Toad Triumphant (Tales of the Willows) - Softcover

Horwood, William

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0006496385 ISBN 13: 9780006496380

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2009

Synopsis

The adventures of Toad of Toad Hall continue in this story where the comfortable bachelor world of the River Bank is thrown into turmoil by the arrival of a formidable female character, who seems to win Toad's heart.

About this title

About the Author:

Since the publication of ‘The Willows in Winter William Horwood has received letters from hundreds of readers thanking him for recapturing the spirit of Kenneth Grahame’s great work so faithfully. He is also the author of the two bestselling trilogies about the moles of Duncton Wood, and the new ‘The Wolves of Time series.

From Kirkus Reviews:

In a second sequel to Kenneth Grahame's classic The Wind in the Willows, Horwood (The Willows in Winter, 1994) revisits the River Bank and the beloved characters of Toad, Mole, Rat, and Badger. Portraits of loyal Mole, practical Rat, and wise Badger remain faithfully intact (in text as well as in Benson's black-and- white illustrations); however, Horwood seems captivated with Grahame's own notion of ``an altered Toad,'' and much of the plot dances around this idea. Toad's normal vanity and conceit are seen in ``alarming transmutation,'' thanks to Cupid's arrow, which has left Toad smitten and contemplating matrimony. A parallel plot bears the overriding theme of immortality, which prompts Mole and Rat to journey up river in their desire to ``get a little nearer to the mystery we have called Beyond.'' The two threads intersect at journey's end, where Toad willfully escapes ``the eternal bond'' of marriage, proving himself as irresolute as ever. The formal style of writing adequately mimics Grahame's own; that, and the sophisticated themes may be better appreciated by adults who loved the original. Nevertheless, the River Bank animals have fans who will be happy to pause awhile in such good company. (Fiction. 11+) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0006496385
• ISBN 13: 9780006496380
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304
• Illustrator: Benson Patrick