Redwall: A Review of the Series

Talking woodland animals wielding swords and having extravagant feasts that you dare not read while you’re hungry…this is what I grew up on. Consisting of twenty-two books, this series is full of swashbuckling adventure, brave heroes, wise elders, menacing villains, fierce battles, action, mystery, and adorable young ones.

The Redwall books are centered around the Abby of Redwall, where an order of peace-loving mice dwell. However, at some point, various sly villains threaten Redwall and its safety. Then, a young hero rises up and goes on a quest and various adventures to defeat the bad guy.

The writing in these books is phenomenal. Yes, it’s a little dense and full of description, but Brian Jacques is a master wordsmith and his writing is full of energy and force. His characterizations are always strong and even though his stories are full of characters, you feel like you get to know them all and their personalities. He has a strong ear for accents and is great at writing them, although it can make the books hard to read at first, if you’re not used to it. The world-building is marvelous, filled with various cultures and history and a mysterious touch. The plots are relatively formulaic and follow the same pattern for mostly every book. That doesn’t mean every book is the same, though, since Jacques is able to mix elements and characters to create something that feels unique.

The characters generally fit into well-defined archetypes, and while they experience normal human (animal?) emotions and life, the books rarely delve into deep psychological issues or dwell on tough moral decisions or gray areas. Good and evil are clearly defined and there’s very little messing around. These are action-adventure stories, not dramas or character studies. It’s refreshing to read them after reading so many young adult and children’s series that are full of characters dealing with trauma, psychological issues, and tough situations and decisions with no clear answers.

The romances are sweet and clean. The books have a level of innocence and fun to them that makes them a relaxing read.

Concerns

The violence in these books is quite extreme for being a cute animal series. Descriptions of battles and fights are common and detailed. It’s tamer in the earlier books of the series, but I have been pretty shocked by some of the later books. So yes, be prepared for some gruesome scenes in these books, some of which are cringy and a bit disgusting. Like why would you seriously write that? kind of moments.

Also, verbal abuse is commonplace. Name calling and insults are hurled like tomorrow might not come. Your kid might have some colorful vocabulary after reading these.

I remembered the first time I picked up a Redwall book and how shocked and horrified I was at the persistent insulting and name calling. It took me awhile to warm up this series. And I still don’t fly with all the violence to this day. But most of it isn’t gratuitous, but rather the consequence of war and terrible situations. It’s mainly the occasional gratuitous moment that I don’t like.

That being said, this series has a lot going for it. The books are filled with exciting adventures and excellent role models and a bit of an old-school feel. The first fifteen books or so are definitely the best, and then the quality drops off slightly. However, I still immensely enjoyed the later books as well, just not as much.

Definitely check this series out. They are a lot of fun and would make great books to read aloud. However, you definitely have to be discreet with them, like you do with any book.

Links where you can buy: https://amzn.to/3ZV3d6S