Review of The Fox

[Flowers123]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Fox" by M. N. J. Butler.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The Fox by M. N. J. Butler is a historical fiction that revolves around Leotychides, a Spartan prince turned mercenary. It is his account of Spartan history, penned in his old age when King Philippos of Macedonia commissioned him to do so. Leotychides was born a prince and heir to King Agis II. He grew up in the flock along with his flock brothers and was tutored on how to be a true spartan according to the laws of Lykourgos. As such, he developed the value of doing nothing demeaning that may shame him or his loved ones. Some of his learning includes the story of the boy who hid a stolen fox inside his cloak and eventually got eaten by it, rather than risk exposing his shameful act. This story had an enormous impact on Leo's life.

But none of his outstanding qualities could save him from being denied his rightful place on the throne. His uncle, Agisileous, claimed the throne as soon as his father passed away, on the account that Leotychides is an illegitimate son or the Queen's bastard. He was quickly deposed and later banished to exile. From then on, his struggle for survival began. Though, he made efforts to preserve his city, including its laws and traditions. They were all for nothing since the city soon succumbed to the ancient prophecy that states a lame king would destroy Sparta. The Fox is a record of the series of incidents that led to the fall of Sparta and the Greek empire.

Greek history has always picked my interest, so when I saw a book related to the subject, I felt elated. Even though I knew about some characters mentioned in the book earlier, reading an account told from the perspective of an unknown figure in history made the story different. The Fox is like the lost page in Greek history. Leotychides' memoir taught lots of lessons about that history. Such as, winners write history, not losers, it's made by the powerful, not weakling, and no one should ever trust completely what they read in a historical record.

Naturally, the story is engaging, then each chapter is filled with a wealth of information. The battles discussed, and many other events, are accurate. Obviously, the author is well vast in Greek history. His deep research into the subject before writing this book is commendable. Also, the glossary provided at the beginning of the book is invaluable. I referred to it many times throughout my reading. There is even the royal family tree at the beginning that helped explain Leotychides' position for clarity. Leotychides' name dropped out of history when his uncle snatched the throne from him, but the life accorded to him in this fiction is exceptionally fitting; It couldn't have been better. Any ancient history enthusiast will cherish this tale.

Without a doubt, The Fox is a brilliant novel. However, there are some things I didn't like about it. Understanding the earlier part of the story was a kind of struggle due to the many Greek words and ancient dialects used. The latter part became easier, but the story is so packed it's difficult to follow. You'll have to pay too much attention, like reading for a test, or you won't be able to comprehend it. Furthermore, there are lots of punctuation errors, like missing commas, unnecessary hyphens, and quotation marks. That made it harder to understand who is saying what since the story is written from a first-person perspective. I recommend the publishers perform professional editing of the book.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars, because of the many errors mentioned above. The book is thought-provoking and enlightening, and it is very realistic. I'll recommend it to philosophers, political, and history enthusiasts. Ancient Greece researchers may also be able to pick a thing or two from this book since it is so well researched.

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The Fox
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[ROSEY-ANN]

Thanks for writing an enjoyable review!!

[Flowers123]

Thanks for writing an enjoyable review!!

You are welcome, and Thanks for commenting.