Play Little Victims

by Kenneth Cook

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Animal Fiction

88 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1978

About the author

Born 1929, died 1987. Kenneth Cook was a prolific Australian journalist, film director, screenwriter, TV personality and novelist. He is best known for his novel Wake in Fright, which became a modern classic and is still in print, and for his Killer Koala trilogy.

Reviews

[notgettingenough · Rating 3 out of 5]

To me this felt heavy handed, both the text and the pictures, done by his daughter. I dare say it would have read better in the late seventies, when it was written.

Still, it's interesting if for no other reason than to see such a different hat for Cook, from that he is wearing when he wrote Wake in Fright and Tuna. I am going to read all his books, he is under-rated to the point of no longer existing now. It's such a shame!

[Graeme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amusing tale which, through the use of anthropomorphic mice, illustrates mankind's stupidity.

All life on earth is wiped out by God, but he messes it up and two mice survive in an isolated valley.
The mice (Adams and Evemus) discover the abandoned books of mankind, from the Bible to nuclear physics. They see this as holy scripture and base all their decisions on what they read.

Amusing and horrifying at the same time.
The ending is brilliant, once you work out what it means. But it is not reavealed, rather alluded to.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and stark tale. Humorously horrifying!

[Chloe Maisey · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a bummer but it's brilliant

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. so many lessons for mankind. of course none we will take or learn.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting novella which acts as a social commentary around how humans are killing ourselves slowly. I loved this idea and think it was executed beautifully. The drawings within this book also add to the charm.

[Caroline Cassidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up from the school library when I was in Year 9. I thoroughly enjoyed it and many years later decided to search for it so I could read again. I had a long search but finally eBay came through and it was in my hot little hands!! I have reread it a couple times and gave it to my 11 year old son to read as it suits his reading style! He also enjoyed it. We then passed it on to our school librarian! Who also enjoyed it..

I loved the concept of the story, the names and the way these little mice approached and tackled the problems they faced by using the 'Word of Man' and a sort of expected ending!

Fabulous book!!!

[Evie Maiolo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great little book - its simplicity in telling a complex story still amazes me. Really encourages the reader to think about humanity by telling it how it is, from the seemingly naive and innocent viewpoint of the characters. I read this as a teenager, and it stuck in my mind so much I made a special effort to locate and buy it over 15 years later, so I could re-read it!

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little book full of humour and satire with a dark twist. A good insight into the world of man seen through the eyes of mice

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations really make it, in that they trivialize the horror of what's going on until it's too late not to finish. Loved that the ending wasn't explicit.