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auntblh's review
4.0
I was excited to have won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. This reminded me a little of Watership Down by Richard Adams except that humans (Dead Gods) were wiped out about 300 years prior. The rabbits and other animals were then able to establish their own religions and hierarchies. Everything is going well (or so it seems) until Anastasia is kicked out of her warren for her OCD traits. She is expected to be a glorified as a sacrifice to a Blessed One but events don't go as expected. The book explores religion (right or wrong), violence (right or wrong), families, and cooperation among other things. I liked how the animals cooperated with other species. I really liked that they used objects (including books) left by the Dead Gods. The names of some of the animals were interesting too. One trouble I had was that I couldn't quite figure out where it took place. I'm thinking it was in Canada (maybe near Quebec) since there were some French phrases and words (footnoted) used. I might be interested to read more if the series continues.
linda48's review
4.0
Disclaimer: I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
Set in the future near Montreal, catastrophic climate change has taken place (because pineapples do not currently grow in Canada) and human "gods" have disappeared. Animals roam the earth and rabbits are the docile prey to the "blessed ones", namely wolves, coyotes and other predators. That is until Anastasia, a rebel rabbit, refuses to accept the status quo and begins to fight against the rules.
An enjoyable read with a strong feminist (rabbit) character, who consistently break rules and refuses to accept the status quo.
Set in the future near Montreal, catastrophic climate change has taken place (because pineapples do not currently grow in Canada) and human "gods" have disappeared. Animals roam the earth and rabbits are the docile prey to the "blessed ones", namely wolves, coyotes and other predators. That is until Anastasia, a rebel rabbit, refuses to accept the status quo and begins to fight against the rules.
An enjoyable read with a strong feminist (rabbit) character, who consistently break rules and refuses to accept the status quo.
astrodon's review
2.0
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway.
I've never read Watership Down so I can't compare how they are alike or different. While this book is well written it was not for me. I had a very hard time keeping track of all the characters especially with how different their names were. There was a lot going on in each characters story line and I felt the need to keep notes as I read, which made reading this a chore. This book was just not for me.
I've never read Watership Down so I can't compare how they are alike or different. While this book is well written it was not for me. I had a very hard time keeping track of all the characters especially with how different their names were. There was a lot going on in each characters story line and I felt the need to keep notes as I read, which made reading this a chore. This book was just not for me.
art3mi5's review
3.0
Interesting concept. Gives me Animal Farm vibes. Wasn’t my favorite, but I won it thru a giveaway and I’m glad I gave it a chance. There’s a lot of French words, so I had to keep clicking (Kindle) to see what the meanings were and I found that annoying and distracting.
samplatinum's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
benevolentreader242's review
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
bethvalencia_'s review
3.0
Thanks to the author/publisher for the goodreads giveaway!
This was like Watership Down meets Handmaid’s Tale but somehow came out better than either one. A bunny refuses to conform to the social construct and starts a new world, forcing her society to re-evaluate everything they know. A loving leader, she doesn’t want or need the spotlight but her revolution is too needed and powerful for her to stand anywhere other than center stage.
I didn’t really expect to enjoy this as much as I did. I had a hard time at the start remembering which characters were who and honestly what kind of animal they were but as I got to know them better I found myself rooting for my favorites.
This was like Watership Down meets Handmaid’s Tale but somehow came out better than either one. A bunny refuses to conform to the social construct and starts a new world, forcing her society to re-evaluate everything they know. A loving leader, she doesn’t want or need the spotlight but her revolution is too needed and powerful for her to stand anywhere other than center stage.
I didn’t really expect to enjoy this as much as I did. I had a hard time at the start remembering which characters were who and honestly what kind of animal they were but as I got to know them better I found myself rooting for my favorites.
anastashamarie's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
EDIT: It's been almost a year since I read this and I've been thinking fondly on it which I think warrants a star-ranking promotion. Even though it's not my preferred subgenre, it's a solid read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Self harm, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, and Gaslighting
Minor: Alcohol
zoes_human's review
DNF at 22%.
The Good: Intriguing concepts. Post-apocalyptic anthropomorphic is something new and fascinating. Love the idea of the religion. Solid writing, for the most part, that flows well.
The Bad: Some parts of the dialogue are janky AF and don't read well. Sudden swings from classic prose that you might find in Watership Down into very modern slang are jarring to my mental ear. Also, there are some holes. Like, why the fuck would animals value human money in a post-apocalyptic setting? Why would a rat become a traveling salesman? The story just needed to give a little more for me to believe in the world. Last but not least, the metaphors and allegories are a bit too heavy handed.
The Good: Intriguing concepts. Post-apocalyptic anthropomorphic is something new and fascinating. Love the idea of the religion. Solid writing, for the most part, that flows well.
The Bad: Some parts of the dialogue are janky AF and don't read well. Sudden swings from classic prose that you might find in Watership Down into very modern slang are jarring to my mental ear. Also, there are some holes. Like, why the fuck would animals value human money in a post-apocalyptic setting? Why would a rat become a traveling salesman? The story just needed to give a little more for me to believe in the world. Last but not least, the metaphors and allegories are a bit too heavy handed.
aneides's review
3.0
3.5 *
Thanks to the author & publisher for this ebook I received in a Goodreads giveaway!
I feel compelled to share this information: I read Watership Down as an adult. It is a polarizing book, but I neither violently loved nor hated it--I liked it but thought it overlong. So now you know my track record on talking rabbit stories.
So, War Bunny, huh? I was both hopeful and skeptical about the premise of a book about rabbits fighting back against their divinely appointed predators.
* The first 2/3 or so of the book was good. Engaging. I had hoped for some allegory or modern parallels, but c'est la vie. The last bit of the book became stuck in a rut with no significant plot or character development. The story ends without any real conclusion. Yes, I know a sequel is intended, but every episode should have a feeling of completion.
* I suspect the author wrote this book specifically so it could be developed into a movie. It has that feel to it.
* There were so many characters that it was difficult to keep track of who was who, especially amongst the bunnies and rodents. Might have been nice if the author had standardized the names a bit better, as he did for the coyotes (all with French names).
* I could have done without the use of so much modern vernacular. This story is supposed to take place centuries in the future, long after the end of humans, and it feels a little gross to have a squirrel talking like a contemporary YouTube personality. It is, of course, inherently funny for animals to speak with a non-standard patois or accent, but it disrupts my suspension of disbelief and feels a bit pandering to have it be the vernacular of right now. (If it had been some kind of roman à clef that told a modern story, that would be a different matter.)
* I also wish there weren't footnotes with translations from (mostly) French. The superscripts are annoying and it makes me feel a bit condescended-to. I mean--if I don't know a word, I am perfectly capable of looking things up on l'Internet in this day and age. I am not a child who needs a vocab list.
Thanks to the author & publisher for this ebook I received in a Goodreads giveaway!
I feel compelled to share this information: I read Watership Down as an adult. It is a polarizing book, but I neither violently loved nor hated it--I liked it but thought it overlong. So now you know my track record on talking rabbit stories.
So, War Bunny, huh? I was both hopeful and skeptical about the premise of a book about rabbits fighting back against their divinely appointed predators.
* The first 2/3 or so of the book was good. Engaging. I had hoped for some allegory or modern parallels, but c'est la vie. The last bit of the book became stuck in a rut with no significant plot or character development. The story ends without any real conclusion. Yes, I know a sequel is intended, but every episode should have a feeling of completion.
* I suspect the author wrote this book specifically so it could be developed into a movie. It has that feel to it.
* There were so many characters that it was difficult to keep track of who was who, especially amongst the bunnies and rodents. Might have been nice if the author had standardized the names a bit better, as he did for the coyotes (all with French names).
* I could have done without the use of so much modern vernacular. This story is supposed to take place centuries in the future, long after the end of humans, and it feels a little gross to have a squirrel talking like a contemporary YouTube personality. It is, of course, inherently funny for animals to speak with a non-standard patois or accent, but it disrupts my suspension of disbelief and feels a bit pandering to have it be the vernacular of right now. (If it had been some kind of roman à clef that told a modern story, that would be a different matter.)
* I also wish there weren't footnotes with translations from (mostly) French. The superscripts are annoying and it makes me feel a bit condescended-to. I mean--if I don't know a word, I am perfectly capable of looking things up on l'Internet in this day and age. I am not a child who needs a vocab list.