Review: CHRISTINE - A Day To Go Hunting

A Day To Go Hunting is this week's book. Although about hunting, it is not connected to the Chill Valley Hunt series. It was first published in 1956.

The blurb (taken from the first image) reads:-

A DAY TO GO HUNTING is no ordinary pony story but an exciting and absorbing novel for girls and boys. It all takes place in one day - the day of the meet. Most of the local riders are there: John, a farmer's son; Angela, Tony, eleven-year-old Mark; the Trumans and their parents; Lucy, Graham, Adam; the proprietress of the riding school and Jan, her working pupil. Hounds find almost at once and run across the Vale. A fog descends, things begin to go wrong and suddenly catastrophe looms up. Through the course of this eventful day everyone is affected by what takes - ambitions are realised, new friends made, jobs are lost and found; above all, several learn more about themselves in the crisis which calls forth their latent qualities. The story ends as they return home - all of them wiser, happier and more than a day older than at the start.


The blurb, taken from the paperback edition (second image) reads:-

Excitement ran high all around the county, even though the morning was cold and wet, for it was a day to go hunting. There was havoc at the riding school and Midnight had thrown a shoe. Poor Mark had been looking forward to the hunt for so long, but Merrylegs had disappeared from her paddock!

Just as the hounds were moving off, the sun broke through the clouds. It was going to be a perfect day. But Jane was nervous of the hard and slippery ground, and with good reason. Her young thoroughbred, Trooper, rides too fast at a fence and goes down. Then the hounds pick up a false scent and get into a park full of deer. Everyone knows the park is out of bounds. And worse still, a thick, swirling mist comes down. What a day to go hunting!

The first edition is illustrated by Sheila Rose. The second (paperback) edition is not illustrated. 

It begins with the setting of the scene, and we are introduced to several of the characters. In the first edition there is a handy list of characters at the beginning of the book so the reader is not too confused.  

Then there's the actual hunt which takes place with several disasters around. A fog distends, people get lost and animals injured. The story is long winded with one disaster to the next. It is too drawn out and is not one of Christine's finest. I personally feel it would have been better off as a short story or novella. It didnt grab it as it was too much of a ramble with lots of padding.  The sheer amount of incidents are unbelievable .

It is unlikely to be republished due to the fact there is a lot of hunting content. That is a good thing, as aside from the hunting content it is generally a weak story. If you dont like reading about hunting then this isnt for you as there is not enough to be going on to make it worthwhile.