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davidvd's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
witzelsucht's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
As a massive, life-long fan of Watership Down, I probably should've read this sooner. Without doing down Horwood's originality, it's another story in which the British countryside becomes the setting for a sweeping epic, in which unassuming little animals have a complex social hierarchy, factions, customs, folklore, spirituality, and propensity for brutal violence.
I wish I liked the result more, though. For me, it doesn't reconcile its mythic ambitions with its cast of humble animals as successfully as Watership Down. While that book is my paragon of talking-animal texts, prophecies and deus ex machina and all, I wasn't a big fan of Duncton Wood's use of those devices. Characters wander into each other's lives led by vibes and mystical coincidences, without much connective tissue otherwise. The text tells us that their loves and loyalties are deep and profound, but these are preordained rather than earned through the interactions we see. The result does have an otherworldly appeal, but I'd have liked some more grounded motivations and relationships for the moles. This fatalism sucks the urgency and agency out of an already slow-paced story.
Duncton Wood sometimes gets mistaken for a children's book, and it's very much not. The characters are moles and that's where the cuteness ends. The moles are animalistic enough to be preoccupied with mating and producing litters, but anthropomorphic enough that this incurs a pretty strong degree of sexual violence, incest and infanticide. It's an adult fantasy book that just happens to star talking moles, and is more A Song of Ice and Fire than The Lord of the Rings, to which it's commonly compared. The writing can also be dense and abstract, and there's a lot of evocative but long-winded talk about landscapes, tunnels and weather. By halfway through I found myself skipping over paragraphs of these beautiful, bloated descriptions, which I never like to do.
Overall, it's not a perfect book, outstaying its welcome by a couple of hundred pages, but it's a vivid and memorable entry in the small niche of talking-animal xenofiction for adults. I gather that the later books are less rapey, but even longer and more religious, so I'm not sure I'll continue.
I wish I liked the result more, though. For me, it doesn't reconcile its mythic ambitions with its cast of humble animals as successfully as Watership Down. While that book is my paragon of talking-animal texts, prophecies and deus ex machina and all, I wasn't a big fan of Duncton Wood's use of those devices. Characters wander into each other's lives led by vibes and mystical coincidences, without much connective tissue otherwise. The text tells us that their loves and loyalties are deep and profound, but these are preordained rather than earned through the interactions we see. The result does have an otherworldly appeal, but I'd have liked some more grounded motivations and relationships for the moles. This fatalism sucks the urgency and agency out of an already slow-paced story.
Duncton Wood sometimes gets mistaken for a children's book, and it's very much not. The characters are moles and that's where the cuteness ends. The moles are animalistic enough to be preoccupied with mating and producing litters, but anthropomorphic enough that this incurs a pretty strong degree of sexual violence, incest and infanticide. It's an adult fantasy book that just happens to star talking moles, and is more A Song of Ice and Fire than The Lord of the Rings, to which it's commonly compared. The writing can also be dense and abstract, and there's a lot of evocative but long-winded talk about landscapes, tunnels and weather. By halfway through I found myself skipping over paragraphs of these beautiful, bloated descriptions, which I never like to do.
Overall, it's not a perfect book, outstaying its welcome by a couple of hundred pages, but it's a vivid and memorable entry in the small niche of talking-animal xenofiction for adults. I gather that the later books are less rapey, but even longer and more religious, so I'm not sure I'll continue.
fifithog's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
sian_hughes_jones's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
skylacine's review
5.0
People weren't kidding when they compared this to Lord of the Rings but with moles. This is some epic stuff. Great characters, great world-building, great epic journeys and themes. It's just overall a fantastic read.
If I could have one gripe it'd be that early on there's a bit too much telling and not enough showing, but it's a minor gripe all things considered.
Full review at: https://skybookcorner.blogspot.com/2024/03/book-review-duncton-wood-by-william.html
If I could have one gripe it'd be that early on there's a bit too much telling and not enough showing, but it's a minor gripe all things considered.
Full review at: https://skybookcorner.blogspot.com/2024/03/book-review-duncton-wood-by-william.html
maus652's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
You will never look at moles the same way again!
duriangray's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
irritablepowell's review
4.0
I first read Duncton Wood when it came out in 1980. I was 10 so there was no way I understood some of the content and themes, but I loved it and all the sequels.
Recently I felt inclined to re-read it, probably because 13 years of living in the desert has made me homesick for the British countryside. Duncton Wood certainly delivers on that count, perfectly evoking the passing seasons and the sights and scents of the woodland.
I had forgotten quite a bit of the story so it kept me entertained to the end. I'm not as head-over-heels in love with it as I was when I read it 41 years ago, so I have revised my rating from 5 to 4 stars. This is mainly because I picked up on 2 issues that passed me by all those years ago: firstly the thinly-veiled Christian allegory; and secondly the female characters are not as fully realised as the males.
On the whole though, I would recommend Duncton Wood if you like the British countryside and nature, epic quests, and sexy moles.
Recently I felt inclined to re-read it, probably because 13 years of living in the desert has made me homesick for the British countryside. Duncton Wood certainly delivers on that count, perfectly evoking the passing seasons and the sights and scents of the woodland.
I had forgotten quite a bit of the story so it kept me entertained to the end. I'm not as head-over-heels in love with it as I was when I read it 41 years ago, so I have revised my rating from 5 to 4 stars. This is mainly because I picked up on 2 issues that passed me by all those years ago: firstly the thinly-veiled Christian allegory; and secondly the female characters are not as fully realised as the males.
On the whole though, I would recommend Duncton Wood if you like the British countryside and nature, epic quests, and sexy moles.
julie_at_call_of_the_wind's review
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Although it uses a community of moles as characters toexplore relationships, it is also a very human e ploration of the possibilities of non-violence as a response to violence. It also uses standing stones as a way for the creatures to explore spirituality
laviaenrose's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0