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jwells's review against another edition
Moderate: Violence, Animal death, and Death
When the characters are anthropomorphic animals, do I tag for animal death, or just for death? Anyway, no humans in this book, but a high body count and some violent deaths. Genre typical for high fantasy; I'm only warning because it's a children's book and so many other reviews call it cute/light.cursed10fold's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Animal death
Moderate: Violence and War
amaranth_wytch's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Animal death, War, Violence, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Alcohol
moond4ncer's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Violence, War, Animal death, Death, Blood, Torture, Child death, Kidnapping, and Murder
lucario4224's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Moderate: Blood, Confinement, Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, and War
Minor: Grief and Murder
jaqylantern's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Violence and Death
nutmeginnz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Racism and Violence
discarded_dust_jacket's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The woodland characters are so charming and funny, the story progresses at a steady, easy pace that keeps the reader’s attention, and there’s something so satisfying about the writing style. It’s not overdone, but the imagery is still vivid. The dialogue is to-the-point while remaining dynamic. There are some books that are just easy to read, and this is one of them.
The ONLY thing that gave me a bit of pause (and this is likely a product of the time in which the book was written and not done intentionally or maliciously), was that most of the woodland creatures are given standard European-sounding names like Constance, Matthias, John, Jess, etc. But you’ll notice the rats, weasels, ferrets and other central antagonists of the story, are given names like Cheesethief, Killconey, Ragear, Redtooth, Mangefur, etc. This, along with the fact that the rats refer to their leader as “Chief” (a character who occasionally dons a war helmet topped with bird feathers), makes it seem like the villains were modeled after indigenous people.
Again!!! I don’t think this was done purposefully or with cruel intent, but it’s something I definitely noticed. You could even expand that to the sparrows, as well, who also have indigenous-sounding names like Bull, Warbeak and Dunwing; who are depicted as uncivilized, and speak in a blunt language like “Bull Sparra be wicked; bad temper. Best he thinks you no-harm mouse.”
There seems to be a clear distinction between the “civilized” races in this book and the “uncivilized,” brutish ones. And the latter are given traits most western readers would unconsciously associate with Indigenous people.
I think it’s important to criticize even (or maybe especially) our most beloved stories. It doesn’t need to mean we can’t still love them! But we have to be mindful, and acknowledge when we notice harmful elements, that’s all.
Minor: War, Violence, and Death
olma's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Violence, War, Animal death, and Death
knunderb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Gore and Death