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February 2004
Reviews
Ah, simple pure enjoyment. A world full of unique characters full of spunk and spirit, who are as real to me as
a talking, rabbit, badger or mouse can be. Redwall takes us to a place where I think each one of us, would
like to inhabit, at least for a time. Heros are pure of heart, lovable and flawed, the villians intelligent, evil
and vicious just like good villian should be. For a few brief and precious hours Redwall and its many, many sequels
transports you to another world and a different time. Where peace once threatened is valiantly defended by the
smallest of defenders, with the biggest and bravest hearts. I championed this book and would all others that I
have read to anyone. Brian Jacques weaves such tales of these tiny creatures that one can believe that such
a place exits, somewhere other than our imaginations. Pure, sweet, simple and utterly charming Redwall is
an excellent choice of reading material, whether you are eight or eighty-eight.
Redwall is a very straightforward and fun read. The "Good Guys" are good and the "Bad Guys" are bad. A streamlined tale with very
little intrigue to complicate the telling. So little, in fact, that the first hint as to the location of the sword is obvious.
The ensuing chapters of exploration on the part of the characters are tedious but entertaining. Some people think this a
children's book but after reading it I heartily disagree. I believe most people are confused because, much like the Harry Potter
books, it is written at a 3rd grade level. This is not because the author is incapable of writing better. Sadly, it reflects the
average reading level of the majority of adults. This book is much too carefree with violence to forget that a war is being
fought. I didn't have too much to gripe about.
| Gripe #1: Abbey | How tall is this thing? At first I think "Secret of Nimh" but the description of the climb makes it sound like Everest. Especially when you throw in a WHOLE CITY of sparrows living at the top. How could the 'founders' build something so huge! |
| Gripe #2: Creature size | I assume that the animals mentioned are of the same relative size as in our world. If so, an Abbey built to accomidate mice (doors, halls, walkways, et cetera) would be a bit small for rabbits and badgers. |
| Gripe #3: Humans | While I read, one thought kept nagging at me. "Isn't somebody going to come looking for their missing horse and cart?" A cart large enough to carry thousands of rats was NOT built by animals. |
There's nothing bad I can say about this book. I thoroughly enjoyed all the characters and the story. There's laughter,
love, war, loss, beauty and life. The various woodland creatures learn to put aside their past conflicts and prejudices and
work together to defeat the enemy-something that human beings could learn from. I will definitely read more of Jacques'
books.