The Council of Animals: A Novel

By Nick McDonell and Steven Tabbutt

From national bestselling author Nick McDonell, The Council of Animals is a captivating fable for humans of all ages—dreamers and cynics alike—who believe (if nothing else) in the power of timeless storytelling.

“‘Now,’ continued the cat, ‘there is nothing more difficult than changing an animal’s mind. But I will say, in case I can change yours: humans are more useful to us outside our bellies than in.’”

Perhaps.

After The Calamity, the animals thought the humans had managed to do themselves in. But, it turns out, a few are cowering in makeshift villages. So the animals—among them a cat, a dog, a crow, a baboon, a horse, and a bear—have convened to debate whether to help the last human stragglers . . . or to eat them.

Rest assured, there is a happy ending. Sort of.

Featuring illustrations by Steven Tabbutt

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Publishers
• Release date: Jul 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9781250799043

Nick McDonell

Nick McDonell nació en Nueva York en 1984. Twelve fue su primera novela y constituyó un extraordinario éxito de público y de crítica tanto en los Estados Unidos como en el Reino Unido y en sus muchas traducciones.

Book preview

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Reviews for The Council of Animals

[jbd1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It feels a bit odd to describe a book as "whimsically post-apocalyptic," but in this case it seems fairly apt. A quick satirical fable for our times, with the animals deciding what should be the fate of the humans.

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This quirky modern day fable is the story of what happened with the animals after The Calamity. Undoubtedly, The Calamity was the fault of the humans, although it affected everyone. Now, the animals are going to vote to decide what to do with the remaining human stragglers: help them or eat them. The Council has convened, and the handful of animals are safe there - no predators may eat any of the council members! And so they cast their votes. But some new information regarding the humans comes to light, which may sway the vote. And really, can all the animals be trusted? Readers likely will look for parallels between human society and this animal culture, but perhaps this book is only meant to entertain. Or maybe not. Maybe there is a lesson to be learned from this parable. All I can say is, I am on the Cat’s side! It’s a quick read, and thought provoking. Add it to your TBR pile.

[beebull · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A fascinating book, with unexpected twist and turns at ever chapter. The author does a fabulous job of creating an image of the world after the "Calamity" but still leaves an element of mystery to the event, which has the reader guessing in the best possible way. There is also an element of mythology, created by the author, surrounding the cultures and language of each animal species which adds depth to the overarching plot. With connections to our own Climate Crisis this book is poignant, yet still far removed enough from our reality to read as fiction. If you enjoy books where animals are central characters, and where mythology and science-fiction are at play, then this read may just be for you!

[bayleaf_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Such a clever story! My only wish is that Edgar would have appeared earlier in the book. He was a welcome addition and I loved the character. The Council of Animals isn’t my typical fare so I was surprised I liked it so much. I guess that’s testimony for my rating.

[beamis12 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.5 I came to read this book in a sort of amusing way. I have been reading, the last few years, many nature and animal books, so when I saw this title and the animal on the cover, I grabbed it. I also should add that I also seldom read book summaries as I feel they often give too much away. So, I started reading and quickly determined that this was fiction and not what I thought it was going to be. Yes, there are animals but in a fable type, allegorical type of tale. It's been many, many years since I had read Animal Farm, but the comparisons, although not the same scenario, are there.There has been what is called the Great Calamity. The pandemic has killed so many humans that there are very few left. The animals are now in charge and representatives from several species have a council to take a vote on whether the rest of our kind should be killed, or allowed to live. Reminded me of our Senate, each representative gives a speech, and then votes. There is arguing, each trying to persuade the others to their way of thinking. The animals speak a common language called grak, but this is one of the few things they have in common. There is more to this of course, interesting to see the ots formatted, opinions changed but yes in the end our fate rests with the animals in the natural world we tried so hard to destroy. Divine justice, perhaps?ARC from Netgalley.

[catherinehsu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

*Huge thanks to Henry Holt and the author for sending me a free copy in exchange for an official review!*Actual Rating: 5Wow, I just had such a blast reading this (all in one sitting, waiting at the optometrist's office).The first thing that stood out to me was the writing style. It's just witty, fun, and utterly captivating. It gives me Neverending Story or Edward Scissorhands vibes — the magic of someone reading a bedtime story to you and the childlike wonder you'd feel, debating whether it was real or not. The fairytale/fable feeling of this book really comes across well, especially with the little puns that are scattered throughout, the little tangents about the mysterious identity of the storyteller, and the sketches. They really brought the story to life and helped me immerse myself into the world. The prose was just gorgeous.The way world-building is done in this book is the perfect definition of "less is more." Historical events are spoken about in very subtle terms — references to what humans did, to something called "The Calamity." The narrator drops just enough bread crumbs for us to be intrigued and get a sense of what happened, but not too much that it loses the mystery and narrative voice.The characters are all so interesting and it feels like each animal representative genuinely expresses the feelings of their species; there's surrealism to the way the animals talk about the situation they're in and the reasoning behind their decision-making, and it just adds so much to the immersion.All this is just to say that the book is extremely satirical, but the political and social commentary is really strong, from the human role in pollution and global warming, to the failure of the political process and its smoke-filled rooms, to the inequalities and beliefs passed down through generations.Overall, this was a really quick read, but I loved everything about it, from the general world-building and addition of some fantasy elements, to the character growth of different animals, to the final genius resolution. I'd highly recommend this to people of all ages — it really feels like a classic in the making.

[muddyboy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A unique little young adult novel that deals with a time after something called the Calamity. We never specifically hear what that was but the implication is that humans were responsible for it. However, after the Calamity very few humans are left alive. The premise is that the animals will meet to decide whether to kill off the remaining people. There is much discussion as the different species take sides. Both my wife and I read the book and enjoyed it as adults and I feel sure junior high aged kids will like it too.

[hubblegal-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a thought-provoking fable that may well become a classic in years to come. With some similarities to "Animal Farm", the animals in this story send representatives to meet in a council to determine the fate of the few remaining humans after "The Calamity". Should the humans be allowed to live or should the animals eat them? After all, "The Calamity" was the humans' fault and to allow them to continue would be to sustain the possibility that they would do it again. Hopefully, this tale will open some eyes as to the necessity of living in harmony with all creation, down to the smallest insect.Completely unique, beautifully illustrated and one that I highly recommend.

[klarsenmd · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I received this as part of the lT Early Reviewer program. This is really a very interesting little book.When I first revived it, I had in mind other books such as Animal Farm or Watershed Down, and while the idea is similar the feel is very different. Humanity has destroyed the earth and in retribution, a small council has decided to kill and eat the remaining humans. The plot follows a small group of animals including a bear, a cat, a dog and some moles, as they try to warm the small group of humans. There is obviously a very deep meaning in how things unfold and lots to be said about how we have not been good stewards of our planet. I enjoyed the book but was occasionally bored with the narrator's academic bits. Very different, but interesting. I will add as an aside, the illustrations are lovely.

[katybee_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I spent an enjoyable evening reading this slim novel. Both a gentle post- apocalyptic tale and a fable, it is told from the point of view of a group of animals. All animal species are all capable of speaking a common language, 'grak', and they have convened a council to vote on the human's fate. Yes, humans have nearly self-destructed and due to ' The Calamity', there are very few left. So, the question! Should they all be killed or should the animals let them live? Various animal council members make their cases. The dog is for the humans, but a baboon is definitely not (it had been caged by humans in the past). The horse is particularly dense so is influenced by others, but the cat likes what humans can provide. The bear is an excellent character, but the crow is a religious fanatic. Anyway, politics ensue. There are insects who feel that they are underrepresented, a particularly smart giant lizard, and even imaginary animals in this world.The story becomes a quest when the council goes in search of a human who supposedly can speak (grok) 'grak'. After some adventures and peril, the ending is just about exactly right. Humans might want to take note of their final fate in this little tale and treat other species with kindness.There are a few pictures of animals scattered about in this book.

[modioperandi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Nick McDonell's The Council of Animals is a fable-adventure that centers around three rough groups of animals two of which are struggling to determine the fate of the last humans who have wreaked havok and death upon the earth and a last group of insects and others who must pick a side... Or not. This novel was a joy to read and especially so for an all ages book. It's accessible without being too childish and not too grown up. Nick McDonnell has spun a fun, humorous, and sobering fable with excellent illustrations by Steven Tabbutt.

[lisa2013_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I won this book at LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review. I received an advance readers paperback copy a few days before the book’s publication date. I read it over 2 days in less than 24 hours, but I didn’t find it to be a page-turner.As a vegan and animal rights activist and environmentalist, the premise of this book intrigued me and appealed to me. From the description it seemed as if a great human caused catastrophe had occurred and some animals were getting together to decide whether to kill & eat the few remaining humans or to spare them. Poetic justice? Or more mercy shown than humans showed to them and to themselves?It's interesting here that the animals have a lot of the same flaws as humans do. Also, yes I already obviously had it shelved as speculative fiction but it was even more of a fantasy than I’d expected.The narrative was exceedingly tedious to read. For me the most disappointing part was that the animals were fantastical too. The dog and cat and I think horse were not like their real world counterparts except in some very specific small ways. I started enjoying it slightly more when humans entered the story. I was curious about the identity of the narrator and I did appreciate the end of the book. It did end up being more profound than what I was expecting. The premise is promising and it did sort of come to fruition. Hence, my 3 star rating, even though much of the time I was reading it felt like a 2 star or 1 star book.I haven’t been in the mood for fantasy and maybe that’s part of the problem I had with this book. I see this book compared to Animal Farm but I don’t think it’s a good comparison. If you are looking for fantasy I recommend The Phantom Tollbooth perhaps. If you’re looking to read about human caused climate change and other human caused catastrophes or violence and war there are many great non-fiction books and articles on the internet that are available. I did really enjoy the illustrations and liked the way the animals and (others) were depicted. Most of the ratings for this book are high so I don’t want to discourage anyone from reading it. I say to go check out other reviews. I plan to do that and see why others rated it higher than I have. Until toward the end I was thinking that I would not like the book and would give it 2 stars for the premise and because I liked the illustrations, but once I got to the end I was glad that I read it so 3 stars it is. I ended up liking it despite not enjoying reading most of it.

[bragan_8 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In the wake of some unspecified but clearly human-caused calamity, a group of animals meets to vote on the fate of the remaining humans. Should they let them live, or kill and eat them all? I'm really not quite sure how I feel about this one, overall. I do like the tone and the writing style. There's a sort of dry, cynical whimsy to it that doesn't seem terribly easy to pull off. The story itself is less compelling, though. And its success as a satire, for me at least, is pretty mixed. There are a few moments where the author comes out with a good, sharp insight. But a lot of the time I just found myself thinking that, well, he's clearly mocking somebody here, but it's not always entirely clear who. Maybe it's everybody, which can be a valid choice, but, I dunno, I kept expecting something a little more pointed, with a little more bite.

[firstreader-313058 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After the “Calamity,” which most animals believe humans had no one to blame but themselves, animals thought all the humans had died. However, there is small number of humans still living in a village. An animal council is convened to decide the fate of the remaining humans – help the humans to survive or eat them. The fate of humanity is in the paws and talons of the animals.This is a cleverly told tale about so many things – nobility, animal sentience, right and wrong, morality, and immorality. The reader is privy to not only what the animals say in the meeting, but what they are thinking as well. There are several amusing moments during the meeting that will have readers smiling and some where the reader will laugh out loud.If you want a fast read about serious matters presented in a creative way, this is the book for you, and it deserves to be at the top of your to-be-read list.My thanks to Macmillan and Edelweiss for an eARC.

[samsattler · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Nick McDonell’s The Council of Animals is likely to be the most unusual novel I will read in 2021. Publisher Henry Holt & Company calls this one “a captivating fable for humans of all ages,” and that’s not an overstatement. Comparisons to George Orwell’s Animal Farm, numerous as they are certain to be, are also appropriate because of how in both books animals rebel against humans and try to build a better, fairer world for themselves. The animals in The Council of Animals, however are considering a question that goes a giant step further than the animals in Animal Farm were prepared to go; they are meeting to discuss whether or not the few humans who have survived The Calamity deserve to live. If the vote goes against the humans, they will all be killed and eaten. The council that will decide the fate of the humans consists of a bulldog, a horse, a bear, a cat, a crow, and a baboon, each of whom has been chosen to represent its species. They are gathered to cast their own votes while they wait for the arrival of the “mythical” animal that will cast the pivotal (if it comes to a 4-3 split) seventh vote. The debate soon becomes heated, even dangerous to its participants, and the animals, whether they want to admit it to themselves or not, soon prove that their own nature is really not very different from that of humans who have by now practically destroyed the environment. Much of the fun in The Council of Animals, in fact, comes from watching animal behavior so closely mimic all the finger-pointing and other foolishness that is all too common today: claims of cultural appropriation, stereotyping, and looking down upon what are perceived by mammals to be the inherently lesser species. When it is revealed, for instance, that dogs are often denigrated by the other animals with their own version of the N-word, I almost laughed out loud. Amusing misdirections like that one, though, make the book’s overall message and surprising ending even more memorable than they otherwise would have been. Bottom Line: The Council of Animals is a book I can envision being used in classrooms around the world for years to come, much like Animal Farm has been used for the last several decades. Its clever use of humor and its suspenseful plot keep the reader — no matter what age — turning pages until its deeper message seeps in. This deceptively simple novel has a lot to say about us and the world we have created. Maybe, just maybe, it will open a few eyes as to what is important — and what is not. Publisher provided Review Copy