Rafsa Wildfur
The first exciting title in a new trilogy: Rafsa – The Fight for Stonefield Trilogy is written and illustrated by Lena Frölander-Ulf.
This first book introduces readers to Rafsa, a rebel marmot girl who doesn’t want to fit in and conform to rules. She is courageous and thoughtless, selfish and loud, but also very loyal. Her best friend is the thoughtful marmot boy Kotten.
They live in Stonefield that is in the middle of the woods, where Rafsa and her flock live in a swarming and sloppy matriarchy. The marmots live day by day as their lives are subject to the many dangers of the forest. The same field is also inhabited by the hierarchic and violent vipers. When Rafsa and Kotten meet young viper Ziczac, he also turns out to be an outsider who doesn’t conform to his society’s rules. Rafsa and Ziczac form a friendship, and the differences between the two societies and the evil plans of the snakes are revealed.
At the end of this first book, the three friends realise that they are the only ones who can save the world as they know it.
This epic saga is inspired by The Earth Shall Weep and Watership Down, and in today’s tumultuous world it is frightfully topical. However, this dystopian story is also a big, bustling adventure full of suspense and humour – a story about friendship, solidarity and about how we can live at peace together and with nature.
The adorable yet menacing illustrations are are a trademark of Lena-Frölander-Ulf, who is known for her dark tones yet warm characters in artwork.
info
Year of publication
2023
Original title
Rafsa Vildpäls
Page count
198
Original publisher
Förlaget
Original language of publication
Swedish
Reviews
BTJ (Swedish Library Service)
"This text, often driven by the dialogues, chisels little animal characters with strong personalities, and plays with the different species' understanding of language. Great questions are handled, about who has the right to decide for someone else and how collective memory can be manipulated in favour of the strongest one. It can be scary at times, but it is also warm and captivating for young middle-grade children and older."
Hufvudstadbladet
"As a captivating adventure story, Rafsa Wildfur has a lot to offer for those who want to cheer on the smaller and weaker ones, and let themselves be driven by the plot's lightning-fast twists."
Dagens Nyheter
"An exciting story about power, resistance and solidarity."
Vi Läser Magazine
"This is a classic adventure story that is both cosy and exciting at the same."
Svenska YLE
"The author has created the opening of an atmospheric and fast-paced story, which gives good hopes that the next books will be at least as exciting."
Vasabladet
"Each chapter's ending is so captivating that I must read the next one. And the next one. A true page-turner."