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A review by victoria_catherine_shaw
A Black Fox Running by Brian Carter
3.0
This story reminded me of my favourite book from childhood, The Animals of Farthing Wood. It follows Wulfgar, a black fox running wild through Dartmoor, as he struggles to evade his nemesis, Scoble the trapper, and his lurcher, Jacko.
Similar to The Animals of Farthing Wood, the animals in this tale suffer as a result of their interactions with humans. However, this is more nuanced than a simple tale of good and evil, with Scoble the trapper coming across as a pitiable character, haunted by ghosts from the war and consumed by his hatred for foxes. His lurcher, Jacko (whose narrative is one of the most captivating), is evidently brain damaged and kills wildly in unhinged frenzies, desperate to appease the stars.
Meanwhile the foxes are portrayed as not merely physical animals but also spiritual beings grappling with "human" issues such as love, grief, life, death and meaning on their journey to the Star Place, giving the book a strange, almost mystical feeling.
The descriptions of the moors and woodlands are beautifully interwoven with the spiritual musings of the foxes, bringing the countryside to life and conveying a landscape of real character. It's hard to read this book without developing the wanderlust of the foxes and wanting to be outside somewhere.
Similar to The Animals of Farthing Wood, the animals in this tale suffer as a result of their interactions with humans. However, this is more nuanced than a simple tale of good and evil, with Scoble the trapper coming across as a pitiable character, haunted by ghosts from the war and consumed by his hatred for foxes. His lurcher, Jacko (whose narrative is one of the most captivating), is evidently brain damaged and kills wildly in unhinged frenzies, desperate to appease the stars.
Meanwhile the foxes are portrayed as not merely physical animals but also spiritual beings grappling with "human" issues such as love, grief, life, death and meaning on their journey to the Star Place, giving the book a strange, almost mystical feeling.
The descriptions of the moors and woodlands are beautifully interwoven with the spiritual musings of the foxes, bringing the countryside to life and conveying a landscape of real character. It's hard to read this book without developing the wanderlust of the foxes and wanting to be outside somewhere.