Kirkus Reviews weighs in on Summerday, Book 2 in the War Bunny Chronicles:
“In St. John’s fantasy sequel set in the far future, prey animals prepare to take on predators in order to take control of the land.
Young rabbit Anastasia, known to her followers as Loving Auntie, has been told the wolves are coming for her people. In the previous novel, War Bunny (2021), she and two of her friends managed to kill a coyote—a vassal of the wolves—which was something completely unheard of among rabbit-kind, and this has sparked a rebellion among the rabbits, mice, and squirrels.
With courage, strength in numbers, and weapons, they fight against the predator animals that act as Landlords of the warrens. However, not all rabbits feel as Anastasia and her followers do—her own mother, Olympia, wishes to maintain the status quo to keep the peace, even going so far to try and poison her own daughter and hide spies in the camp. It would be tough enough for the prey animals to fight against the wolves alone, but in order to reclaim their power and show their might, the wolves of the Summerday clan have gathered parties of foxes, coyotes, and weasels to join their cause and hunt down those that would seek to upend the balance of power.
There is a long, hard road to freedom ahead, but there’s a chance the rabbits and their Free Army may find a safe haven and further hope of holding out against what’s coming in a bunker left by long-dead humankind. More types of animals are flocking to the prey-animal rebellion, and they may be small in stature, but they’re mighty in spirit—but do they truly stand a chance? This second book in the Warbunny chronicles is a direct sequel, and it’s recommended that interested readers should read the inaugural installment first.
In this dystopian future, animals have not only taken over the world, but are even able to speak and make weaponry. The characters have an intriguing mix of animal characteristics, such as nuzzling and nipping, and humanlike ones—including Landlords and Tenants, their own religion, and, in Anastasia’s case, appears to be a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Although the use of animal characters might make this seem like a juvenile novel to the uninitiated, it includes material that seems aimed at a slightly older audience, including a coyote group known as “Clan Bastard,” as well as a mix of French- and Latin-language terms, defined in footnotes.
Although the animals’ fight against those in power makes for a compelling read on its own, those that read more closely will find remarkable highlights of how the animals have adapted human interests and terms; one squirrel, for instance, teaches “Oga for Young Goats,” which he learned from a ripped-up old human book that was titled Yoga for Kids. This mix of elements may not appeal to all, but those that get into the spirit of the tale will find themselves enjoying the ride.
An animal-centered dystopian novel with a thrilling adventure narrative and quirky anthropomorphic additions.” – Kirkus Reviews
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| Summerday Book 2 | See all stores | “Inventive and engaging” – Readers’ Favorite, 5 Stars |
| City of Oom Book 3 | See all stores | New Release! New adventures are calling |
Christopher St. John 