Friday, August 16, 2013

The Too-Clever Fox (The Grisha #2.5) by Leigh Bardugo - Ashley's Review

Amazon | Goodreads | Tor.com

Title: The Too-Clever Fox
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Year Published: 2013

My The Witch of Duva Review

Synopsis: In Ravka, just because you avoid one trap, it doesn't mean you'll escape the next. 

This story is a companion folk tale to Leigh Bardugo’s upcoming novel, Siege and Storm, the second book in the Grisha Trilogy.

----------------------------------------

Review: After reading The Witch of Duva, I've been waiting for another Ravkan Folk Tale to tie in with the second book in the Grisha series. And Leigh Bardugo did not disappoint! Like The Witch of Duva, this story is free to read on Tor's website (link above). 

While reading Siege and Storm, I noticed that Alina often mentions that one of the other characters reminds her of the "Too-Clever Fox" from a story she heard as a child. Although we get the basics of the story in the book, it was really cool to be able to read the same story that Alina knows and to find out what exactly she means. After reading the folk tale, I can see how she would compare the character to the Too-Clever Fox. Plus, it just makes the world that much deeper and more colorful. 

I love short stories that give more information about minor characters or side events, but I think these folk tales are some of my favorite short stories. We don't really directly learn anything more about characters, but these stories really help increase the understanding of the world and the people in it. In this story, the Fox ends up getting caught in a trap he didn't see because he was too busy looking at the obvious answer. I can totally see how this story would serve as a warning to children - don't mistake a trap for something safe just because you think you have everything figured out. 

Like The Witch of Duva, this story was pretty straight-forward. If you pay close enough attention (and don't make assumptions that the Fox makes), I think it's pretty easy to figure out where the twists will come. It's educational and entertaining, and I'm really looking forward to reading another of these folk tales as the last book in the Grisha trilogy is released.

I would definitely recommend this story to anyone who has read any of the Grisha books, especially Siege and Storm. It will give you such a better understanding of a character we all know and love! And especially if you read The Witch of Duva and liked it. This story is in the same style, but I think it was even better.  Even if you haven't read any of the Grisha series, I think these folk tales are a great place to test the water and get your feet wet. Especially if you like folk tales. A 4/5 on this one from me! 


--Ashley

No comments:

Post a Comment