even if they genuinely mean well. Several people in his new school eventually sense signs of his predicament, but Chris is afraid of revealing his home life, believing that he'll get into more trouble. Chris finds ways to ease the pain, such as sketching, practising brief mindful meditations, and savouring alone time, but the pain never seems to end.

Obviously, Chris is a character you are meant to sympathise with and root for. No one deserves to go through all of that. I like how the narrative makes readers continue to care about Chris by giving the boy some small wins. There is a part where a friend reassures Chris that it is completely normal to experience attraction towards the opposite sex, understanding that this feeling is foreign to him. Chris is also given moments to shine when he demonstrates skill in riding horses and calming frightened horses, like Cocoa. I have read books that have their main character suffer without giving them room to relax or breathe. I am glad that Racing the Wild is not one of them. The execution is so good that I do not have anything negative to say about the book.

To sum up, if you are interested in school life, Racing the Wild will be worth your time. I only found two errors while reading, so the editing is great. Therefore, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

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Racing the Wild
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[Gerry Steen]

Reading this book will give hope to other kids who grow up in abusive households. It is amazing how an untrusting and defensive person can find solace in comforting animals. Animals can teach us about empathy and caring. Your review promises that this story will be a worthwhile read. Thank you.

[Neha Panikar]

Interesting plot and you have captured the essence very well. I feel sorry for Chris' plight - feeling antagonised at your own home goes against basic needs (safety!), but I'm glad that this doesn't turn him to untoward actions (addictions, for example) to escape the pain. He deals with it well! Also, pets/animals can sense your pain and they're huge empathisers. They also can make you feel better and cheer you up. Wonderful story, and again, well-written review! Thanks for sharing!

[Julie Marie Basil]

Reading your review leaves me wanting to know more about Chris' story. It sounds like his character is very realistic and well-developed. Thanks for a great review.

[Victor Nwabuisi]

I’m glad the author gave Chris space to be more than his trauma his bond with the horses and the quiet moments of growth sound powerful. Also, thanks for pointing out that the story doesn’t just dwell on suffering. Well done.

[Seetha E]

Racing the Wild by Rosanna Andrea Feeken is a slow-paced story about a teenager, who works with stables and horses, trying to make new friends at a new school. Chris, the main character, bears scars from family abuse and bullying. His father and his two brothers mistreat him, and his mother cannot do anything to stop the violence. He was expelled because of a brawl, so he is currently going to a new school, Melaleuca Creek College. Will Chris be bullied at school again? Will Chris’s new peers be welcoming? Will Chris get better?

Having read and reviewed this book, I loved reading your take on it. It is a well-written book and can comfort and encourage youngsters in similar situations. Great review!

[Anu Anand]

It's so sad that Chris always has to stay alert just to feel safe. But I'm also glad there's something happy in his life, even with all these troubles. Thanks for sharing this wonderful review. This sounds like an inspiring book for young people.

[NetMassimo]

This is a novel that can resonate with people who find themselves in a similar dire situation and discover that they're not alone. It's known that working with animals can improve human health, including mental health, and that helps poor Chris. Thank you for your great review!

[Stephen Christopher 1]

I've been drawn to 'inspirational fiction' as a genre lately, and this book sounds like it's definitely in that realm. Thanks for introducing this to me, I'm going to add it to my list.