A fiction where the characters are cats? Yaaasssss!
4/5 stars.
ebook, 338 pages.
Read from May 30 to June 10, 2016.
I came across this book through Netgalley and loved the synopsis. I mean it’s a book in which all the characters are CATS! Could any book be more perfect for me? What’s even better is that it’s a series. Sadly, I failed to get a copy through Netgalley so I relied on my trusty library to get in on this book.
In Nizamuddin, a small neighborhood in Delhi, India there a small clan of cats who abide but their own set of rules Miao is the elder and then there is Katar, Hulo, Beraal, and a fierce and troublesome kitten named Southpaw. The group is able to communicate telepathically and link messages to each other as a means of protecting their home and their clan. Tribes before them were also known to have special cats called “Senders” that had impeccable abilities of foresight and communication, however the clan had not seen one in many, many years and Senders are normally only born when they are needed. Suddenly a small house kitten named Mara begins to bombard the clan strong obnoxious messages, with the same strength as a Sender, as she is seemingly unaware of her unique abilities. As an outsider to the clan, Mara is believed to be a threat and so the clan must decide what action to take. Meanwhile, Southpaw has discovered and stirred up some trouble that could be devastating not only to the clan but to all the animals in Nizamuddin.
What I loved about this book: the setting and the character development. The setting is definitely the highlight for me. The author does a great job in creating this little world in which the cat clan and other animals live and the honorable code and rules that they live by. The communication abilities the cats had is pretty impressive too. I particularly enjoyed the scenes with the tigers. Yes, tigers. There are tiger characters. The author also did a remarkable job with the main cat characters as well. Each of the cats had unique qualities and quirks that made them relate-able but still cat-like. Additionally, the antagonists of the story are pretty creepy so it made for really good climax.
What I didn’t like: Mara. She was the exception. I loved all the other characters but Mara irritated me. She is just a pretentious, ignorant, and whiny kitten. I suppose the point of her character is to show how how unique of a Sender she is, in that she is so young to have such strong abilities, especially for not being a part of any clan, however she was just too cutesy and annoying for me to like her. She could have been unique without being a prat and a scaredy-cat.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would definitely read the next book in the series if I can get my hands on it. I would recommend this book to any cat or fantasy lover.
The Pluviophile Writer 
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