Oh how I liked this book! I thought from the flyleaf description and a few other reviews that led me to this, that it would be rather silly. Not at all. It has some very dark themes and unsettling depictions of the real kinds of horror animals face in the wild, or anyone in a family that isn’t nurturing, no matter what species. While presented as juvenile fiction, it was very engaging for me as an adult reader, and I’d caution to read this to younger kids or those who are sensitive. SPOILER ALERT: some foxes die. Some are abandoned. Some are hurt by their own families. But there is courage and friendship and hope in the end.
The premise is that seven little foxes are out after dark listening to a storyteller. The stories frighten the fox kits, so that one by one they flee for home- will any last to hear all the tales? Because if they can brave the telling, each one teaches them something crucial- even if you have to read a bit between the lines for it. The horror of rabies. Of older male foxes that kill young rivals. Of young ones with weakness or disabilities being left to starve. Of facing snakes and brutal natural elements and unseen predators. Of the misery and cruelty that humans can inflict. I have to say, I was a bit put off that a beloved children’s book author was portrayed as evil in this story- from the foxes’ viewpoint- though I wouldn’t be surprised if she had stuffed her own specimens exactly as is described. It was also weird that a sudden magic element was introduced that made the foxes able to understand human speech- before that point in the story, I was rather enjoying the challenge of trying to puzzle out the garbled depiction of how the foxes heard English. And as up until now the story seemed completely realistic (other than the foxes talking to each other) it also felt a bit jarring. There was another detail that kind of threw me out of the story: a king snake threatening the young foxes with venemous bite. Um, king snakes aren’t poisonous. Other parts of the story mixed fauna that made you confused where exactly these foxes were growing up. It didn’t bother me too much, but some other readers mention that.
I really liked how the stories told to the kits eventually wove together, and connected the listeners to the storyteller in the end. The struggles of young foxes to prevail over all the risks and challenges of growing up felt so very real, and their vulpine characterization was delightful (even the nasty ones). I can well see how some compared this to Watership Down, even though it’s far shorter in length. I would have gladly read a few hundred more pages of this, and am happy to learn there’s a sequel- but it was just published last year so my library doesn’t have a copy yet.
Borrowed from the public library.
2 Responses
This one sounds good, I grabbed a copy of it.
While looking for it, I spotted book I read long ago. The Cat Who Went to Heaven. I remember it being very sad, but I loved it. I think you’d probably like it as well!
I’ve never heard of it, but my library has a copy! I’m going to read that one soon. Thanks!