In <i>Raising Hare</i>, Chloe Dalton recounts her experience raising a leveret, a baby hare, that she found alone on a country road in England during the Covid-19 pandemic. Knowing the creature was likely to die whether she intervened or not, she brought it home and nursed it. Her memoir of the experience tells us the quiet story of how her understanding of wild animals, their place in the world, and ours grew alongside the tiny leveret.

I grew up keeping rabbits, showing them at my county fair, studying breed standards. When my children were old enough to show, they brought rabbits to the fair, too. I helped them learn about showmanship, body parts, reproduction, diet, and so on. Despite my greater than average rabbit knowledge, I quickly realized that I understood next to nothing about hares. I hadn’t even realized they were separate species, unable to interbreed. In my ignorance, I assumed hares were simply “wild” rabbits. I read Dalton’s in-depth passages about their diets, behavior, places in culture and myth, history, population distribution and decline, with great interest.

For me, reading <i>Raising Hair</i> during the final days before the 2024 US Presidential Election was an act of self-preservation. Each time I picked up my Kindle, I eagerly entered a world focused not on hatred and lies, but on the simple rhythms of nature and its gentle beasts. I felt my breath loosen, my neck relax, as I sank into her exquisite, luxuriously detailed descriptions of the English countryside:

“I came to love these interludes in the working day, lounging on the stone steps with one eye on the leveret, watching the larks beat their way up to impossible heights with jerky motions of their powerful wings, spilling song over the land and me within it.”

and the leveret’s tiny and fascinating body:

“Every possible distinct outline on the leveret was broken up or disguised by contrasting colors. The pale fur that ringed its eyes was surrounded with a band of kohl-black hair. The hair on its throat was of the softest grey, like cool ashes, and was shorter and finer than on any other part of its body. Its muzzle was edged in ivory, its mouth round, a small ‘O’ of perpetual surprise, rimmed in fine soot-coloured hair. Its nostrils, too, were trimmed in darkest grey. The fur on its back was brindled and tussocky. Each ear, narrow at the root, broadened out into a wide oval before tapering into a slanted tip, sheathed in furs so black that it seemed to have been dipped in ink.”

Dalton’s book soothed me, just as she felt soothed by the leveret’s peaceful presence: “I took to slipping away from my desk just to look at it, amazed by its calmness and tranquil demeanour.” I felt soothed by this book, I felt safe. I felt that as though no matter what happens Tuesday, there will be hares, there will be hawks and buzzards, and the seasons will march on, and we are blessed to exist amongst any of it.

I cannot believe how much I enjoyed Dalton's novel! She writes with such eloquence and poetically descriptive turns of phrase, e..g. "watered the seed of curiosity in me." This author wove in lots of historical and anecdotal information about hares along with great safety information for those who keep pet rabbits or hares, yet without seeming boring, although parts read like a book report because of her immense amount of research and study. This book encompassed so much more than just a woman finds a wild, baby animal and rears it. Due in great part to her superior writing skills, the story begins about that, but ends with larger issues, life lessons and not just her personal growth, either. She relates the relationship between humans and animals, her journey to discovering contentment with life again, staying still and enjoying a place rather than racing around in a constant search for fulfillment at the next location. It "enlarged her sense of the world" and this reader's. There were additional lessons along the way that I'll leave a mystery for the next reader. Yes, a bit of activism, but presented more as suggestions reminding us of our "dependence on the natural world" and building a sense of compassion for the vulnerability of hares or other prey in the animal kingdom. I'll admit I'm slightly biased after having pet rabbits for many decades. I may have identified with a lot of the funnier stories, such as her hare commandeering items like a rug he'd set out to lounge on or when it boycotted entering the house after she dared to reorganize the furniture. It is true that these cousins have as much attitude as her hare did throughout the story and such larger than life, opinionated personalities when given reign to express them. Even without having pet rabbits, I can't imagine a reader not developing an emotional attachment to Dalton's journey, experiencing the roller coaster of highs and lows along the journey., and a growing investment as the story progresses. I'll suffice it to say don't let the inevitable ending deter you from picking up this book. While Dalton subtly reminds us of the inevitability of how fleeting life is, she left ambiguity to make sure we take away powerful life lessons and encourage reflection on how we can make the most of our time, rather than dwelling on its brevity.

Raising Hare was a cozy read that reminds us all to slow down and pay attention to nature, and the magic that comes with it when we do. Living in tandem with wildlife is more than possible, and should be something we all strive for. The writing was straight forward and educational on the world of Hares. I recommend this book for anyone looking to reconnect with nature.

Within a few pages of Raising Hare I was hooked. This magical memoir about a woman’s friendship with a wild hare stole my heart and kept me completely enthralled from start to finish. This exceptional story is full of tenderness and philosophical ponderings that will stay with me forever. For the wildlife lovers out there, pre-order your copy now, I can not recommend this book anymore highly! Raising Hare will be one of my top reads of 2024 and I am honored to have received an ARC of this beautiful book.

In this explorative documentation of nature, Dalton takes a memoir-approach in examining both animal and human in her journey of accidentally raising a wild hare. Dalton takes the reader on a flower-lined path down her countryside of life, experiencing frequent interactions with the wild. While it seems clear this author took notice of these simplicities before, this all changes as she takes in a baby wild hare after initially trying to refrain from doing so, not wishing to perturb the natural cycle of mother nature herself. But after coming across the lone hare again, Dalton brings the baby home and begins the unruly path of learning to acclimate to the wild without domesticating the hare—at least, not fully.

Dalton has incredible awareness of herself around the hare, and even after deciding to nurture it to health, she refuses to allow this wild animal to take on the role of a pet. She doesn’t give this hare a name, and yet, develops an emotional bond despite her better judgment. The way in which she describes the hare—everything from its ever-changing coat to its gentle nature and playful demeanor—in such a poetic manner, that one cannot help but read it and find patterns of humanity in itself.

Raising Hare made me feel like I was watching Animal Planet like I did as a child, all while making me reconsider methods of existing as an adult. The hare has and can continue to take on a symbol for many things, but I found a theme of freedom cycling throughout the book. This, in turn, made me think particularly of women struggling to survive in a world of predators; always being on edge and routing their entire life around protecting themselves. There was also an underlying feeling of calm, despite it all, becoming so aware of how small each of us are in the grand scheme of Earth. We are but a creature trying to survive.

I felt myself walking away from this story with a brighter awareness on my own day to day, being provided with reminders of the simple beauties of the world, as well as focusing on the basic purpose of being alive—to survive and live along the way. Build connections and foster community. Slowing down, in order to truly recognize these things.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC. This book was everything I thought it would be. As an animal lover and a fan of Braiding Sweetgrass, Raising Hare was able to deliver on both fronts. I knew nothing about hares outside of Alice in Wonderland and was ignorant to the fact that modern day farming was so detrimental to not only hares, but many species. This book showed me a beautiful bond between human and animal, while also stressing the fact that humans are destroying everything around us. It was heartwarming and heartwrenching at times, but I loved it.

This book should have had a graphic note attached to the description. I enjoyed the story up until the history of baiting and hunting was introduced and described somewhat in detail. I couldn't read about this little hare without thinking of what I had just read pages before. I thank NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage & Anchor for the advance read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Canongate and Chloe Dalton for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my review!

During the pandemic, the author is living in the countryside. She finds a newborn hare and brings it home. Over time they form a special bond, and she learns some important lessons.

I thought that Dalton’s writing was beautiful. She set the scene of the countryside perfectly, I felt like I could envision the surroundings of her home. I like that she began to feel more connected to nature because of her relationship with the hare.

I do appreciate her mentioning how beneficial it is to get more in-tune with nature and our surroundings. It can improve our physical, mental, emotional health and it’s something we take for granted. Her learning to slow down and appreciate the little things became a main theme of the book, and it was my favorite part.

Spoilers: I could have done without the descriptions of dead hares and other injured animals throughout the book. I grew up in a rural area, so I am well aware that this is part of nature… I just don’t love reading about it.

Overall I enjoyed my time reading this book and would recommend. Her writing is accessible and the story was heart-warming.

Poignant, beautifully written, a breath of satisfying air that you will exhale with longing - longing for it to fill you again and again.
Raising Hare is about the author as she is at home during the height of the pandemic. During this time, she comes across a leveret that seems to be in some sort of distress. Nursing it back to health opens a window to the natural world that can metaphorically - and literally - never be shut again.
Chloe never imposes herself onto the hare, she never takes ownership or treats it as a pet - instead, allowing the inquisitive hare to come and go as she pleases while observing. We follow the hare on her years long journey into motherhood, freedom, friendship. An unlikely companionship and understanding between human and animal.
As the months and years progress, Chloe not only learns about the way of the hare, but of the implications human greed and necessity has on the earth and environment that was theirs first. She becomes somewhat of a backyard naturalist, soaking in knowledge and precious wisdom about what most people only view from the comfort of a window.
I read this at precisely the right time in my life, and it has made a lasting impact of my mind and heart. Chloe’s writing is as delicate as morning dew on a foxglove, as beautiful as the wild leverets leaping and playing with their siblings. I’m so honored to have been one of the first readers of this, and I cannot wait to have a physical copy of it in my hands to cherish for years to come.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.

I think I went into this book expecting more emphasis on the memoir side of the story, but it's certainly more of an almost scientific observatory text on the life of the hare the Dalton saves. She does her best to stay unobtrusive on the hare's maturation and habits, but also rarely talks about her own life outside of her home - I couldn't decide if I wanted to know more about Dalton's career as a political advisor or if it was better that these two parts of her life remained completely separate.

In her memoir, Dalton encounters a leveret in her garden and cares for it, walking the line between helping it survive and ensuring that it doesn't become too reliant on her. This is a beautiful account of how it feels to love a fragile thing. It's a unique story: there's no grand adventure, just a quiet appreciation for life in one's garden. I found it educational and engaging, though some bits -- especially the last chapter -- felt a little repetitive. The illustrations are amazing. This was a quick read, and very worthwhile!!!

Just such a beautiful book, as a rabbit owner to a free roam rabbit, I loved everything about this book! Not only is the story just adorable and heartfelt, but I also loved learning more about The European Hare and its fascinating history/ folklore. Anyone who loves nature and animals would love to read this book. The journey is amazing, as the author raises an abandoned hare to adulthood not as a pet but wild animal so it can return to its home in the wild. But the hare returns again and again, even having litters of her own, and raises them around the author's home, as if it's her safe place. So many times I found myself smiling and the hare reminds me of my own experience as a rabbit owner trying to keep a rabbit healthy, happy, and completely cage-free. I was greatly inspired and fell in love with this book. I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy!
Thank you to the author and publishing house for this arc.

Chloe Dalton sounded like a workaholic before the COVID shutdown. She was the type of person who went outside during social gatherings to take work related cell phone calls. What really altered her life, however, was she found a motherless baby hare that she decided to take home and try to save. The wildlife person she contacted told her the chance of the hare surviving was slight, but she gave it a go and succeeded. The female hare would then be free to go outside and stay there when it was grown, but it decided to come and go, staying in the house whenever she wanted.

That did make her a semi-pet, even though the author repeatedly claimed she was not a pet, and that's why she didn't name her. She also didn't get into the matter of if the hare was housebroken, as well as the matter of fleas and ticks. Even litter box trained house rabbits aren't always totally housebroken. Plus, I've rescued baby bunnies from cats in the past and all had tiny ticks all over them. Instead, Ms. Dalton focuses on how profoundly the hare changed her life and made her appreciate nature in ways she never did before.

She starts to notice things in the outdoor world in a way a hare would notice things, from vegetation to field plowing to artifical light at night. Some readers will possibly think she goes too far in all of her observations and recommendations of ways humans can better coexist with the animal world. They may see her as becoming a nature workaholic. I personally found the book enjoyable and educational. I've had pet rabbits and have watched wild rabbits for decades. Hares aren't exactly the same as rabbits, but all lagomorphs are interesting, and very hard not to love and not to want to protect.

This is really stirring nonfiction about how a singular hare changed the author’s life for the better.

When Dalton found a leveret, a newborn hare, chased out of its hide into the open, she first waited to see if its mother would find it and hide it away safely once again. When that doesn’t happen, she sets herself to learning how to raise a wild hare. After caring for the animal through its infancy, she ensures it is free to make its own choices. The hare comes and goes, roaming the English countryside at nighttime and returning to the author’s garden and even into her home to rest, eat, and play. Dalton tries her best to not anthropomorphize the wild animal, or to make it into a pet. Regardless, the hare is so comfortable with her human associate, she even gives birth to one of her litters inside her home, and keeps her babies hidden away safely there while she forages at night.

A focus of this book, besides the story of the interactions and relationship between woman and hare, is how changing her life to accommodate this animal and watching it thrive led the author to learn a new appreciation for nature and life itself. She slowed down, observed more, lived in the moment, and developed mindfulness that allowed her to take more joy in the small realities of life. Additionally, she became more conscious of how human endeavors affect the habitat around them, as well as the wildlife that depends on it. She was able to effect some change to help alleviate some of these environmental harms.

Beyond being educational about hares, their behaviors and natural habitats (a subject that has apparently historically been somewhat neglected), this was an emotional, meditative and reflective book that was a pleasure to read.

I have posted my review on Goodreads, but will add it to my blog (jessicacrawfordwrites.com) and Bookstagram account (@ShelfEsteem101) at the time of publication.