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Title: A quest story for the young and old
Review: I want to add my own voice to those praising this book. It is a wonderful story about perseverance, love of family and friends, and a search for the things that make us happy. The story is essentially a quest by a father and his child to find a place to call home, a family, and, most importantly, self-determination. Along the way, they have to overcome Manny Rat who wants to kill them, survive war and hypercritical theater critics, deal with a snapping turtle, and help a Muskrat search for the elusive "X" of life. The writing and characterization are topnotch. Yes, there are places in the book where animals die and Hoban does not shy away from these aspects of life. In my view, however, these events only add to the power of the story. At times, very funny and very sad, this is a story for both those who are young and young at heart. Highly recommended.
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