
Wild Hare was certainly something different in the reading genre from my perspective. Author Laura Koerber has brought us a tale of fairies and other magical creatures but they are far removed from the usual fairies and fae of fantasy novels. These fairies and half-fairies are, it seems, just normal characters trying to survive in a world gone crazy. Like the animals, the fairies have seen their world and their habitat shrink over the generations due to man’s incessant demands on his environment. Consequently, it appears they are indeed a dying breed struggling for survival. Living at a run-down resort out near Bear Lake, Bob gets by on a day-to-day basis with a bit of petty thievery, using his somewhat limited fairy skills and some odd-job work with his best mate Arne. Always wary about the militia who now run the police force, Bob and his friends lament the destruction of their environment and the loss of personal freedoms in their country. It is 2032 and the all-seeing, all-controlling Government has everyone at their mercy but Bob’s not so sure that he and his fairy friends can take much more. Perhaps it is time to strike back.
I really enjoyed Wild Hare, it was something different. I loved the idea of red-neck, southern characters coupled with the abilities of supernatural creatures such as fairies. Bob, was a fascinating character. Outwardly he cared little about the goings-on around him and sought solace in his limited slice of freedom at his cabin, in the forest and by the lake, but deep down a rebellion was stirring inside of him. To me, as a reader, Bob epitomized the concept of the individual who feels he can do nothing on his own to change the system, so why even try. It takes an epiphany of a little, old lady and his best friend’s arrest to get him riled up enough to take action. Bob was complex, yet simple and that’s what I liked the most about him. The opportunity to learn something of the Native American legends and culture was a real bonus in this story. I particularly appreciated this idea that fairies and their ilk revealed themselves to the Native Americans and lived in harmony with them, but understood that wasn’t possible with today’s modern humanity – a definite indictment on our society, of course. Beautifully written with a descriptive focus and limited dialogue the story eloquently tells of the pain and angst as the fairies watch their world being destroyed by man’s greed, seemingly unable to stem the tide. I can highly recommend this book for anyone looking for something just a little bit different.
