Hunted [Paperback]

N. M. Browne (Author), N.M. Browne (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up

Two lives run in parallel: The life of a girl, Karen, as she lies in coma in hospital, and the life of a fox in an ancient and dark world. A brilliant fantasy for ages 10 and up.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Pursued and beaten by bullies intent on punishing her for alleged boyfriend-stealing, Karen, an English teen, slips into a coma--and a parallel altered state as a fox in ancient times. Suddenly, while lying unconscious in a hospital bed, she is also running through a forest, seeking shelter and sustenance, even decayed meat. And as her grandmother waits vigilantly by Karen the human's side, Karen the fox becomes embroiled in a strange political intrigue involving a dethroned king, a shepherd with the power to hear others' thoughts, and a peasant uprising.

This dark, unusual fantasy will capture the imagination of readers who loved David Clement-Davies's The Sight and Brian Jacques's Redwall series. Vivid imagery and a complex storyline demand close attention; the stark reality of life for each of the characters has no easy resolution, and readers will be compelled to stick it out with Karen to the bittersweet end. (Ages 12 and older) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

In her American debut, British author Browne cleverly mixes fantasy and action. A gang of girls assaults Karen so viciously that she imagines herself a "fox set upon by slavering hounds" right before she loses consciousness. When she comes to, she has been incarnated as a fox, and now lives in another, more primitive realm. (A layer of the story shows Karen's grandparents at her hospital bedside, where she lies in a coma). A shepherd named Mowl befriends Karen, suspecting the fox is an arl, an "unborn soul from another tier of being... where the spirits of men took non-human form." Soon after, Mowl finds his life is forfeit for his dead father's alleged treason, and he flees, with Karen following; they learn of a rebellion brewing against the king and his corrupt adviser. Karen is in danger, too, because arls die if they don't transform into their "natural incarnation" in 24 days, moreover, the king's men are hunting her in order to prove that arls don't exist. Browne creates a broader context by adopting different perspectives (mostly Karen's, her grandmother's, Mowl's and a soldier-turned-rebel), and she deftly develops Karen's slow realization of her true identity (in the beginning, Karen knows only that she has not always been a fox). The tonal shifts between the two realms can be jarring and the story ends a bit sappily, but the mythology and culture of Mowl's realm are fascinating, and the fight scenes, escapes and revelations will swiftly propel readers through to the conclusion. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books (April 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582349037
• ISBN-13: 978-1582349039
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,217,050 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as Basilisk but still an exceptional book., August 17, 2004

By 

M. Diamond "book dragon" (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hunted (Paperback)

When a young firl (Karen) gets beaten up into a coma, she enters a world she never knew could exist. There, Karen becomes an arl; a creature visiting from another place with the appearence of an animal but the intelligence of a human. Hunted is original like nothing I've ever read before. The ending has quite a twist.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very original, March 8, 2006

By 

MaryLizz (Germany) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hunted (Paperback)

I picked this book up because of its great cover (I have a different edition) and the story on the back sounded good.
And it is.
"Hunted" lives off it's highly original storyline. N.M. Browne creates a dark and mysterious setting for the unusual sight of Karen, a girls soul trapped in a fox as she lies in a coma, dying.
Some passages following the parallel hospital-story are deeply sad, especially when her ex boyfriends visits her a last time or her grandma watches her faraway sleep. And many scenes in the actual adventure are filled with excitement but also despair, for Karens strength is growing weaker - in reality and her adventure.
This book is very emotional and to be recommended for readers about 14 years old.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hunted by N. M. Browne, August 22, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Hunted (Hardcover)

The book Hunted is about a young girl (Karen) that sets out on the adventure of a lifetime while her body lies in a hospital bed. I found that Hunted tugged at all the emotions that could be felt. As I flew through the book I could feel just as she felt, so much that I would forget that I was reading it and just feel that I was in it. I felt it so much that I was there with her feeling the pain, agony, and utter instinct to survive. It was so good that I didn't want to put it down, but mysterious enough to always keep you wondering what the next page would bring. I feel that this is a good book for people who consider themselves one with nature.