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drudeger's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A story from the perspective of a mysterious black fox in the British countryside during the 1940s, focusing on themes of spirituality and the relationship between humankind and the wild.
Author Brian Carter takes much pleasure in meandering in nature, consistently describing the setting in great detail throughout the book, working to immerse the reader in the mundanities of the wild. In contrast, action is relatively scarce, spread throughout the story and described sparingly.
If you're a fan of naturalist-animal xenofiction or stories that bask in the affections of nature, you will love this classic of the genre.
Author Brian Carter takes much pleasure in meandering in nature, consistently describing the setting in great detail throughout the book, working to immerse the reader in the mundanities of the wild. In contrast, action is relatively scarce, spread throughout the story and described sparingly.
If you're a fan of naturalist-animal xenofiction or stories that bask in the affections of nature, you will love this classic of the genre.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, and Animal cruelty
funktious's review against another edition
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I don't normally enjoy anthropomorphism or mysticism in my reading, so I was surprised at how much I liked this. The descriptions of the wildlife and seasons on Dartmoor are beautiful but it's all undercut by a strong theme of PTSD and the damage done to a generation of British men by two successive wars, with a sprinkling of class antagonism as well. And it's very even handed - despite the obvious awfulness of Scoble, you also have to admit that he has a very close relationship with and deep understanding of his environment; "Church is just another house. There's more of God in my garden than you'll find in Buckfast Abbey or Exeter Cathedral." The final chapters, in the famous winter of 1947, are riveting.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and War
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