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Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Animal Quest (General Jack and the Battle of the Five Kingdoms #2) by David Bush is an allegorical fantasy set in the 14th century, where a group of farm animals must navigate the devastating bubonic plague. Told through the eyes of Jonas, a once-comfortable farm cat, the novel follows Big Bertha, a determined feline leader, as she guides her misfit companions across plague-ridden Europe in search of safety. As disease spreads and paranoia grips the land, the animals face both external dangers and their own fractured trust. Combining historical accuracy with anthropomorphic storytelling, Animal Quest offers a poignant reflection on human nature, survival, and the quest for hope in dark times.
Author David Bush clearly has a passion for this period, and he brings it to life in vivid detail with brilliant historical underpinning that results in a unique and thought-provoking allegory of survival and resilience. The use of animals to tell the tale is more sophisticated than you might think at first glance, following in the grand footsteps of classics like Animal Farm and Watership Down but with a medieval twist that brings an interesting new context to the genre and era. Jonas is a well-narrated hero with a distinct voice filled with character. Bush leans into this, and the writing becomes more and more evocative as the novel gets readers fully invested in the outcome of such a terrifying journey. This makes for a story with meaning and heart that shows off the potential of what historical fables can still teach us in a time when too many bells and whistles have us oversaturated in multimedia. Overall, Animal Quest feels instantly classic, and I recommend it to those seeking an engaging, insightful, and relevant read to both history and today’s world.
