Reviews with content warning for Child abuse - Pax

I love foxes, they are my favorite animal next to cats. I can’t choose which one is the top one. I only saw the cover for this book and knew I wanted to at least own it. Then I bought it, read the summary, and knew that I was going to read it, and probably cry too. I’m a grown woman who still cries during that scene in The Fox and the Hound when Todd is being left in the woods. Just full on bawling. So just remember that as I continue this review.

Now I’m not one to dislike when there are two different POVs, and this was no different. I really liked how it was still in third person too because it helped to get into the mind of other characters while being focused on the POV in question. Like knowing some into Vola’s mind while in a Peter POV. I found it so interesting how different each POV was as well from each other. Not just because one was for Pax the fox and the other was for the boy Peter (but that was a main reason) but even the way that the voice in each one was different for me. Pax’s POV was very fast and wild in a sense, while Peter’s had more dialogue and emotions attached, delving into the characters psyche more than the foxes.

“Everything is broken. The fibers of the trees, the clouds, even the air is broken.”

This book was middle grade, so level wise very lower than the books I normally read, but I felt that it was wonderfully written. The looks of war, and how it can damage nature and how it takes effect on our children and veterans was, in my opinion, very well done. Pax helps to start a conversation in the conversation of war and the destruction of our forests and the animals that live there. I can honestly say that I am not one that is 100% war, or even really 50% pro-war. I can see in the past that it was needed (like in medieval times and such), but in our day and age it takes a lot for me to understand the reasons that we are fighting in certain areas. But that’s my opinion and this book helped me think about that more than I had before. A great discussion starter.

I am rating Pax 4.5 out of 5 stars because I loved the story, the fact that so many foxes were in it, and even how Peter worked so hard to not be like his father and the generational anger. I was just shocked that I didn’t cry during this book and I feel like if I had, had there been just a slight more emotion that made the tears flow, I would give this a full five stars. Nothing wrong with the book. Maybe I was just going into this book with too much...hope? of crying.

Now if you’ll all excuse me I’m going to go and order the second book now.

“I’ll always leave the porch door open, but you have to go.”

Gray was so quick to accept Pax into their group and I really like that. He knew that Pax wasn’t a threat and almost knew that he would need help getting into his wild side.

I THOUGHT RUNT WAS GOING TO DIE I WAS SO WORRIED I LOVE HIM HE'S MY SON

I really loved how Peter and Vola helped each other in ways that they didn’t think they needed. Peter learned a little more patience and how to think for others than himself. Taught him about the effects of the war on her and how the killing felt, because that’s not talked about a lot in books. And I like how Peter helped her to step out into the world more and put herself out there, even if she’s scared she’s a danger (I don’t think she is).

Just want to know the grandfather’s reaction to the note that Peter left and what he was thinking those days that his grandson was gone lmao

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