A story has a beginning, a middle and an end. Call me old-fashioned, but I like all of those components to be in the one book. I feel cheated by John Flanagan’s The Red Fox Clan. It would have been better titled The Red Fox Clan – Part 1.
Yes, it’s a well written children’s book. Yes, the characters are engaging. And yes, the plot is interesting. I was thoroughly enjoying following Ranger Maddie as she and her royal parents dealt with the threat posed by the Red Fox Clan – a militant group who want to seize the throne so they can return to the ‘good old days’ of patriarchal succession.
But I’ll never know if the rebellion is quashed or not, because I won’t be buying the next book. I like a series as much as anyone but every book needs a satisfying resolution, even if some plotlines remain active for future instalments. The Red Fox Clan fails to deliver any kind of ending. It simply stops in the middle of the action.
John Flanagan fans will no doubt enjoy this instalment – just make sure you’re prepared to commit to waiting for the release of the follow-up book!
3 stars