Beyond Acacia Ridge

by Amy Clare Fontaine

Straggletail is the lowest-ranking female hyena in the Eastern Plain Clan, the punching bag. Glossycoat is the clan’s princess, destined to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become the matriarch. When the two hyenas form an unexpected alliance, they set off on a perilous journey in search of the place where the sun goes at night. They meet strange creatures, brave the forces of nature, and grapple with their own worst fears. Will they find the sun, or will they find something more?

Genres: Fiction

74 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 6, 2019

Reviews

[Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beyond Acacia Ridge is a very sweet story with a message we could all likely use to hear. An enjoyable furry read for all ages.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

What stands out in this short, sweet story is the hyena behaviour. These aren't just furry humans, or dogs in disguise; the author has studied her species and it shows. For people who want something a bit like The Lion King, but more hyena-y.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. Short but sweet, heart-warming, adventurous and encouraging all at once!

[Jellybean · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this story suffers from janky pacing and some mediocre character writing, I still find the overall story it had to tell enjoyable. The author's extensive knowledge of realistic hyena behavior also lends it a unique and sometimes educational edge. That alone, combined with the short length, makes it worth a read in my eyes.

[Mary Lowd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very sweet coming-of-age story about two young hyenas.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute short story about hyenas finding love and breaking clan rules for the better.

More stories should be written about hyenas. Just sayin’ .

[Lone Wolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short story rather than a novel – the book is very small, basically pocket-sized. It tells the tale of two young spotted hyenas, Glossycoat and Straggletail. They are at opposite ends of the hierarchy, but both feel oppressed by their positions and long for something different. Together, they leave the clan and go in search of the place where the sun goes at night.

I liked seeing hyenas portrayed as the good guys for once, and they are presented fairly realistically (though it is suggested that they are monogamous and fall in love). I disliked that they used human terms and slang – a wild animal proclaiming something to be “cool” was particularly jarring – but this was an enjoyable read. I’d like to see a longer version!

[Michael Miele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beyond Acacia Ridge was a wholesome adventure that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I feel like I learned a good deal about hyena behavior from Amy's descriptions and her knowledge and expertise definitely shines through. Straggletail is a protagonist that echoes feelings of inadequacy and seeing her grow during the arcs of the story was lovely. My biggest complaint is that the ending conflict didn't feel quite natural with the pacing of the story up to that point. Would recommend to people who love hyenas or some soft lesbian romance!