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Synopsis: Sonora Webster is penniless young woman but plucky, and despite the looming Great Depression, she follows her wanderlust, answering an advert to dive with horses. Little does she know that she is about to be thrust into a world teeming with danger, excitement, and fierce competition.
As Sonora delves into the cutthroat world of show business, complete with trapeze aerial acts and juggling bears, her undeniable talent and unwavering dedication propel her into the limelight, making her a sensation, and after marrying the show runner, her entire life becomes their act and their horses. But she soon learns that a diver (and her horse) are only as good as their last show, a show some are hellbent on shutting down. When a tragic accident changes her life forever, can Sonora muster the courage to climb the forty-five-foot tower and dive again, risking her life to save the show and their horses from falling into the wrong hands? Critique: An original and deftly crafted novel that is based on and inspired by the true story of one of the first women to dive horses as part of an entertainment act, "Sonora" is raised to an impressive level of literary excellence by the effectively engaging storytelling style of author Jenni L. Walsh. With an admirable attention to historical detail, "Sonora" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community library General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Sonora" from Harper Muse is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99). As seen in the November 2025 issue of Midwest Book Review. Issue: October 1, 2025
Sonora. By Jenni L. Walsh Oct. 2025. 400p. Harper Muse, paper, $18.99 (9781400246779) Based on the real-life, death-defying Carver Diving Horses show, Walsh's latest (after Ace, Marvel, Spy, 2025) delivers the excitement, grit, and determination of Sonora Carver and her horse-diving career. During the Great Depression, Sonora answers a newspaper ad and pursues adventure in show business. Leaning in to her love of horses and skills at diving, Sonora trains to become the face of the Carver family’s horse-diving act. Marrying into the family, she is consumed by the show, and when tragedy strikes, she knows the show must go on. Using her keen senses, she delivers a spectacular show that runs for years. Fans who were introduced to Sonora's story in the 1991 film Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken will be pleased to find more detail here, based on Sonora’s own memoir. The novel delves into the Carver family dynamic, the risks of the sport, the family's battle with the SPCA., and the role that women played in the rise of carnival acts. Sonora’s story is about not giving up in the face of setbacks. An inspirational tale. — Emily Borsa by Jenni L. Walsh | Read by Piper GoodeveFiction • 10.25 hrs. • Unabridged • © 2025
Piper Goodeve gives an enthusiastic narration of a novel inspired by the true story of one of the first female horse divers. After answering an ad for a girl who loves horses who can dive and swim, Sonora Webster becomes absorbed in the carnival world of early-twentieth-century America. Harsh instruction for Sonora, gentle training of the horses, and the thrilling moments before and after diving create breathtaking episodes. Goodeve develops a feisty, caring young woman who meets every challenge with clear-eyed commitment. Balancing objectivity and emotion, Goodeve depicts each family member who becomes dear to Sonora. Also well depicted are the horse dives, which are fraught with danger. Close family relationships outweigh business rivalries and, even as tragedy strikes, dedication and love prove strongest. Exciting, heartwarming listening. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2025] Trade Ed. • Harper Audio • 2025 DD ISBN 9781400246793 $25.19 |
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