The Last Wild Horses

A Novel

By: Maja Lunde

Narrated by: Karen Gundersen, BJ Harrison, Christa Lewis, Sarah Mollo-Christensen, Rob Shapiro

Translated into 36 languages, winner of the Norwegian Bookseller’s Prize, and the most successful Norwegian author of her generation, Maja Lunde returns with a heart-wrenching tale, set in the distant past and the dystopian future, about extinction and survival, family and hope.

Mikhail lives in Russia in 1881. When a skeleton of a rare wild horse is brought to him, the zoologist plans an expedition to Mongolia to find the fabled Przewalski horse, a journey that tests not only his physicality, but his heart.In 1992, Karin, alongside her troubled son Mathias and several Przewalski horses, travels to Mongolia to re-introduce the magnificent horses to their native land. The veterinarian has dedicated her life to saving the breed from extinction, prioritizing the wild horses, even over her own son.

Europe’s future is uncertain in 2064, but Eva is willing to sacrifice nearly everything to hold onto her family’s farm. Her teenage daughter implores Eva to leave the farm and Norway, but a pregnant wild mare Eva is tending is about to foal. Then, a young woman named Louise unexpectedly arrives on the farm, with mysterious intentions that will either bring them all together, or devastate them one by one.

Spanning continents and centuries, The Last Wild Horses is a powerful tale of survival and connection—of humans, animals, and the indestructible bonds that unite us all.

Translated from the Norwegian by Diane Oatley

Not just for horse lovers

This story surprised me. I thought I would be listening to a book about wild horses and their encounters with humans, when it is also about the interactions of people and climate change. Recommend this book, it's not just for horse lovers.

A heart breaking page turner.

While I know this is part of a series this book glorious stands alone. All three stories weave together masterfully and the details are spot on.

Spectacular!

Well written, great translation, incredibly meaningful topic for our times. Well worth your time to listen.

Still trying to wrap my head around this story.

Struggled to finish. Combination of too many stories at one time spanning about 150 yrs. I felt like I was switching cars on a train every time a new chapter started.

My Perspective of this work.

This book created a gratitude in my heart for my life. It seemed to me it was just one horrific event after another which the characters survive. There is little happiness or celebrations. It seemed the author had an agenda of life is gloom and doom. While I have period in my life like that I began to feel sorry for her. It certainly caused me to look for the good in my life. There is always good even in the challenges, besides some of the landscapes I wondered about how dark and painful the author's life must be to write a book so absent of joy.