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Reynard the Fox

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( 376 ratings, 94 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In medieval East Flanders, Reynard the Fox, an anarchic and witty aristocrat, faces trial at the court of King Noble the Lion, accused of crimes by rivals including Bruin the Bear and Isengrim the Wolf. This imaginative retelling of a beloved European folk tale, based on William Caxton's 1481 English translation, expands the original with fresh language and perspectives. Themes of protest, resistance, and cunning deceit are woven into the story of this charming anti-hero.
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Format: Hardback
$7100

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book will appeal to readers of historical fiction, fans of medieval literature and folklore, as well as those who enjoy complex, character-driven tales with themes of subversion and wit. It suits mature readers who appreciate rich language and nuanced retellings of classic stories.

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Reynard was once the most popular and beloved character in European folklore. Expanded with new interpretations, innovative language and characterisation, this edition is an imaginative re-telling of the Reynard story and as relevant and controversial today as it was in the fifteenth century.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Reynard the Fox features Reynard, a subversive, dashing, anarchic, aristocratic, witty fox from the watery lowlands of medieval East Flanders, who finds himself in trouble. Summoned to the court of King Noble the Lion, he is charged with various crimes and misdemeanours. The cunning Reynard must outsmart his accusers—greedy Bruin the Bear, pretentious Courtoys the Hound, and the dark and dangerous Isengrim the Wolf—to escape the gallows.

Once the most popular and beloved character in European folklore, as familiar as Robin Hood, King Arthur, or Cinderella, Reynard eloquently represented the voiceless and disenfranchised. At the same time, he entertained the elite, capturing hearts and minds across borders and societal classes for centuries.

Based on William Caxton's bestselling 1481 English translation of the Middle Dutch, this edition is an imaginative retelling of the Reynard story, enhanced with new interpretations and innovative language and characterisations. With themes of protest, resistance, and duplicity led by a personable, anti-heroic fox, this gripping tale remains as relevant and controversial today as it was in the fifteenth century.

"This is marvellously spirited and adroit storytelling and an exciting example of innovative translation. Anne-Louise Avery communicates throughout sheer pleasure in the material and luxuriates in its lexical exuberance. Adding mischievous contemporary twists, she has wonderfully refreshed and revivified the medieval collection and shows how these traditional animal fables, with their large and lively cast of characters and their wicked and seductive protagonist, have lost none of their truth-telling power." - Marina Warner

"Anne Louise Avery has done a new translation of the Caxton tale for the Bodleian Library, but has amplified the relatively brief traditional tales with her own prose... By all means, give this book to someone you love as a gift, but be sure to buy one for yourself. The immersive reading experience is lovely." - Jill O'Neill, Scholarly Kitchen

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Critics praise Anne Louise Avery's retelling as a masterful blend of scholarship and storytelling. Meghan Cox Gurdon from The Wall Street Journal calls it a "tour de force" rich in medieval language and lore. School Library Journal likens it to "Game of Thrones" meets "The Wind in the Willows," admiring its intricate medieval world and evocative prose. Jill O'Neill of Scholarly Kitchen highlights the immersive reading experience and Avery's skill in expanding the traditional tales with her own style.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781851245550

Publisher: Bodleian Library

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 16 October 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Bodleian Library

Illustration: 7 Illustrations, black and white

Audience: General / adult, Teenage

DIMENSIONS

Width: 145.0mm

Height: 200.0mm

Weight: 800g

Pages: 480

About the Author

Anne Louise Avery is a writer and art historian based in Oxford.

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