iuanto's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The Whirld is a space station shaped like a spinning top; an apt analogy, as reading Cat's Whirld is a bit like sitting on a spinning top. At times, I didn't know who was who or what the hell was going on. It's been called the first Spanish cyberpunk novel, and it did remind me of Neuromancer, with a dash of A Scanner Darkly and even some Sherlock Holmes thrown in.
Although it's a short and chaotic story, Martinez has created a world that feels real and lived-in. While there's not a great deal of scope for character development, we do get to know a couple of the main characters quite well and certainly enough to care what happens to them. The pace barely lets up right to the end, and the outcome is by no means certain, even once the story's finished.
Four stars is a little generous, but three would have been too stingy; Cat's Whirld is an enjoyable read and I will keep an eye out for the other three volumes of the Drimar Cycle, of which this story is a part.
Although it's a short and chaotic story, Martinez has created a world that feels real and lived-in. While there's not a great deal of scope for character development, we do get to know a couple of the main characters quite well and certainly enough to care what happens to them. The pace barely lets up right to the end, and the outcome is by no means certain, even once the story's finished.
Four stars is a little generous, but three would have been too stingy; Cat's Whirld is an enjoyable read and I will keep an eye out for the other three volumes of the Drimar Cycle, of which this story is a part.
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