I love Hawkes' writing. His An Irish Eye and the Blood Oranges are very good as well. Somehow he infuses a vbrant life into even his darker, stranger stories so that everything seems alive and full of light even while twisting in agony. Describing his writing is difficult as his style is unique. He was one of the top American writers of all time.Whistlejacket is a fun read just for some of the short descriptive scenes and the subtelty with which Hawkes laces the interactions between his characters.Oh, if you dislike horses, this book is not for you.