Celebrating 40 Years of Redwall

Redwall by Brian Jacques, the first novel in the series of the same name, was originally published in the UK on October 23, 1986. In this middle grade fantasy inspired by medieval Europe, anthropomorphic mice live together at Redwall Abbey and defend their home against attacks. These books were very popular when I was in elementary and middle school in the 1990s and 2000s. They provided an imaginative transition between children’s and adult fantasy. When I reread these books, I enjoy them even more now. The protagonist of the first book, a young mouse named Matthias, has a fascinating character arc: from an awkward, fearful novice to a hero. I also notice references that I missed as a kid. For example, Methuselah, the elderly gatekeeper and archivist, shares a name with a Biblical figure who supposedly lived for centuries. Cluny is the name of a villain and of a French region famous for its medieval monasteries. Get 15% off annual All Access memberships for a limited time in celebration of Book Riot’s 15th anniversary! Savings amount to more than 3 months of free unlimited access to our entire content archive, plus features like Collections and the New Release Index. Claim your sav...