When orphan Christina Parsons is summoned to Flambards to live with her her uncle and his two sons, she has little idea what is in store for her. Crippled in a hunting accident years before, Uncle Russell is a bullish, brooding man whose only interest is fox hunting. From his chair, he relives each moment of his sons' hunting, researches horse and hound breeding and bloodlines, and wields his cane or a strap for the slightest infraction. Christina is pushed to learn to ride and join the hunt - and finds she enjoys both horses and riding. But as she becomes familiar with routines and patterns of life at Flambards she also begins to see the unfairness and social discrimination ingrained in its way of life.

Set in Edwardian England in the years just before World War I, Flambards is not only a coming of age story, but vividly displays the coming social upheaval as the automotive revolution brings change to a more traditional way of life. ( )

1 and 3 are very good. 2 doesn't take place at flambards. is that the problem? or is it will, who is never that real? or is it airplanes, which is the competition for flambards and loses?
would like to see tv show again. none of them seem to have had a big career. ( )

Don't care that much about the horses, but the characters and sense of time and place make for a very good read. Not just for children. Teens and adults would enjoy as well...... ( )

The first in a series of four about Christina. A must for every horsemad child, but a good book even if you are not. ( )