Animal Farm 2

Review for The Book Commentary

by Jane Riley June 1, 2021

In the tradition of George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Martin Knox has crafted a fable with strong political and social lessons about power and class struggle that are eminently evident in contemporary society. The novel introduces a farm located on a tropical island called Caruba. The farm is controlled by the Social Republic, a political entity that is embroiled in a cold war with the Democratic Union. On the farm, a revolution initiated by the Pigs has toppled the farmer. Now the Pigs exploit the animal farmers with cruelty and utter callousness. Everything changes when the farm animals discover coal on the farm and exploit it for their power supply. Their activity on the farm attracts the interests of the Caruba government, the Democratic Union, and the Social Republic. In the name of environmental protection, the animal project can be transformed into a tool in the hands of totalitarian leaders, but will the poor animal workers allow it to happen?

Intelligently plotted and brimming with humor, Animal Farm 2 compels readers to think about contemporary political and social realities. In this novel, readers will read about the kind of intrigue that is played out frequently in today’s political landscapes. The author writes conflict from a fresh and metaphorical perspective, allowing human drama and division to reflect on the reality of animals that labor on a farm. It is interesting to watch as the tension grows in magnitude, escalating to a moment when the animals have to determine whether climate change is a hoax and what happens when they are forced to rely on renewable energy. While Martin Knox writes about animals in this spellbinding story, he succeeds to infuse the narrative with realism, allowing qualities of humanity to reflect on the animals without failing to strengthen the anthropomorphism that elevates the quality of the narrative. The prose is dazzling, the characters nuanced, and the tale is one of the struggles for social justice set against a realistic backdrop of political intrigue and oppression. Animal Farm 2 is as thoughtful as it is hilarious, the very finesse of political satire. It will go down as a classic.

Available on Amazon. martinknox.com