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A review by discarded_dust_jacket
Redwall by Brian Jacques
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- 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
How adorable!! I know I’m late to the party, considering this series has been around since the 80s and I’m just now hearing about it, but I understand why it’s been so popular.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Minor: War, Violence, and Death