Reading the Classics: Review of Paul Creswick's "Greypaws"

This is one of Alasdair's favourite books.

Certainly one of Paul Creswick's lesser known works, Greypaws tells the story of a little field mouse who, quite by accident, has an adventure. The story is told from his perspective: he's a small mouse on the lower rung of society, who though educated is seen as a mere peasant to most. He has a terrible family row and decides he has done with being a common field mouse in a family of unreasonable women. He quits his home and is taken up by an owl, thus beginning his grand tale of pert slugs, greedy foxes, and sagacious pixies.

Here, I will let Alasdair tell you why he adores it:

"I love Greypaws, as a story and as a character. He is positive despite his misfortunes, fearless regardless of what danger he might find himself in, and he trusts those who help him without suspecting them. He might claim to be commoner, and others might tell him that he's only a field mouse, but he prevails in spite of himself."

"Are you attributing his means of improbable success to your own, Alasdair?" I interpose.

He seems hesitant. "Well, even though I was born as one of the Frewyn nobility, I was raised partially in Tyferrim. I suppose I feel very much akin to him."

I could say something about a certain white mouse falling in love with our hero and that Alasdair is partial to stories of love, but I'll leave that for you to read. If you can find this book, read it. Recommended by the King of Frewyn himself.