Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
I hope the headline ‘Reynard’s Tale: Bedtime Story for Adults’ doesn’t make it sound like I am being sarcastic. Because I am not. The four stars out of five should be indication enough.
This illustrated book by Ben Hatke unfolded like a children’s bed time book, but for adults… in a good way. It’s the kind of book you can pick up when you’re in a bit of a reading slump, and neither have the time or motivation to invest time in a proper novel, yet the idea of a simple fantasy story sounds like a good way to wrap up a hectic day.
Reynard’s Tale follows a crafty fox, who is wanted by the king, but instead of heeding to the summons, he runs off an a wild adventure courting freedom, barmaids, mermaids, and even death. Because living life on the edge means being not too far way from the call of the underworld.
The simple pencil-like sketches accompanying each page of the book are expressive, engaging, and I absolutely loved them. It almost makes you feel like you’re reading a hand-drawn novel.
Reynard is a famous trickster fox from medieval European fables, an anthropomorphic being who often outwits those more powerful or influential than him. Ben Hatke gives this character a fitting tribute through this book, where the fox cheats death itself, maybe more than once.
If the idea of a bed-time fantasy tale for adults sounds intriguing, buy this book.
Rating: 4 on 5 stars.
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