| Title | : | The Rabbit and the Squirrel: A Love Story about Friendship |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 74 |
| Publication | : | Published September 26, 2018 |
Lit with longing, and tender questions of the heart, The Rabbit and the Squirrel is a fairy tale for the modern day
by one of India's much-loved young authors. Illustrated by Stina Wirsén, this poignant and moving fable for all ages was originally conceived by the author as a private gift of love for a beloved friend. Featuring a bisexual bunny and an heiress squirrel, by turns witty and absurd, endearing and brave, this little book harbours a fine ache that lends it a timeless quality.
The Rabbit and the Squirrel: A Love Story about Friendship Reviews
-
Review is up at my YouTube channel @Reading Tamishly
.
.
.
.
*Will put up the review here soon. -
A story so refreshing. A tale that is life like. A story of love about friendship.
The Rabbit & the Squirrel by Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi and illustrated by Stina Wirsén elicited a feeling which softly touched and warmed the strained reader in me. It is about the friendship of a rabbit and a squirrel, their separation and heartfelt reunion. Society has entailed its cruel structure on me and I used to not look at picture books the way a child would. I know I shouldn't be an adult I am wanted to but when it comes to reading, I have to be. I am so glad that this book exists - a book that looks like a children's book but it is for adults. It was for me, the frosted land, a winter sunshine. I urge you to try this one. It wouldn't disappoint, if only you can sit still and do nothing for the next half an hour or so. -
I have had a crush on Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi ever since I read his beautiful ‘The Last Song Of Dusk,’ while being marooned on an island in the South China sea. I can’t recommend that book highly enough and now this amazingly good-looking guy and fantastic writer has created magic again in ‘The Rabbit And The Squirrel.’
I don’t know how to describe this fable with the most gorgeous illustrations. This is not a picture book for children; this is a picture book for adults. It’s an ode to friendship, a gentle warning to the time we squander instead of living lives with the ones we love, and a wise tale of life’s patchwork quilt of sorrows and memories.
“What have we been to each other?” the squirrel asks the rabbit as they finally meet at the end of a long life of parting. Indeed. A question that will haunt me. -
Some books just slither through the crevices of your heart and expand from within. This is one such. Its heart warming, visual and at a pace that allows you to become a cosy comfortable pillion rider in the journey. Must read.
-
Fav quote: "The only love that sticks around is the love you let go"
Without reading the blurb (as usual!), bought this for my kid assuming it to be a children picture book. The cute cover and title gives that feel!
And this turns out to be such a heartwarming read about love and longing!
An honor to have it in any collection. The publishing quality is top notch. Each page is glossy and elegant. Around 35% is water color abstract artwork depicting the interactions of rabbit and squirrel.
The author created this as a personal collection of cards stitched together for a lady friend leaving for the states.
What's it about?
Lovers agony, where one of them was forced to marry into a "filthy" rich family (represented by a pig).
Reminiscence into their perfect ideal place on top of a rock, in the company of each other, where they could be really themselves.
The other one ends up in a monastery and years later they accidentally meet again. What kind of emotions do they stir?
Told in a profound manner with quite a few quotable quotes.
Why not for kids?
Has sexual references.
The squirrel indulges in rolling joints.
Has idioms such as "fucks like a bunny"
Recommended: As a coffee table book. For a quick and refreshing read -
I loved the illustrations by Stina Wirsén. Here is my review that came in The Hindu Literary Review:
https://www.thehindu.com/books/the-ra... -
It is a small book that leaves a big impact. What an absolute delight!
-
Who said adults don't need picture books?
A very short read but deceptive in its brevity. The picture book narrates the tale of two friends: a rabbit and a squirrel, whose paths separate, till they meet each other again. The rabbit is forced into marriage to a wealthy boar by her parents. The marriage is doomed from the start. Soon she is declared an incompetent mother and lunatic, and becomes a social pariah. She leaves her family and travels the world.
The Rabbit is infamous as a denigrate. He tries to join a monastery but is disgusted by the sexual scandals within organised religion. In his old age he works at a flower shop, reminiscing about his youth, till the squirrel shows up at his door one day.
The book explores, in beautiful language and haunting images, themes of love, friendship, loss and what is the meaning of life. -
A stunning picture book about love, friendship and sexuality, with a dash of absurdity
Lit with longing, and tender questions of the heart, The Rabbit and the Squirrel is a fairy tale for the modern day
by one of India's much-loved young authors. Illustrated by Stina Wirsén, this poignant and moving fable for all ages was originally conceived by the author as a private gift of love for a beloved friend. Featuring a bisexual bunny and an heiress squirrel, by turns witty and absurd, endearing and brave, this little book harbours a fine ache that lends it a timeless quality. -
The Rabbit (a legendary rake and castaway) and the squirrel (expert roller of joints and impotent rebel) are best friends. The Squirrel’s social climbing parents do not approve of her friendship with the fly-by-night Rabbit and soon make a "suitable" match for her with the titled, boorish, wealthy Boar.
As the two friends’ paths diverge….they face a lot of heartache and soul searching and eventually come together after many many years in a painful but deeply intuitive reunion.
This is a melancholic fable with heart, ribaldry and thought-provoking snippets. It is about loneliness, friendship that spans decades, being completely present with a person (Hineni – Here I am), having no artifice, no need to put on show, just being. There. In this moment.
It is definitely not a fable for small children. It is a sad but true state of affairs for weary adults and all that life has thrown at them. Shanghvi is eminently quotable in a Paulo Coelhoesque way. He inserts little snippets of wisdom throughout this book and blends it effortlessly with bawdy jokes and cutesy puns.
Everyone takes something different away from these kind of tales. For me, as for many….it would be about the ever-present flame of friendship where you do nothing more than be completely present for your friend and listen to all that’s being said and that which has been left unsaid.
Poignant and worth a read. -
Unintended, I read the perfect book for Valentine’s Day, regardless of your status with respect to having a valentine or not. Wow, this book was much more than I expected, even with the subtitle that so intrigued me: “A Love Story About Friendship.” I was also drawn in by the illustrations and the cover design’s likely nod to Beatrix Potter, whose books I will always cherish. This story is beautiful and sublime, while being told in a down-to-earth way full of every day language (some of which is funny!) and a real-life feel (yes, even though the characters are non-human animals.) This short, lovely little book moved me, made me reflect on life and love, and overall delighted me even as some of it surprised me given the children’s book look. This is, without a doubt, a “charmed fable for grownups” as the inside cover says. There are some clear life lessons here, so a nod also to Aesop.
-
I read this book in about 20 minutes but the pictures it paints are that of a lifetime. Or life, rather. Squirrel and Rabbit are best friends, and the adult fable traces their journey as they go through different phases and changes in life. Peppered with whimsical characters like the joint-smoking Squirrel and laden with witticisms The Rabbit and the Squirrel takes a good, long look at relationships, especially friendships. The prose is precious and the illustrations magical. I am going to keep returning to this book.
Don't be misled by the size of it because it packs a wholesome punch. -
Received as a gift. Read it on a flight. Now I feel like gifting it to everyone.
-
The book leaves you with a bittersweet void. This easy to read fable structure is filled with emotional nuances that reflect the despair of our own lives. What I loved the most is the manner in which the essence of the relationship of the central protagonists is captured- the end doesn't follow a cliché closure technique. On top of it, you get beautiful illustrations to savour the story-book flavour!
-
Loved the writing, didn't like the message.
-
will reread to confirm if this is my rating cause im still not sure what the hype is about
-
just two words "MUST READ"
-
The Rabbit and The Squirrel
Have you ever been wrong in judging a book? I normally don’t perceive things neither form any prejudice but this time around things were different. Last Diwali I purchased few books for my son and The Rabbit and The Squirrel was among that lot assuming it to be an illustrated children’s book without reading the blurb. Today I picked up this fable and finished reading it in less than an hour and it left me elated.
Review:
The rabbit and The Squirrel is a beautifully illustrated and a picture book that is meant for an adult. This is a story of love, friendship and pain of letting go someone you love. This book tells a story that is relevant and prevalent in the Indian society where everything else is ranked higher in priority than love. It also narrates the ordeal of a young couple who has to part ways because of the financial divide and lack of social approval. A beautiful Squirrel is madly in love Rabbit but had to marry a filthy rich(pig) to fulfill her parents wish. This book charts the course of their lives after separation and how they accidently meet in the end to be united for rest of their lives. This is among rare few books that is not only visually appealing but also a delight to read. This book describes the divide and stigma prevailing in the society. It also narrates the plight of a girl who is assumed to compromise all her dreams and aspirations and get settle in an arrange marriage. Siddharth’s storytelling is beautiful and sublime and touches your heart straightaway. -
“The only measure of time is the fun you have with it.”
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Most people come to this book for the gorgeous illustrations. 𝘐 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯, 𝘐 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘵. 𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺!! Others seek it out for the illustrious author. 𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘐 𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘺. If you need more convincing, the reasons are aplenty.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It’s an insightfully modern fable on friendship, for adults. Innocuous thought it may look, with its large font and picture book style art direction, it strictly is for grown ups with not just mature minds but more so mature hearts. That it has style is clear, but oh the substance!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What Stina Wirsen does with the soothing illustrations - be it the nuances of chic wallpaper and a smoking squirrel or the comfort of having shared secrets between friends - will be undoubtedly admired by one and all. That ‘𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥’ can be depicted so beautifully, and in watercolour too, was news to me.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The deceptively simple story, however, will tug at different heartstrings unique to their individual aches. A staple of SDS’s writing is its ability to trample your heart and mend it again, while you inexplicably enjoy the process.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It’s always a pleasure to have one’s heart handled so by his prose thus, instead of racking my brains to think up what praise hasn’t been sung about SDS’s work, I’ll just urge you to pick this one up. Even if it’s simply to show off on the coffee table, because seriously look how pretty! -
What did I just read?’ this book will make you wonder. ‘Was I high or something?’ It’s fantastic. The illustrations are brilliant.
A rabbit and squirrel are best friends, spending their happiest times together, often quite stoned. The squirrel is forced to marry a boar, while the rabbit enters a monastery. Decades later, they meet. What happens then? Magic, love and a bittersweet moment.
This graphic story is a treat for the child in you. There are beautiful nuggets hidden within, a reminder to enjoy the small beauties in life, to never forget what a privilege every moment is. But there is very little preaching, just a lot of humor, excellent anthropomorphizing of animals, and a sly sarcasm of the human condition that’s understanding (and sometimes, resigned to the inevitable) instead of snarky.
The only thing I’d change would be some lines that want to sound highly philosophical and wise but fall rather flat. There is a thing as trying too much.
But full marks for the experimentation, the laughs and wry satire of human problems, and the amazing pictures shining through. -
“The only love that sticks around is the love you let go”, is one of the most beautiful line I have read in past few days. A short book with beautiful illustrations and heart warming story of love about friendship between the Rabbit and a Squirrel ❤️ Who says illustrated books are not for adults, Siddharth Dhanvat Shanghvi you once again stole my heart with your words.
-
Dark themes addressed with cute characters. And wow, the illustrations were beautiful.
Struck a chord with me because, I'm currently in my mid-20's and I could totally relate to the situation of Squirrel in the story. -
Story of friendship with colour illustrations. Easy and quick read.
-
Such a cute book for adults about friendship and love with beautiful illustrations.
-
I loved it especially because of illustrations. It's so soothing to eyes and soul. I dont have anything extraordinary to say, I loved it and that's it.
-
beautiful, otherworldly yet relatable
-
From me to you;)
-
A trip of nostalgia to childhood and simpler times yet intricate in the emotions depicted
-
A fable about love, friendship and mono no aware
