The Constant Rabbit

Lore & Background

The novel begins with an 'Anthropomorphising Event' in 1965 that turned 18 ordinary rabbits into intelligent, talking, human-sized rabbits. By 2020, their population has grown to over a million in Britain, and the United Kingdom Anti-Rabbit Party has taken power. The protagonist, Peter Knox, is a small-town 'rabbit spotter' whose life changes when a family of rabbits moves in next door; one of them, Constance, was his friend in university.

Reader's Guide

The Constant Rabbit is a science fantasy allegorical novel that uses its premise of anthropomorphized rabbits to explore themes of prejudice, political power, and moral compromise. The Guardian noted Fforde's 'trademark bizarre whimsy' and described the novel as 'a crazed cross between Watership Down and Nineteen Eighty-Four'. Kirkus Reviews praised it as 'wonderfully absurd' and 'astonishingly well-crafted', highlighting the narrator who 'thinks himself a well-meaning cog in a regrettably evil machine'. Starburst approved of Peter as a 'likeable but spineless hero' and called his friendship with Constance 'a satisfying exploration of the importance of doing what you can', while acknowledging that 'the initial concept's introduction may be a little heavy-handed'. The novel's significance lies in its blending of whimsical fantasy with sharp social commentary, though its allegorical approach may strike some readers as overt.

Did You Know?

• The novel was published by Hodder & Stoughton in 2020.
• The 'Anthropomorphising Event' in 1965 transformed 18 ordinary rabbits into intelligent, talking, human-sized rabbits.
• By 2020, there are over a million intelligent rabbits in Britain.
• The United Kingdom Anti-Rabbit Party has taken power in the novel's setting.