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Original poster

The boy the mole the fox and the horse

53 replies

panca · 22/11/2023 20:19

It's on the iplayer it's so depressing! Is the book this depressing? It's full of like little meaningful quotes.

OP posts:
LaChienneDesFromages · 23/11/2023 06:31

We have been bought three copies, including two from MIL in consecutive years (one signed by the author, no less.) I’ve had several ‘smile and nod’ conversations with people telling me how beautiful it is.

As far as I’m concerned, it’s absolutely dripping with schmaltz and does nothing for me.

Each to their own, I guess.

Original poster
panca · 23/11/2023 08:11

Inkanta · 23/11/2023 05:35

Yes maudlin is the word. Like slurred speech, drunken self pitying - maudlin.

Show quote history

Yes! That's the word! Self pitying wallowing misery

OP posts:
garlicandsapphires · 23/11/2023 08:17

Glad I’m not the only one.
I quite like the illustrations but the words are up there with ‘Live Laugh Love’

EveryKneeShallBow · 23/11/2023 08:57

Yes! I have a truly lovely friend who keeps telling me how great it is, and trying to get me to watch the tv show. Fortunately we have agreed no Christmas presents, or I know what I’d get landed with.

CattingAbout · 23/11/2023 09:00

I found it fairly tedious but my kids inexplicably ADORED it and watched it over and over again last Christmas.

Thankfully they seem to have forgotten about it now!

MermaidEyes · 23/11/2023 09:02

hoophoophooray · 22/11/2023 22:48

These are more my style

Oh yes! Love these 😆

MermaidEyes · 23/11/2023 09:03

My kids got the books for Christmas, took one look and put them straight in a charity bag. Utter trite.

KatBurglar · 23/11/2023 09:05

I think it appeals to the type of people who have “inspirational” slogans on their living room walls.

truetruebarneymcgrew · 23/11/2023 09:24

I could never understand that hype, I quite like the watercolour drawings though.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 23/11/2023 09:28

I liked the individual quotes - I think they were ideally pitched to appeal to people during the pandemic when they were feeling low, frightened and isolated.

The Christmas programme was twee shite. There was a thread started after it broadcast that was raving over it to the extent that I wondered if I'd actually missed some deeper meaning that other people were seeing.

Watchthedoormat · 23/11/2023 09:32

I really wanted to like it.
I didn't.

DiaNaranja · 23/11/2023 09:41

Awww, I kind of like it! But, that's because my 9 year old adores the book, and I think it's got some really sweet messages in it, that can be quite beneficial for children to take away from it. I sometimes find her sat reading it, she must have read it 100 times over, and she always seems happy once she's read parts of it. Will quote things from it, and tell me how "cake makes everything better!" when someone is feeling sad, and she ain't wrong there! I think it's great for kids, and I do love some of the illustrations. But I don't think it's really a book for adults, it's very disjointed, not really a story, just a series of quotes, but I think that's why it's quite appealling and easy for kids, as they don't really have to try and follow what's happening. DD will often just open it at the middle and read a few random pages.

Original poster
panca · 27/11/2023 19:59

Ah maybe it's for kids

OP posts:
ChateauFougas765 · 27/11/2023 20:00

Watchthedoormat · 23/11/2023 09:32

I really wanted to like it.
I didn't.

Me too. It’s trying to be Winnie the Pooh and it really is so very far from that.

KatBurglar · 27/11/2023 21:04

panca · 27/11/2023 19:59

Ah maybe it's for kids

It very much isn't.

It's being The Tao Of Pooh and all that other pseudo-philosophical dumbed down nonsense that wants to be faux-naïf and wholesome and purehearted but is just vacuous bollocks framed as profound.

Laiste · 27/11/2023 21:27

He's dead isn't he? The boy?

Didn't we come to that conclusion on here last year?

theduchessofspork · 27/11/2023 21:29

I was given it by TWO people

Maybe they think I am missing something profound

But I still am after reading it 😠

theduchessofspork · 27/11/2023 21:30

Laiste · 27/11/2023 21:27

He's dead isn't he? The boy?

Didn't we come to that conclusion on here last year?

Completely missed that obviously (shortage of profound) but yeah you’re right. Oh well.

Onynx · 27/11/2023 21:31

I have found my people! I was beginning to think I must have sunk to new lows when I couldn't even contemplate buying it as a gift- so trite and patronising and depressing. And the price of what is essentially a few memes bound together in a bookConfused

annahay · 27/11/2023 21:34

I think the drawings are gorgeous.

Quickquestion10 · 27/11/2023 21:34

But it's sooo pretty.

NotExactlySuits · 27/11/2023 21:36

We watched the show last year after reading the gushing thread on here and I thought it was shite. Assumed I was missing something profound and was being daft unable to work it out. I was mystified by the complete lack of storyline.

I don't generally mind an uplifting quote, or a bit of schmaltz if you gets you through the day in a happier way, but I couldn't make head nor tail of the show.

DrNo007 · 27/11/2023 21:37

Yes I concluded it was written by a committee or maybe a computer algorithm. Pretended to be profound but was totally trite.

bookworm14 · 27/11/2023 21:38

Trite, maudlin crap. I remember in the depths of lockdown, when my mental health was the worst it has ever been, people kept posting inspirational quotes from it on Twitter and I just wanted to scream at them to fuck off.

WhiskersPete · 27/11/2023 21:39

I thought everyone loved this. I find It completely soulless. Half expected one of the pages to say "Live, laugh, love."