The Fox [Paperback]

I just finished reading The Fox and I have to say...it was truly great. I bought The Fox for my wife as a Christmas present even though this is not the genre she usually reads. She usually prefers more current/real-life type stories. I also don't normally lean toward the historical romance tilt either, but after reading the glowing reviews and listening to the overwhelmingly positive comments from others that had read the novel, I decided to take a leap of faith. Now we are book readers in our house, I'm talking small library here, so if a work is good it will be read, but it was still a chance on my part.

I wrapped the book up and placed it beneath the tree. When she opened it, she said that she liked it, but I could see from her expression that the jury was still out. I wanted to read the book, but since it was her present, I decided to wait until she read it first. On a trip out of town, I was scouring the house for something to read while away and she offered up The Fox. I snagged the book and hit the road. I was not able to finish reading the novel until I returned several days later. I can now say that the jury is most definitely in and they have found Arlene Radasky guilty in the first degree of writing an absolutely fabulous novel.

I dare anyone to read this novel and not cry by the time you've reached the end, I'm not talking sniffles here but a straight out boo-hoo. The story pulls the reader into the novel's world from the beginning, almost without the reader's knowledge.

The book was really great. I never cry when reading a book,never. But this one got me. I thought that the story was a good one, but for me the real beauty of the book is the way the author brought the reader into Jahna and Louvern's world, their day to day life making what would normally be ordinary into something extraordinary. I must say that I feel very privileged to have read The Fox and am glad that Arlene is continuing writing. I think that writing such as this makes the world a better place.

The Fox is a tale that tells two apparently very different stories that, by the end of the book, come together to show how communities and families are still affected by love, loss and hope in the same way, hundreds of years apart. The character of Jahna has a feisty spirit common with many modern heroines, but works within the bounds of the ancient society portrayed here to make her believable and likeable. Her 21st Century counterpart, Aine, is a more fragile character whose passion for archaeology gradually builds her self-esteem and we see her blossom as she learns lessons from her own life as well as those of the people whose artefacts she digs up.

The shared waking-dreams of these two characters creates an unusual bond between the two time periods that works well within the ancient Druidic lore explored here, bringing in elements of fantasy that are unobtrusive and appropriate. Echoes in the lives of both women reinforce the link; colours, smells and views all overlapping millennia apart.

Despite a tragic end to one part of the story, I finished the book feeling uplifted and positive. The second half of the book really races along once the scenes have been set and I couldn't set it down once I was into the last five chapters. I have come away with a desire to find out more about this period in history, feeling I have already learnt much from the story which has clearly been well-researched. A very enjoyable read all round.

I found Arlene Radasky's The Fox to be a compelling novel ... the characters were very realistic. The author did a fantastic job of going between historic periods in time ... I felt I was right there with many of the characters. I stayed up until 3AM to finish the book ... and was sad when I had to say goodbye to the story.