Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

This is an interesting title because it's so different than what Hatke normally does - most notably with the intended audience being adults. It was okay but it mostly left me with the thought "damn, that fox gets around."

I'm not quite sure what I wanted from this book, and so I can't quite explain what feels like it is missing. But I felt like there was something missing. I think I wanted more interaction between the text and image? But I'm not sure that's really it.

This is a quick read and very unique. It will get mis-classified as a graphic novel, but this is more of an adult picture book.

A lovely fairy tale/fable about Reynard, a rogue and a trickster and a real ladies' fox. Don't be fooled into thinking this is a children's story - not that it's terribly inappropriate (though maybe check it and see what you think before giving it to a child, you're idea of inappropriate might be different than mine), and I think kids would enjoy the story too, but this is an adult tale. It's got metaphors and hidden meanings, adult things happen (that one thing is definitely hinted at, but nothing is shown), and you'll get hit in the feels, or at least your feels will be nudged in the nostalgia. Between the lovely art and dreamy adventure, Reynard's Tale makes a perfect bedtime story for grown-ups.

I’m sure this is lovely and well-written, it is just not what I thought it was and felt inaccessible to me.

Foxes have been tricksters in fairy tales and myths for as long as cultural memory can hold. Ben Hatke's latest work, Reynard's Tale, takes readers into a wonderful medieval setting to relate a new set of trickster tales starring Reynard the Fox, Isengrim the Wolf, and a series of memorable supporting characters. The short stories all link together: Reynard on the move, Isengrim on the hunt, and Reynard smooth-talking and outfoxing (pun intended) a series of love interests... but the last joke may just be on Reynard. There's a playful sense of adventure in Hatke's storytelling, and his ink artwork has a fairytale quality, with Reynard sporting a large hat, a cloak, and boots. If you have animal tale fans, give them this one.

Reynard the fox has a wandering soul and a knack for trouble, but even he who is wanted by kings, tailed by cousins, and stalked by Death can find one thing that will hold him to one place for more than a season.

For those who are fans of Hatke’s children’s books (like me) know that this is very different. The best way I can think to explain it without giving spoilers is to imagine him writing a brief version of one of the Three Musketeers’ stories and you’d have a pretty good picture of what this is like. It’s much more sophisticated, it’s aimed at an adult audience, it ponders things like wandering hearts and desires for adventure and the feeling of death being near. It’s a bit to chew on but ultimately felt somber to me. I enjoy Hatke’s artwork, and I love his children’s stories but this kind of felt meh to me. I can’t decide if that’s because I was expecting something more like his children’s stories (probably) or if it was because this felt too short and a bit choppy or rushed in places to bridge the gap between one illustration and the next. I might have liked this better as a wordless book where readers get to imagine the story between the illustrations themselves. Maybe. It was ok, but not as good as his other books in my opinion. That also might be because I have never heard of the Reynard folktales before. Perhaps if I knew the trickster tales I’d appreciate this more. So take my rating with a grain of salt in that I’m mostly just disappointed Reynard isn’t Zita or Jack, who I adore, and I didn't read any blurbs about this before jumping in. Recommended to those who like short, philosophical, rogue adventurer, pondering type graphic novels.

Notes on contents [based on the ARC]: Two minor swears. No sex scenes but there is a water sprite with a bare chest from the side and in one scene Reynard awakes in bed with an inn keeper who appears to be naked (only her back is shown). Reynard seems a bit of a player with multiple ladies who greet him as a special friend along his journey. Violence is implied at one point but not shown. Wine is shown being consumed.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. It was unlike anything I’ve read and the illustrations were beautiful. I definitely recommend this. It is gorgeous.

Reynard's Tale: A Story of Love and Mischief by Ben Hatke is currently scheduled for release on April 18 2023. Inspired by the 12th century tales of the indomitable trickster fox Reynard, this offbeat tribute to the archetypal rogue has a satisfyingly old-fashioned feeling to it. Although this Reynard adventure is entirely the creation of modern fairytale master Ben Hatke (Mighty Jack), it fits seamlessly into the body of Reynard tales still beloved in Europe to this day.

Reynard's Tale is not quite what I expected from Hatke. I have adored everything from the author previously, so I could not turn down a change at this book. This book is aimed much more at adults than the middle grade and teen audience that I typically recommend their graphic novels to. As a reader with some folklore knowledge of Reynard I think that it will make much more sense to readers that have at least some knowledge of Reynard's trickster reputation than those that might be coming into the story fresh. The format is a little different than I expected. I was expecting a more typical graphic novel format, but this book is set in in alternating pages of text and illustration, this is not a bad, it just was not what I had thought I would see. As expected, I fully enjoyed Hatke's art style. There are hidden bits of information and clues in every page, and I think the back and white artworks lends itself to this story and format perfectly.

Reynard's Tale is an interesting exploration of a folklore character. It is not quite what I expected, but is definitely unique and will be a favorite for some.

Reynard is a trickster figure, a fox who is always on the run and often finds himself suddenly in dangerous situations. The book resembles old fairy tale books with an text and illustrations opposite one another on each 2-page spread. The line drawings have a nice balance of light and shadow, and with great details. The present tense gives urgency to the adventure, while the beautiful language also slows the reader down to admire the details and unique turns of phrase. Having both animal and human characters, in addition to a variety of other fantasy characters (including Death), makes this a fun folktale for adults.

This book was....weird.? The artwork was good, but the story was just so-so in my opinion. Not something that I particularly enjoyed.

An interesting story that can be interpreted as a parable.

A restless being who thinks life can end by settling down. Yet will run back to it when the wanderlust gets too much...

The illustrations are whimsical and I thoroughly enjoyed the characters.

Thank you NetGalley and First Second Books for giving me the opportunity to read this!

A very fun, short tale about the adventures of a traveling and trickster fox. The illustrations were beautiful and the tale was beautifully reminiscent of old fairytales. While it was very simple, this worked well to tell the story.

I was surprised by how much I liked it. This turn on Reynard's tale, actually convinced me the original take. Reynard's is a very interesting character. I also loved the words, the pages and the drawings. The poetry an the darkness balanced each other quite well !

I was a fan, really.

It’s a little weird but I liked it. Not sure who the target audience is…. It’s a very simply worded story and illustrated like it’s a picture book for really little kids but some of it is a bit risqué. I had fun reading it but the intended audience seems to be adults that like light fantasy and don’t mind reading a picture book for relaxation.

I will read anything by Ben Hatke, but this one I need to OWN. The art is perfect as usual, and the story is brilliant. It felt new and timeless, at the same time. I will eagerly await any other adult projects Hatke has in the works.

Very well written with a touch of folkloric poetry embedded in the text. The illustrations are a wonderful addition and the story was a fun adventure to read.

I have loved everything by Ben Hatke so I was thrilled to see his latest venture appear on NetGalley! This was such a unique book - laid out with full page illustrations and short text but clearly intended for adults and not children. The illustrations are gorgeous and add to the story with details not included in the prose, which I loved. I am only vaguely aware of Reynard from other fiction fantasy stories so it was a delight to see him trick his way out of danger throughout his journey in this story. It reminded me of some of Neil Gaiman's work, so if you like him definitely check this one out!

This was a surprisingly short yet engrossing read. I greatly enjoyed the swift narrative paired with the delightful illustrations.

This book, read on my phone through the NetGalley app, at least, is told between alternating prose and illustrations. I was under the impression that this was a comic book (for some reason) and was pleasantly surprised by the medium presented. I liked the short paragraphs coupled with the black-and-white sketched illustrations. Both styles helped to foster the sense of urgency and adventure conveyed throughout the tale.

The tale itself is fairly straightforward: Reynard gets himself into and out of mischief until the conclusion of the tale, which ends on a somewhat open note. Although the written passages are brief and each scene is relatively short, the tale manages to feel like a grand adventure.

I feel as though a background on the Reynard's character isn't necessary to enjoy this book but it does help. I have a small amount of background information from which I drew while reading this book and I thoroughly enjoyed the story.

This is a great little read for folklore novices and pros alike. The reader gets a good sense of who Reynard is and gets to enjoy his escapades. I don't think I've ever read anything from this author in the past but I would enjoy reading more from them in the future!

A clever, charming tale of a world-weary wanderer who is running out of tricks up his sleeve. Perfect for a snowy winter's eve.