As usual, the humans who are lucky enough to share the lives of these curiously clever cats do their part -- including a frightened child who's taken refuge in a hidden room with only Dulcie to offer her company and comfort and the first faint hope of freedom. Sue Stone
385 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1,2005
The book had its shortcomings on many fronts, yet it did possess some charming details here and there. For instance, the group of aging women who cared for one another was quite endearing. However, it failed to deliver in several key aspects. Firstly, it wasn't much of a mystery. Right from the start, you knew who the "bad guy" was, and the plot unfolded in a rather predictable manner. The portrayal of the cult leader was also lacking. Despite having no charisma shown throughout the book, he was somehow able to inspire unwavering loyalty in others. This aspect could have benefited from more development. Then, there was the concerning idea that the violence of "good men" was justified due to the dangerous world filled with bad men. This is a dangerous right-wing ideology, even when presented in an apparently gentle way. The cats in the story were too anthropomorphic, losing much of their "catness" in the process. They were special cats, while other cats were not only unable to talk but also not "sentient," which was a letdown from a post-human perspective. Joe and Dulcie's relationship was stereotypically heterosexual and lacked the narcissism that is characteristic of actual cats. They were more like middle-class people who happened to be short and furry, following humans around and obsessing over human problems, relationships, and solving human mysteries. Kit was also just a well-meaning but immature human teenager. The lack of realism wasn't a major flaw, but it was disappointing for a cat lover. On the positive side, among the overly large cast of humans, the women seemed to be interested in building houses and driving big cars, while the men were into cooking, which was a refreshing change considering the often outdated gender roles in cozy mysteries. The feminism was mild and diluted, but there were hints of it, especially in the way the older women formed a vibrant and important community and took care of each other. Overall, while the book had its flaws, it wasn't as bad as many others out there, and there was potential for improvement in terms of mystery, cat behavior, and psychology.