Review of The Fox
-
Shauna Franklin-High
- Posts: 5
- Joined: 25 Apr 2022, 20:20
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 4
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-shauna-franklin-high.html
- Latest Review: Smart Love by Vincent Fudge II
Review of The Fox
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Fox" by M. N. J. Butler.]
M.N.J. Butler's The Fox tells the story of a boy named Leotychides as he grows up in ancient Sparta. Leotychides learns at a young age that he is the son of a king, but many obstacles stand in his way to inheriting the throne. He grows up in a flock: a life-or-death community of young men raising and training boys to be soldiers. Here, he builds the relationships he will carry with him through his life as he becomes a soldier fighting against invasion. Based on historical events and people, the shifting alliances of historical cities and kingdoms are the backdrop of this tale of a man who gives everything for his country, forcing a smile as his metaphorical fox slowly eats away at him.
The Fox is truly a heartbreaking story, not only in the plot itself but in how it is told. Butler is a master of using his words to show rather than tell, which helps the reader develop their own thoughts, feelings, and ideas alongside the characters. The audience is not told that a woman is wearing earrings, but they are shown that "tiny gold lions bit her ears." Everything has importance and no words are wasted. Simple sentences are crafted and placed in such a way that they will jump out unexpectedly and leave the reader in tears. It is also clear that a great deal of research went into portraying historical events, societies, and people as accurately as possible. Readers unfamiliar with ancient Sparta will not only learn a great deal about it but how it compared to other societies at the time. The language used at the beginning of the story borrows from ancient historical writing styles, stating that "Leotychides of Sparta sets down these matters of rulers and kings." From page 1 of this well-crafted, beautiful story, it becomes easy to forget that it is not 100% fact.
Unfortunately, Butler's commitment to historical accuracy is a double-edged sword. For many readers, especially those unfamiliar with the setting, this book can be intimidating and confusing. A list of characters is provided at the beginning of the novel, but this list is so long, including both historical and fictional characters, that even constantly referring to it may not be enough to keep track of who is who and what they have done. Not only is the size of the cast a challenge, but many of them have similar, ancient names that are almost impossible to keep track of for casual readers. Even names that may be familiar to readers, such as Eurydice from the famous myth, become unfamiliar (Eurydike) through Butler's commitment to accuracy. The changing political alliances weaved throughout the battles and wars make it difficult to keep track of what is happening, even with cities the reader may be familiar with such as Sparta, Thebes, and Athans.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. The negatives previously mentioned become clear very early in the story, making it easy for the reader to quickly decide if they have the mental energy and focus to continue. This reader believes that the positives far outweigh the negatives. Readers will be moved to extreme emotion, and the confusing political backdrop does not take away from this. Despite the challenges that this book presents, dedicated readers will likely find something valuable to take away from it.
This book is recommended for people looking for something mentally challenging and engaging. Readers might benefit from taking notes as they read to keep track of characters and changing political alliances. It is not recommended for readers looking for a casual read that requires low attention or focus. It is also not recommended for people looking for a happy story, but people who enjoy beautiful yet heartbreaking stories may enjoy this book. This book is recommended for anyone who enjoys ancient historical fiction, even if they are unfamiliar with this setting in particular. Although there are some battle scenes, descriptions avoid dragging on or being overly gory, so those who shy away from violent books should still consider giving this book a try.
******
The Fox
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
M.N.J. Butler's The Fox tells the story of a boy named Leotychides as he grows up in ancient Sparta. Leotychides learns at a young age that he is the son of a king, but many obstacles stand in his way to inheriting the throne. He grows up in a flock: a life-or-death community of young men raising and training boys to be soldiers. Here, he builds the relationships he will carry with him through his life as he becomes a soldier fighting against invasion. Based on historical events and people, the shifting alliances of historical cities and kingdoms are the backdrop of this tale of a man who gives everything for his country, forcing a smile as his metaphorical fox slowly eats away at him.
The Fox is truly a heartbreaking story, not only in the plot itself but in how it is told. Butler is a master of using his words to show rather than tell, which helps the reader develop their own thoughts, feelings, and ideas alongside the characters. The audience is not told that a woman is wearing earrings, but they are shown that "tiny gold lions bit her ears." Everything has importance and no words are wasted. Simple sentences are crafted and placed in such a way that they will jump out unexpectedly and leave the reader in tears. It is also clear that a great deal of research went into portraying historical events, societies, and people as accurately as possible. Readers unfamiliar with ancient Sparta will not only learn a great deal about it but how it compared to other societies at the time. The language used at the beginning of the story borrows from ancient historical writing styles, stating that "Leotychides of Sparta sets down these matters of rulers and kings." From page 1 of this well-crafted, beautiful story, it becomes easy to forget that it is not 100% fact.
Unfortunately, Butler's commitment to historical accuracy is a double-edged sword. For many readers, especially those unfamiliar with the setting, this book can be intimidating and confusing. A list of characters is provided at the beginning of the novel, but this list is so long, including both historical and fictional characters, that even constantly referring to it may not be enough to keep track of who is who and what they have done. Not only is the size of the cast a challenge, but many of them have similar, ancient names that are almost impossible to keep track of for casual readers. Even names that may be familiar to readers, such as Eurydice from the famous myth, become unfamiliar (Eurydike) through Butler's commitment to accuracy. The changing political alliances weaved throughout the battles and wars make it difficult to keep track of what is happening, even with cities the reader may be familiar with such as Sparta, Thebes, and Athans.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. The negatives previously mentioned become clear very early in the story, making it easy for the reader to quickly decide if they have the mental energy and focus to continue. This reader believes that the positives far outweigh the negatives. Readers will be moved to extreme emotion, and the confusing political backdrop does not take away from this. Despite the challenges that this book presents, dedicated readers will likely find something valuable to take away from it.
This book is recommended for people looking for something mentally challenging and engaging. Readers might benefit from taking notes as they read to keep track of characters and changing political alliances. It is not recommended for readers looking for a casual read that requires low attention or focus. It is also not recommended for people looking for a happy story, but people who enjoy beautiful yet heartbreaking stories may enjoy this book. This book is recommended for anyone who enjoys ancient historical fiction, even if they are unfamiliar with this setting in particular. Although there are some battle scenes, descriptions avoid dragging on or being overly gory, so those who shy away from violent books should still consider giving this book a try.
******
The Fox
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Smart Love by Vincent Fudge II
