Reynard the Fox

by Anne Louise Avery (Adapter), William Caxton (Source material)

Reynard - a subversive, dashing, anarchic, aristocratic, witty fox from the watery lowlands of medieval East Flanders - is in trouble. He has been summoned to the court of King Noble the Lion, charged with all manner of crimes and misdemeanours. How will he pit his wits against his accusers - greedy Bruin the Bear, pretentious Courtoys the Hound or dark and dangerous Isengrim the Wolf - to escape the gallows?

Reynard was once the most popular and beloved character in European folklore, as familiar as Robin Hood, King Arthur or Cinderella. His character spoke eloquently for the unvoiced and disenfranchised, but also amused and delighted 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, but expanded with new interpretations, innovative language and characterisation, this edition is an imaginative retelling of the Reynard story. With its themes of protest, resistance and duplicity fronted by a personable, anti-heroic Fox making his way in a dangerous and cruel world, this gripping tale is as relevant and controversial today as it was in the fifteenth century.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Classics, Folklore, Animals, Retellings, Historical

480 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Born in London to bohemian parents - her mother was a novelist and her father a journalist who worked with Ian Fleming and Graham Greene in Naval intelligence during the War – Avery received a First Class degree in art history at SOAS. She then held a fellowship at Brown, and studied Japanese at ICU University in Tokyo, before becoming an art historian and writer.

Reviews

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Reynard the Fox" is by far my favorite book of 2020. I thought it might be a bit twee, which is OK with me, but underneath the thousand year old story with all the cute and comic animal stuff, the bouncy sentences, there is a lot of hard-earned, tough-learned truth about human weakness. And it was the truth of how power corrupts that prompted Goethe in 1792 to draft a retelling. I want everyone to read Avery's retelling, largely based on Caxton's English translation from the Old Dutch in 1481. How the fox escapes the enormous bear with promises of honey, and fox next distracts the vicious cat from arresting him with irrisistible descriptions of crispy mice fritters...ancient anthropomorphic stories that are still amusing on one level, and all too true about people's weaknesses today...beyond that, Avery's vivid descriptions of Flanders make the book worth reading just for the evocative landscapes alone, with enchanting place names like Kriekeputte, Rupelmonde and Maleperduys, often a mashup of Old French and Old Dutch. (There really is a city named Kriekeputte, I checked on Google.) She has clearly studied the countryside up close. Above all it is the language that is the most remarkable thing about the book. Avery uses a lot of antiquated vocabulary, that both sounds funny and makes sense even if you have never heard the words before. A scholarly glossary, attributed to Reynards's erudite wife Hermeline, defines such words as "Bourd: to jest (F;1303)" and "Bowse: to drink to excess for goodfellowship (E/D; c. 1300)." Understanding, perfectly, an ancient word that you the reader never heard before is what makes the climax of this charming, quaint story laugh out loud funny....Avery did her homework in the Bodleian Library assiduously. The book is beautifully produced by that same Bodleian Library press, with a ribbon bookmark. Light a candle, brew some tea, and immerse yourself in a little magic.

[Liv Forster · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t remember the last time I enjoyed a book this much, and I honestly can’t fault it. It captures you the moment you open it, with the mystical and poetic storytelling that is light, tense, funny and dark all at once. I caught myself laughing out loud at times (which I have only ever done when I read the Princess Bride). Anne L Avery has such a way with language and reinventing complex characters that are timeless. What a weird and wonderful re-telling of folklore.

[Johanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a most scholarly work. The level of research shines from it. Anne Louise Avery certainly knows her subject and their world, it is a tour de force. I felt totally immersed in the world.
That's not to say that it is dull and worthy, far from it. This is a brilliant story, told by a real scholar. I was drawn into the world of Reynard's Flanders, I felt the sun on my back and the dust under my feet as I joined the characters on their travels. The descriptions of food were magnificent, my mouth watered and I could almost taste the soft white bread and the thick cream.
I particularly liked the female characters - Gente, who would have made a much better ruler than Noble; Hermeline, who keeps Reyanrd from his worst excesses; and Rukenawe, who is the wisest of all and reminded me of a cross between Margaret Rutherford and Alistair Simm in the St Trinian films!
The best thing for me is the use of language. Anne Louise Avery has a beautiful turn of phrase which is bewitching and breathtaking. I can only aspire to write a fraction as well as her.
All in all, a real joy. Highly recommended.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a delight. It is a retelling of a medieval tale. A rich feast of words and phrases and the sentences are as smooth as silk but yet precise. I enjoyed the food descriptions and the observations of character - everyone lies.

It reads as a morality tale yet confronts modern sensibilities. Reynard provides some surprising insights:

"Complexity, ambiguity and the continual pull between God and the flesh - that is our lot on this earth."

"You know, Grimbart, sometimes when I am alone, I have a special grace bestowed upon me, and I climb in high lofty contemplation above God's commandments, like a hawk soaring above the sea."

I especially enjoyed the early scenes when Reynard is being summoned by the king's messengers to no avail until his friend volunteers for the task. I like the theme of kin and friendship in this book. I highly recommend.

[Karen Witzler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The heart of summertime - lush descriptions of the natural world and the food - highly realized characters whom Anne Louise Avery has reclaimed for us from another time and place. Wonderful retelling and my favorite book of this year, it made for a stellar slow life-affirming read aloud.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read Reynaert multiple times in different versions.
Really enjoyed this fantastic tale of Reynard the Fox.
A.L. Avery did thorough research and layered the story with a multitude of references.
Deep layers.
Very funny.
Well written. Rich language.
Captured the Flemish flavor very well. I guess somebody has been traveling through Flanders eating and drinking whilst doing research.

Epic court scenes ! The trickster Reynard anticipates very well the famous art 71 of the Belgian Criminal Law : "Artikel 71 van het Strafwetboek schrijft voor dat er geen sprake is van een misdrijf wanneer de beklaagde op het tijdstip van de feiten leed aan een geestesstoornis die zijn oordeelsvermogen of de controle over zijn daden heeft tenietgedaan, of wanneer hij gedwongen werd door een macht die hij niet heeft kunnen weerstaan."


Definitely a must read.

Curious what our friends of the http://www.reynaertgenootschap.be will write in their review.
Enjoy.

[Sarah Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had read Anne Louise Avery’s wonderful daily tweets and bought this. It’s radically different as the tweets are beautiful vignettes and Reynard the Fox is a long tale (! ). It took me a bit of time to adjust to the rhythm of the book- which has a series of quite long set scenes and speeches . But I did adjust and the whole is completely beguiling there’s a wonderful sense of who must have known these stories and this culture - Chaucer, Shakespeare and beyond. I learned a lot.

[Cherie M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anne Louise Avery has woven a bit of Chaucerian magic into her retelling of Reynard the Fox and his fabled compatriots. The ginger-furred cover art, richly hued Flanders map endpapers, fox-brown satin bookmark, fine cream paper, and Dante font design transform the physical book itself into a sensory delight. But the real enchantment comes from the lush prose, a medieval tale made fresh and vibrant through the author’s clever and imaginative interpretation. Reynard remains a witty rapscallion. Pour a glass of clary, grab a handful of hindberries, curl up in a cozy hurnes, and let this wily fox beguile you from the tip of his nose to the chape of his tail.

[Candace Robb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this slowly over a month, savoring every bit. The language and the characterizations are sublime. The animals reveal us. Highly recommend!

[Rachel Lakian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily my favorite book of 2022.

[Jessica DMJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a long-time fan of Avery's wonderful Twitter page, where she tells magical tales of animals and their little lives. As soon as she posted the links to her new book, I ordered it.

In short, the book met all my expectations—it had Avery's usual whimsy and wit. It's just over 400 pages of beautiful writing, filled with lots of late medieval references, themes, and motifs.

This is one of my favourite books I've read in 2020. It was a refreshing and comforting read in midst of a tremendously difficult year.

If you're a reader wary of violent scenes, then you may want to stay away from this book. Avery is vivid and precise with scenes of both peace and violence.

To be honest, I didn't know anything about the literary cycle of Reynard the Fox, but you don't need to in order to read this. Of course, if you're familiar with it, you'll understand a lot more of the references.

Avery retells the tale of Reynard with her unique grace and flair. She encapsulates a medieval mood for a modern audience, making the book read like an illuminated manuscript that was previously lost to the world.

[Joel Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly a fascinating story set in the animal kingdom of medieval Flanders. The wonderous array of personalities ascribed to the various animals put many smiles on my face as I read the story. The depth of depravity is highly reflective of our human condition. The stories make you question the integrity of every character and wonder, is anyone true? Are the only heroes the ones who find a way to survive? Full of church history, fun language things and delicious-sounding lists of food (plus some beheadings and gouged eyeballs), this was an enjoyably wild book.

[Sohnia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely riveting read. Reynard is SO terrible yet brilliant and charismatic. It is so clear how his character has been the blueprint for thousands of multi-faceted, Machiavellian figures in literature and film.

[Bjørn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no faintest clue how to review this jewel. It's EVERYTHING. So far I came up with special choreography for the interpretative dance review, still need the right music, though. RTC (maybe)

[Aida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully written, a great tale of good vs bad.

[Jadie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great, though not what I expected! I was thinking this would be an adult fable retelling akin to Redwall. There were definitely some Redwall vibes (see the rich-lush-descriptions shelving), but I was not prepared for the graphic descriptions of violence which wrenched me way out of fond, dreamy woodland-creatures-enjoying-feasts nostalgia. Avery's storytelling is really masterful, especially in creating a true anti-hero out of Reynard. You really don't want to root for him, but you do nonetheless. Or maybe you really do want to root for him, but you can't. Either way, I was transported to woodland, fantasy Flanders and fully immersed in Reynard's wily cunning and antics.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a big fan of fairy tales, but I am a sucker for anthropomorphic animals. Sometimes just making a stuffed animal talk in a New York accent can keep me giggling for hours. But Anne Louise Avery is a master of blending human traits and animal habits to come up with characters you are sad you cannot know in real life.

Based on tales told in Flanders of a wiley fox who lies and cheats and steals and always comes out unscathed, Avery takes advantage of Low Country lore to outfit her wolves, bears, lions, sheep, chickens. Rabbits, badgers, and cats in clothes befitting their positions as merchants, scholars, or rogues. Outfits are described in language that could be as properly used in a museum displaying costumes designed to impress. The various cities, forests and rivers in Flanders define this legendary world. Feast days provide Avery a chance to lovingly detail food, decorations, costumes, and diversions and parades in exquisite detail. And she is constantly throwing a knowing aside our way.

Avery also acknowledges the violence between species that must prey on one another, and readers may recoil at some of the punishments meted out -- when pelts are skinned off or eyes are plucked out. It is the animals' acceptance of the violence inherent in their positions that Avery seems to accept as the price of elevating a scoundrel to a position of reverence, and thus reminding us that "fairy tales" can be very multi-layered and prone to varied interpretations.

[Karen Kohoutek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my most-anticipated book of the year, given that I'm a huge fan of Avery's short stories told on Twitter, and I was not disappointed at all. I was vaguely aware of Reynard as a name from old-time folk tales, but had no idea how influential and long-running the stories were, or that they were basically epic poems from the Middle Ages. Anyway, this new version is beautifully written, and surprisingly philosophical. It's very unusual to see stories with anthropomorphic animals that actually grapple with the morality of animals being sentient and human-like, but also having the instincts and natures of actual animals, but that's central to the stories. So Reynard, while a charming and very likeable anti-hero, does commit what would be terrible acts when judged by human morality, but would be perfectly normal and expected for a fox. These stories don't shy away from these conundrums, but use them to reflect on human nature, and how we relate to each other in a society. What's a crime for an individual isn't a crime when committed by the state, for example, and the rich can do all sorts of dodgy things that the poor are hanged for. It also reflects the struggle between self-preservation and a communal greater good. There are heart-warming parts, and brutal violence, and very funny satire. Each chapter is set on a specific date, corresponding to a saint's feast day, and I'm considering re-reading it next summer, on the dates.

[Steven Batty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only found out about this book via the Dan Jones History, Etc Substack page when he featured it in a piece about outlaws.

The tale of Reynard the Fox is a wonderful read and never gets dull. I can highly recommend adding this to your collection.

I've no doubt that this will end up being my book of 2022.

[KazanStar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

[Moth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful retelling, a new classic. Gory, in places, yes, but also very moving and complex. Loved it.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This is the best book I have read in a long time! The language is rich and flavorful, the story full of humor, excitement, and dread. The world of Reynard is fascinating, fun, yet also a bit sinister. I fell in love with Reynard, while being a bit scared of him at the same time. I wish Goodreads allowed ratings higher than 5 stars: on a scale of 1-5, I give this a 7.

[Sarah Meehan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gorgeous, sumptuous retelling of the tales of Reynard. The language and detail conjures wonderful images of the landscape, the architecture and the court. One of my best books of 2020.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful, thrilling rendition of the Raynard tales. Simply perfect.

[tonia peckover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful Old World folk tale with the charming, wily, not-so-tame Reynard the Fox escaping from his troubles with the powers that be (King Noble, the lion) and his natural enemies the wolf and the bear. Alternately dark and funny, with gorgeous descriptions of food, clothes, and interiors, deliciously updated intelligent and useful female characters, and a wonderful vocabulary, along with some not so subtle observations about power, corruption, and hypocrisy. Beautifully done.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Delightful & elegant retelling, unique. I enjoyed the beautiful evocative language (& footnotes & glossary- I adore the scholarship) tremendously. Lovely poetic descriptions of the landscape, the clothes, food, & the eccentric characters. But warning- also quite a bit of violence -it’s a dangerous world for our animal friends… ‘fickle and cruel as the sea.’ So a little darker than what I expected given the author’s other work which has been more heartwarming.

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Medieval tale I’d not come across before. All the animals have a very human side to them. I ended up with a certain respect for Reynard, who, frankly, gets away with several murders. I love Ann Louise Avery’s use of English. Looking forward, very much, to her next book.

[Shay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Has a similar writing feel to The Once and Future King, as well as Redwall but for adults—I was tempted to read it like I would a Redwall novel, but the morals are decidedly much greyer (or red, for there is a lot of blood), and needed the occasional reminder that our hero is not really a hero.

Reynard is called an ‘anti-hero’ but he’s a hero only to himself, for he truly is a bad fox who wins his way through lying and manipulating and being clever in the most charming of ways. This is a medieval satire of violence, corruption, instinct, and the social ideas of the time. Witty characters, glorious food descriptions, stories within stories within stories, and excellent usage of old language and research by Avery (there’s footnotes!)

[Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reynard's medieval animal courtiers' understandable preoccupation with staving off hunger results in Avery's delectable descriptions of sumptuous foods, which keep spilling forth from this literary cornucopia. It's filled with roasted swan and capon, millefeuille, "sweet yellow Eindhoven butter shaped like fen flowers", veal and eel pies with flaky crust, marzipan lions - so this is part fox fable, part culinary adventure. The hardback is lavishly topped with a velvety smooth chocolatey brown cover in which floats a wonderful 17th century head of a fox. And a 16thc map of Flanders on the flyleaf. What's not to love?!

[Paulette · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Reynard the Fox” is a wonderful retelling of the medieval tales of a trickster fox in a kingdom of animals. Anne Louise Avery deftly presents this world in rich language, well-defined characters, and clever asides. The author immerses the reader in the story while still retaining a sense of the time and place of the original. I loved her use of wonderful forgotten but delightfully descriptive words like courtling, glavering, moil, and snepe in a tale that begs to be read aloud. Beautiful storytelling.