It’s interesting to see the narrative evolve in this story, Chasing Painted Horses. It’s almost as if the author, Drew Haydon Taylor, slowly drops many of the tools he normally uses, like the ironic tone he’ll employ as a narrator (though it’s there at the start and makes the odd reappearance). It seems to be slowly abandoned as he goes deeper into the story and lets it play out. Much as I like his humour, this is one story where I was happy to see that happen.
It reads like a story that was written with great love. And it’s a wonderful story, mysterious and sad, mystic and redemptive, and very compelling. It’s also the kind of story I like, one that makes the reader do a bit of work in the sense that rather than state what it is about it asks you, “What do you think this is about? And what do you think happens after it ends?”
That story has to be written by us, the readers, as we imagine. This novel invites us to imagine. And isn’t that a wonderful thing for a story to do? Isn’t that the best kind of story?
I loved the character of William Williams because I hated him so much. I knew him when I was a kid. I can see his face. I would have been the character of Ralph with a little bit of Danielle thrown in, as far as the relationship with my own, personal William goes.
It’s one of the great treats of the story to see what Taylor does with William. I don’t think it’s what most people would expect. In fact, it’s a treat to see what Taylor does with all his characters as he grows them up, so to speak.
Chasing Painted Horses is a great book to read. And then to read again, as I plan to do.
