In a medieval French courtroom, animals are put on trial for "crimes" against mankind and must rely on preposterous legal diatribes by a court-appointed lawyer to defend them-great for fans of Umberto Eco, Edward Carey, and Amor Towles.
Historical fiction has never been more uproarious as master storyteller Stephen Spotte unleashes this wild tale of opposing attorneys battling to defend or prosecute accused animals-including a rat and a pig-facing penalties of being hanged or burned alive at the stake: Think
Willard meets
The Name of the Rose. Based on actual court records, Spotte captures the wit and bluster of the era, where courtrooms were packed with cheering and heckling spectators in ever-more opaque, convoluted, and dilatory trials. By the end of this novel, Spotte uses his critically-acclaimed storytelling skills to explore still-relevant theories on legal precedent, the church vs. the state, mankind's place in nature, and animal rights. Hilarious insights into pride, greed, and some of the most bizarre court trials in the history of the world. "Spotte is a master storyteller," says
Library Journal and in ANIMAL WRONGS, this acclaimed author is at his peak.
"A somewhat true historical novel"--Cover.
“A sprightly tale that finds two attorneys in medieval France matching wits over a triptych of unusual cases. . . . This medieval comedy smacks of Monty Python’s bawdy and mischievous sense of humor.”
—Kirkus Reviews
"Dry, ironic, and filled with witty satire, the author has created a kind of mash-up between a Good Omens-style buddy comedy and a classic Monty Python’s Flying Circus skit.”
—Seattle Book Review
"[An] amusing and clever book. It is the first book I have read by Spotte, but it will not be the last."
—The Fish Shelf
"Those wacky ecclesiastics of the Middle Ages and beyond, what were they thinking, putting rats and pigs on trial for alleged crimes against humanity?… A fascinating read, by turns amusing and provocative."
—Joe Amato, author, Samuel Taylor's Last Night
“Threaded with unique and sardonic humor, full and powerful, ANIMAL WRONGS is an off-beat exploration of human nature.”
—Ed Ricciuti, author, Bears in the Backyard
High Praise for Previous Work by Stephen Spotte
"Spotte is a master storyteller.”
—Library Journal
“A particularly inviting read that stands out from the crowd.”
—Midwest Book Review
“Even somebody who doesn’t love historical fiction as much as I do could get on with it. . . Funny and approachable to read."
—Reviews Feed
