A Taste for Rabbit

by Linda Zuckerman

In the tradition of WATERSHIP DOWN comes a brilliant novel about foxes, rabbits, and the cold calculation that leads to war.

Imagine a world in which there are no people, but foxes are civilized. They wear clothes, they fight, they elect corrupt officials. They eat all kinds of things, but only lower orders with limited brainpower. Like mice. Or rabbits.
Now imagine that one day the rabbits disappear, and slowly develop their OWN society away from the foxes. What happens when the two societies once again collide? A TASTE FOR RABBIT is a brilliant, piercing look at Harry the Fox, Quentin the Rabbit, the price of honor, and the "animal" parts of human nature.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Novels, Middle Grade, Fiction, Animal Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

310 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2007

About the author

Linda Zuckerman grew up in Brooklyn and has lived in the Pacific Northwest for almost fifteen years. She has been a children's book editor for more than forty years on both coasts, having held executive editorial positions at several major publishing houses. Linda is the editor of three books that were awarded the Caldecott Medal and two that received Newbery Honor citations. I Will Hold You 'Til You Sleep is her first work as an author. She lives with her husband, an artist, near Portland, Oregon.

Reviews

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com

As a world is wreaked with havoc, two unlikely heroes emerge in order to find peace and unity before the problem goes too far.

The story takes place in the woods where both rabbits and foxes are civilized creatures, with their own government, attire, and entertainment. In the beginning, both species lived together. However, the rabbits had gone off since the foxes were more like predators and they were the prey.

Years later, a winter storm comes to destroy most of the food supply in the woods. What's the answer in replenishing what was lost? For the fox's government, which is led by a corrupt politician, it would be rabbit. Of course, the foxes haven't preyed on the rabbits for a while now, and doing so would only lead to an all-out war.

Harry, a fox, is elected by his government official brother, Issac, to go survey an area supposedly filled with rabbits. Na�ve to what is truly going on in his government, Harry is about to embark on a path full of betrayal, deceit, and corruption.

Quentin, a rabbit, is aware of the problems the rabbit colony is currently facing - mainly, the vanishing of rabbit families. But Quentin is not too fond of the new laws and limits that the rabbit government is starting to apply, and to him the strict army is just pushing it. Wanting to run away from his colony, little does Quentin know that the government was only trying to protect them.

Two characters from two different worlds, set on a path with two different agendas only to discover that there is only one way to finding peace in their colonies.

Told in alternating points of view, A TASTE FOR RABBIT gives us an inside look at corrupt governments, rebels, and a world so imaginative and yet so real that it makes us think it could possibly happen. Fast-paced and action-packed, the story is wonderfully written and easy to read.

The novel aids in showing us that not everything is as it seems and that sometimes we need to take a step back and fully understand the situation in order to assess it.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best way for me to describe this book is if Disney's Zootopia didn't go with the whole "they eat bugs" concept for explaining the carnivores' food source and instead kept the predator/prey angle intact. This is a world where animals can talk, but just some of them, all of them mammalian. There are talking foxes, weasels, badgers, and raccoons in this book and they say that wolves and ermine can also talk.

There are also rabbits. Some rabbits are eaten and it's as unnerving as you would think.

"But you can't use a sentient creature for food! It's disgusting."
"Rabbit is rabbit. Whether it talks or reads or thinks or sings is completely irrelevant!"

This was a really fun story with some political allegories baked into the mix. Some of the characters were a bit too one-dimensional (We are treated to several flashbacks and some of the main bad guys were just always rotten, even in youth) but there was something unique to be had and I'm thankful to have read this.

My favorite character in this ended up being Gerald the weasel, who is wrapped up in the big rabbit meat smuggling scheme but isn't too happy about how it affects his morals. He's still complicit in his crimes, but the way he reacts to it is refreshing. It's fun having a bad guy who realizes what they're doing is wrong but is okay with being disgusted with their own actions if it means being financially secure.

[The Book Sale Scrounger · Rating 3 out of 5]

"A Taste for Rabbit" is a book whose premise is more tantalizing than the actual storyline itself. Rabbits who fight moral and political corruption by going against the system somehow tied into the sibling rivalry between two foxes in an entirely different neck of the woods is interesting yet is portrayed in an average, strictly-sticking-to-facts manner. We don't get much of a glimpse into the world of our anthropomorphic cast asides from the "Look, they're just like humans except everything is replaced with the names of venison and plants!" trope that exists in most media dealing with humanized animals. This is not to imply that there is some fault with the story itself; rather, it is average as far a fantasy novel goes. Everything seems to exist solely for advancing the plot - Harry (our main fox protagonist) comes across something that changes his course, a certain character appears solely to add to the "mystery" and convinces Harry to do X. Oh, and make no mistake, the book does try to perpetrate some sort of mystery involving the disappearance of rabbits, where it really should have just stuck to world exploration - Zuckerman seems to have a flair for describing fantasy environments, whenever the plot will allow her to do so, and I personally think that it would have made for a more interesting novel that way. While I will say that I didn't know the nature of the mystery until it was presented to me - it's not the type of book that will drop hints and allow for you to solve the mystery yourself - it's presented in such an anticlimatic manner that you aren't allowed to see the information as some sort of huge revelation. So some characters aren't exactly what they seem. Big shock.

Another fault is found in the characters themselves, most specifically Harry. I don't find much of a problem in Quentin the rabbit, the typical shy character turned hero. He succeeds in achieving his goals, and by the end of the book, has a new set of goals that are agreeable enough. Harry is initially introduced as our protagonist and the story follows his journey to find a rabbit colony on his brother's insistence. He keeps thinking back on his days as a child, when his parents were alive and his brother young, sometimes regretting his decisions and sometimes wondering what could be done differently. He has dialogues that he fabricates while searching for the colony that completely shatter the mood of whatever moment he finds himself in. They are ridiculous and go somewhat along the lines of "Hey, if I were young, I'd take care of my brother more. HIS MOTHER) Harry, you are so kindhearted. Such a young, shining example of a boy! HARRY) Oh, it's no trouble, mother. I love my brother and support him through this hard time!" They come off as completely corny and unnecessary. Then, mysteriously, after this build-up of his character, Harry's significance dissipates as the book focuses on Quentin more heavily. It's very dissatisfying to see a character built up, to have the reader think that he might have a chance against toppling the evil reign of his politician brother, and then not only forget about him, but have him the center of an anticlimactic battle in which his brother beats him up with a cane, tells him everything that the story thinks that you might have forgotten, and runs off into the woods. All in with about three pages. You get a few chapters between Quentin's heroics where we see Harry walking and thinking and occasionally meeting other characters, but it's all very plot-oriented and not anything interesting. Quentin's bashing the brains out of his childhood bully who sold the bodies of his best friend's family as food for a quick buck. Harry's leg is swollen. It's a complete letdown. Not to mention that, in an effort to tie up loose ends, Harry almost gets killed again in a case of mistaken identity. It makes me kind of wonder if Zuckerman just got tired with Harry after a while, because it's certainly what it feels like.

Another minor thing I feel the need to point out is the dialogue. It feels stifling. A good example is the fact that the premise is built around foxes not knowing that rabbits have become sentient, and vice versa - yet the foxes and wolves who talk to one another have conversations that boil down to "You don't smell like a rabbit. This is strange to me, it is as if my world outlook has changed. Anyway, can you direct me to the next plot point?" And when this isn't happening, there's an antagonist spilling their guts on everything the reader must know about behind the scenes happenings - even if you just finished reading about it a few chapters ago. Or a character talking to themselves so they, god forbid, don't have to have an interesting conversation with the other character overhearing them.

I know it sounds like I'm ragging on this book, but in truth, I still think it's worth a read. I am aware that reading a book based on what it could have been is ludicrous, but it genuinely well written when Zuckerman gives thought to building up the scenery and not solely advancing the story. The world, though it could have benefited from fleshing out, does have the potential for the emergence of interesting cultures. The book definitely ends as if it anticipates a equal, and if it turns out that there is one, I'd read it. I just hope some of these aforementioned problems are fixed.

[Lilly #2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! The plot was nice, although it took a while to get started. However, that allowed for us to get a better look into the characters! I thought that the story and world were nicely made, it was super interesting! I will definitely want to re-read this sometime in the future.

[Jocelyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I actually didn't finish this book - perhaps I will at some point. I didn't like the way the characters were animals, but for no reason. There was barely anything animalistic about them. They lived in towns, wore clothes, and ate people food. The story would have changed little if the characters were people or imaginary beings. I'm more into animal characters that are actually animals, like Watership Down (arguably my favorite book). So, maybe the story gets interesting later, but halfway through the book... yawn.

[Bernard Voss · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun book. It has something of a noir feel. The writing is direct with minimal description. The setting and story were interesting. One of the unique things about this book is that the animals are fluidly anthropomorphic. In one moment, they discuss government and business. In the next, they dig up mice with their bare paws and eat them whole. It made for enjoyably surreal reading.

I wish that had remained consistent. If this had been a story where the characters are really wild but depicted anthropomorphically, the lack of fuller explanation would have worked. The reader would realize that the animals are not really intelligent but only being portrayed that way in order to tell their story in human terms. But because the story eventually makes clear that the animals are really anthropomorphic (their sentience becomes a matter of explicit discussion among them), I was left wanting an explanation for the world.

That is one aspect in which I feel that the book didn't live up to its true potential. How do these two civilizations live within apparent easy walking distance of each other and yet remain essentially ignorant of each other? How did these particular species develop intelligence? What is the bigger picture of their political situation? Even in the opening pages, I felt it would have been better to indicate to the reader clearly what level of technology is present in the world.

I think the lack of world building occasionally dulled the emotional impact of the story as well. Because it's not sufficiently clear how the characters fit into the bigger picture, there are times when the stakes don't feel high as high as it's clear that they're meant to feel. The understated style doesn't help in these situations.

The setting and story are good enough that a sequel could remedy some of these problems. If a subsequent book explained how the events of this book fit into a larger drama, it could be very satisfying.

[Tovi · Rating 5 out of 5]

To start off, this book is by far one of the best I've ever read. The way the author sorts the chapters leaves you at temporary cliff-hangers whilst reading the other characters' points of view. The story begins with the introduction of both heroes and their problems. Harry the fox ventures out into the woods searching for a lost rabbit colony. Quinten the rabbit ventures out with his friends in hopes of joining the rebels and stopping the overly restrictive rabbit government. Along the way, both animals face many problems before running into each other. As they realize their problems are connected, they must hurry and stop a disturbing crime from continuing any longer! One highlight of the book, in my opinion, is just how realistic the characters are. Sometimes even the main characters will act in rude or selfish ways, and when in a dangerous situation will act cowardly and give in. The only minus about this book is how it hasn't been given a sequel and was left on a very big cliffhanger.

[Louis Romano · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son read this for a class assignment when he was fourteen. He loved it and so I went ahead and read it also. I’m only disappointed that a sequel hasn’t been written yet. The story is so intriguing. There are two different communities whose citizens are unaware of each other but whose governments are collaborating with each other. One is a community of foxes and the other is a community of rabbits. Each side has heroes and villains. The heroes are delightful. At the end the brave and the intelligent from both sides have to join together in order to defeat their wicked leaders. It’s a fun story which I really enjoyed.

[Kessiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite YA books. It’s like Watership Down, but less dense. And it’s like Redwall, but more dystopian. I would recommend this book to kids 13+, mostly for somewhat graphic descriptions of animal violence. But a very interesting story, much different from the usual young adult fare. And it’s a shorter, one-shot novel that’s not as intimidating as a series or giant brick of a book, so kids who aren’t as avid of readers might be more inclined to read it. No matter who you are, the story will probably stay with you for years, as it did me. Hence why I had to search it out and read it again ten years later

[CharlyyGentlePhoenix · Rating 2 out of 5]

Des animaux humanoïdes font la queue pour des denrées alimentaires, c'est la pénurie, et ils sont tous affamés, eux et leurs familles...
Certains pensent à "faire du business" ; il y a une forteresse où ils pourraient faire un big loot...
Livre un peu vide/ long.
Des références à dieux au pluriel...
Renards et Lapins s'allient pour the greater good.
Je ne vois pas vraiment de sens profond à cette histoire... Un manque cruel d'intrigue passé le début.
Il se lit très vite 7,7 pages par minute !! Je me suis chronométré huhu...
Malgré tout ce que j'ai dit de mal c'est un petit massage pour le cerveau.

[The Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book deserves more respect and should be placed alongside famous books such as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for its exploration into dark politics and the traits animals gather from there life span. Trying not to spoil, but Quenton the rabbit still feels powerless to a bully from his childhood, Why? Because rabbits have short life span! And of course we can't forget about Harry fox who's younger brother's power hungry rage grows throughout ages in flashbacks and present day and this book mixed with adventure and mystery that brings a great outlook to animals in a slight fairy tale way unlike sickening fairy tales that are there like bags of potato chips. (review from age 12)

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up because the title caught my eye and I thought the cover was a little awesome. The story sounded interesting so I thought I’d give it a try and it wasn’t too bad.

[Makinu Nisshoku · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un livre fantastique qui a su me surprendre jusqu'au bout

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book opens in Foxboro, a town (civilization) of foxes that has fallen on hard times because of a long, cold winter. Harry the fox, is standing in a line to get food, without much hope of there being food when he reaches the market. He goes home with nothing and remembers the fortress in the woods which is rumored to be inhabited by rabbits. He determines to hunt his prey and investigate the fortress. His mannerisms and habits are slovenly and self-serving.
Meanwhile, the reader is introduced to Quentin the Rabbit living in Stonehaven, a rabbit community. He is a student with a intellectual friend, Zack and they enjoy conversations criticizing the current political climate as well as the fierce winter. Their mannerisms and habits are refined, orderly, and self-absorbed.
The author skillfully reveals the quandary that the winter has posed for both towns. The author places each piece of the plot carefully to reveal social and personal jockeying that defines and clarifies humanity.
The story starts slow, but the tension is carefully controlled and wound tighter as character is both formed and exposed.
In an attempt not to give too much of the story away, I am afraid I have made this book sound tame. It is rich in jealousy, double cross, hidden clues, trickery, appetites, sensual delights and moral dilemmas. I LOVED it.

[Sathursan.K · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book, "Taste for Rabbits" talks about the harsh life of the foxes and the rabbits. When a fox named Harry's brother tells him to capture some rabbits to eat, Harry accepted it. At the rabbits domain, a rabbit named "Quentin" and his friends are investigating the disappearance of rabbits. But when Harry and Quentin gets in trouble and meets with each other, they realized the dangerous trade with Harry's brother, Isaac and fellow rabbits Dan and Wally. They teamed up together along with Quentin's friend and stop the trade from happening again. Isaac escaped but Quentin and his friends was able to killed Dan and Wally. The trade for rabbit's taste has ended.

I chose this book because it had an interesting genre and characters because this talks about wild animals living their lives as human. The problem they faced was interested to read more about.

I read this book because the story of the whole book was interesting on how a predator and the prey working with each other to stop a nasty trade for taste of rabbits.

I would recommend this book to those who are interested in reading about friendship and action/adventure in a book that is about animals' and their problems instead of humans.

[Cindy Hudson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Harry is a fox who lives in Foxboro during a time of deprivation. Winter has been harsh, and food is scarce. His brother, Isaac, leads the government, and while the two haven’t gotten along since childhood, Isaac is entrusting Harry with the task of finding an old fortress reputedly full of rabbits.

Quentin is a rabbit who lives in the fortress. Strange disappearances have been occurring in his world, and his government is enacting strict laws to enforce security. When he runs into a childhood nemesis who is now his superior on guard duty, Quentin knows he must find a way to escape.

Harry and Quentin are both animals working to solve a mystery and fight for their survival. Each much discover what he believes in and define why he believes himself to be moral.

A Taste for Rabbit by Linda Zuckerman has many moral issues to ponder. What are you willing to do if you’re hungry or need to feed a family? When is it okay to kill other animals for food? How can you determine who to trust? Mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 14 and up should find a lot to talk about.

[Shannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

A sort of strange read... I didn't get the chance to figure the "official" target audience - didn't think I would have to. But the way that this book is written, it's extremely difficult to tell:
On one hand, you have the sort of simple structure and lack of detail expected of a book for very young children. But on the other hand, you have characters being beaten to near-death and entire families being eaten (complete with the feeling of blood in one's mouth. Great.).
Not only that, but it just does not feel like a complete story:
The main bad guy gets away? No one seems entirely satisfied...? (Even if it's weird, at least tell me there's a series so that there is a decent ending to look forward to..)

Ultimately, "odd" is the only word I can think to describe this book. The characters are mostly developed and the idea is alright... it's just written in a way that is challenging to understand.

[Rachel Of Questionable Luck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a remarkable book, although I'm not sure I can tell you [or even know myself] why.
It was much deeper than I expected, which was a good thing.
Throughout the story, the reader begins to understand that the 'animal societies' in the book are metaphorical, or anaphoric, or analogical - or whatever other words you can possibly use to describe that feeling.
"A Taste for Rabbit" explored surprisingly dark political themes; it was a beautiful cross-examination of the corrupt & feral side of human nature, stark and lovely and devastating.

[Clarabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Je m'attendais à un roman plus enfantin, et bien pas du tout ! Quelle bonne surprise ! Certes, des animaux sont au coeur de l'intrigue, mais leurs agissements et leurs pensées sont tellement calqués sur le modèle humain. Alors, on trouve des magouilles politiques, des kidnappings, des trahisons, des meurtres, de gros profits sur le dos des plus malheureux, des êtres égarés qui ne savent plus à quel saint se vouer... L'ambiance n'est pas à la fête, mais c'est justement ce climat sombre et sans pitié qui a su me captiver. A lire, très vite et sans attente particulière. Un vrai plaisir.

[Renn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book I would never have discovered if I hadn't been determined to read the entire Young Adult section of my library in backwards alphabetical order. I read it 3 years ago and have just finished re-reading it.
This book is amazing. When I originally picked it up, I thought it would be a mediocre book and I put off reading it. What I got was an extremely well thought out novel which challenged me to think more about the human consciousness. The twists in this book are manifold, and most of them I had not predicted myself. I will always be greatly impressed by this novel.

[Mr. Baad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I grabbed this book randomly out of the pile of new book orders and though I didn't think it was anything great, it didn't annoy me enough to stop reading it, either. It's about animals who can speak and think and who have their own cities, and it focuses primarily on a society of foxes and a soceity of rabbits, both of which have corrupt political leadership. The plot follows a fox, Harry, and a rabbit, Quentin, as they uncover the corruption.

[Vickie T · Rating 2 out of 5]

The fox society has more freedom than the rabbit society but there are corrupt officials and there is hunger throughout the land. The rabbit society has fewer freedoms and they live in a walled fortress. Harry the fox takes a job given to him by his corrupt brother, Quentin the rabbit must flee the walled fortress. Their paths intersect in the forest and they must trust each other. Good read, I should have some students, particularly boys who will enjoy it.

[C. D. Brinker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love xenofiction and found this one to be a delight. It was dark, political, and at times cute and warm.

The premise involves the disappearance/kidnapping of rabbits and the over-militant endeavors of the rich and powerful. The horrible truth, uncovered by the likeliest of unlikely heros, is too terrible for words to describe.

In the end, just realize that there's always someone out to get you. But luckily, being a rabbit, you can just hop away really quickly!

[Rob G · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I really did love this book and I really like the how the animals take the place of people...LOVE IT"

~ I wrote this review ^ 10 years ago when I was 14 and just recently reread this book and I must say "Love it!". Of course for the animals but also for the complexity of these civilizations, I absolutely enjoyed slow burn into a raging fire only to remain kindled in my mind. I plan to search if there is a sequel to this tale but if not I for one will keep the thought of it lit.

[Craig Hendricks]

I really liked this book. I enjoyed examining the societal differences presented by all the different animals and I thought the story that was told was fascinating. I really liked the progression of the story, and how both of the speakers throughout are outsiders, but also more connected to things around them than those 'normal' folk. I liked the twists and turns the story takes, and felt very must satisfied in the end.

[Tracie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story about political and moral corruption concerning a society of foxes and rabbits. The author had a lot to say, directly and indirectly, about many things in modern society, but at the heart, she told a decent tale. Definitely far edgier than the Mistmantle Chronicles and from what I remember, even Redwall.

[Dillion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Besides being an excellent allegory to the holocaust, A Taste for Rabbit is in and of itself an fantastic fiction piece. As a strictly fiction piece, it is rather predictable, yet it still manages to hold interest and suspense. It is also a striking - albeit unrealistic - allegory to the holocaust, what with the kidnapping of citizens and forcing them to give their lives.

[Leela · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun fantasy story that gets you thinking outside the box. While sometimes the story can be slightly juvenile and a little far fetched, the loveable characters and origonal story are worth looking into.

Intrest Rate: 6
Difficulty Rate: 4
Originality Rate: 8

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

My friend Linda Zuckerman is nominated for an Oregon Book Award this year, for this book. So far it is a good young adult mystery. It has really interesting characters and an original plot. Good fantasy adventure with action that will involve the young readers.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely plotted animal fantasy. The ideas were more impressive than the writing, but the ideas were pretty damn impressive.