The evil returns, the mice defeat it, but only because of great sacrifice, and personal bravery, and with great losses along the way. True love conquers all, and everyone lives only slightly-sadly ever after.

Some of the scenes from this book (paticularly the standard of the rat army) have stayed with me from when I was about 10 as 'the scariest / grossest things ever' so it is strange going back to them as an adult.

I loved the mouse society built in Holeborn. Baker was a powerful and interesting idea that was strangely underused. It's great that Oswald finally steps up to be a hero, but terrifyingly bleak that all he does is, finally, futile. ( )