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Content snapshot
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Violence
Some
WWI combat depicted including artillery, cavalry charges, and the deaths of horses and soldiers; handled with emotional honesty
Language
None
No profanity
Sexual Content
None
No sexual content
Substance Use
None
No substance use
Emotional Intensity
Some
Moderate emotional weight: the suffering of animals in wartime, the separation of loved ones, and the scale of WWI death create genuine emotional impact
What this book is about
Told from the perspective of Joey, a Devon farm horse sold to the British cavalry at the outset of World War I, War Horse follows Joey's journey through the mud and horror of the Western Front as he passes between English, German, and French hands. The farm boy who raised him enlists to find him. Michael Morpurgo's quiet, devastating novel captures the humanity and senselessness of WWI through its most innocent witness, with authentic period detail and a genuine emotional power that has made it a modern classic.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
WWI combat and animal death depicted with emotional realism
The deaths of horses in combat may be distressing to animal lovers
Reader Verification
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