The Fox’s Tale by Samuel Woodly is an account of an animal realm ruled by three dynasties: the House of the Serpent, the House of the Lion, and the House of the Great Fox. Amahle was a princess from the House of the Lion, and with her sisters, she had been training to be accepted. Her older sisters Mpho and Thembeka had completed their tasks and earned their titles. It was now Amahle’s turn, and her next task was to challenge her mother in combat. Previously she had faced The Sphinx of Ages. She failed that challenge but continued training hard until her father asked her to visit the realm of men. Her mission was to meet Allen and lure him to the realm of the animals. Allen lived with his Aunt Valerie, but their relationship was strained. He often sought refuge in his drawing, the forest, and with his therapist. Allen presented his artwork at the Gala. There he meets Sofia, who sweeps him off his feet. Amahle arrives and introduces herself to Allen as Kaya, immediately plotting how she would get closer to him. She discovers that a serpent from the House of the Serpent has also landed in the realm of men. With these dangerous discoveries and Sofia standing in her way, does Amahle have enough time to convince Allen to follow her to the realm of animals, and what advantage does she have over Sofia?

What I liked about The Fox’s Tale by Samuel Woodly was the exciting flow of the story. The storyline was engaging and generated empathy for the characters’ feelings, emotions, and thoughts. Tapping into their vulnerabilities enabled me to relate to their experiences and understand the motivation behind their actions. The plot development maintained a steady pace. The author complements his excellent writing skills with vivid descriptions of the time and space of each scene. Not only did this give me a mental image of the setting, but it also indulged my imagination as to what the utopian world looked like. I recommend this book to lovers of adventure fantasies.

The Fox's Tale by Samuel Woodly is a fascinating young adult urban fantasy. Amahle of White is about to become one of the three crowned princesses of the South. Amahle must prove her worth by following the House of the Lion traditions. Allen Clarke lives in Still Falls with his cold-hearted Aunt Val. He loves to draw and go to the forest but hates his life. He isn't aware of his worth and potential. When Amahle learns that she must complete a task in the dangerous realm of men appointed by one of the three rulers of the animal realm, she accepts it as she sees this as a new chance to prove her worth. When Amahle's and Allen's worlds collide, they will have to face a great danger that may harm one of them.

The Fox's Tale by Samuel Woodly was a great surprise to me. It got more fascinating the more I learned about the animal realm and Amahle of White. I was fond of Allen Clarke even though he was avoidant and had a problem with self-acceptance. Woodly is an inventive writer. He has crafted a wonderfully imaginative and memorable tale of worth, self-acceptance, sacrifice, chaos, manipulation, and destiny. The Fox's Tale is a fabulous, peculiar, riveting debut. The plot is filled with mystery, unpredictability, and intrigue. It combines delicate family dynamics with the desire to get away from everything that hurts. I would recommend it to any young adult looking for a fantastic story that blurs the line between fantasy and reality.