Like the Appearance of Horses

Like the Appearance of Horses is a novel by Andrew Krivak that follows the Vinich family, who settled in Dardan, Pennsylvania, after surviving World War I. The story explores the intimate lives of the family, their fierce bonds shaped by conflicts, and the personal wars they face. It is the culminating novel in Krivak's Dardan Trilogy, which began with The Sojourn and The Signal Flame. The book is about borders drawn within families and around nations, and the tender story of love tested by duty, loyalty, and honor.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 22 June 2023
Publisher: Bellevue Literary Press

Like the Appearance of Horses is a novel that delves into the intricate lives of a family, spanning a century of war and the hope of homecoming. Set in the small mountain town of Dardan, Pennsylvania, the story revolves around patriarch Jozef Vinich, who settled there after surviving World War I. The novel immerses readers in the intimate details of a family whose strong bonds have been shaped by the significant conflicts of the past century.

After escaping fascist Hungary and making his way across the ocean, Bexhet Konar finds himself in the presence of Jozef, the man who had saved his life in 1919. It is here that he falls in love with Jozef's daughter, Hannah, and enlists in World War II, becoming embroiled in a personal war of revenge.

Many years later, their youngest son, Samuel, is taken prisoner in Vietnam and returns home with a heroin addiction and severe physical and psychological wounds. As Samuel embarks on his own journey toward healing, his son graduates from Annapolis as a Marine, preparing to deploy to Iraq.

In his spare, breathtaking prose, Like the Appearance of Horses stands as the culminating novel in Andrew Krivak's award-winning Dardan Trilogy, which began with The Sojourn and The Signal Flame. The story explores the boundaries both within and around nations, as they are redrawn by factors such as ethnicity, prejudice, and war. It is also a tender exploration of love, testing it through duty, loyalty, and honor.

Through the lives of the Vinich family, Like the Appearance of Horses offers a profound reflection on the enduring impact of war on individuals and families. It sheds light on the complexities of human relationships, the power of forgiveness, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. The novel is a testament to the human capacity for compassion and understanding, even in the darkest of times.

Weight: 534g
Dimension: 161 x 238 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781954276130