Mattimeo

After my recent foray into children’s literature with Lemony Snicket, I decided to reread a book from one of my favorite children’s series: Brian Jacques’ Mattimeo. Mattimeo is the third volume in the Redwall series. While it isn’t my favorite of the Redwall books, it is a very enjoyable read.

In the story, Mattimeo is the spoiled son or Matthias, the Redwall Abby warrior. He and several other young Redwallers are kidnapped by Slagar and his band of slavers. The youngsters’ family and friends follow after to rescue them. Meanwhile, Redwall Abby is attacked by the forces of the merciless General Ironbeak. In the end, the evil doers are defeated, and almost everyone returns home, safe and sound.

All of the classic Redwall elements are present: feasts, villainous vermin, heroic mice, the spirit of Martin the Warrior, an attack on the Abby, riddles, songs, and heroic youngsters. When Jacques writes his books, he melds all of these elements together into a children’s book that can be enjoyed by just about anyone (even though it stars anthropomorphic animals). There are some moments of serious drama; I for one always cry when I get to the part where Mrs. Bankvole and Friar Hugo are murdered by Slagar and his Slavers.

The Redwall series is well worth reading no matter how old you are. Mattimeo is no exception. It’s a delightful and engrossing book. I’ll give it 5 yo-yos.




Coming Soon, Code of the Woosters, by P. G. Wodehouse.