sunny_pipes's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This one is hard for me to rate, based on a few passages that gave me the ick. I still love the stories, but they're not flawless.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Mental illness, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy
cecinamo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book is a really cute multiple pov story. It deals with mental illness topics and cats! Overall it was a really nice and quick read. It was also really fun while reading to see how all the people and cats were linked in the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Grief, and Death
Minor: Animal death, Dementia, Eating disorder, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and Misogyny
tashtasher's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy, Animal death, and Death
Minor: Car accident, Dementia, Sexual assault, Blood, and Panic attacks/disorders
starrysteph's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.75
She and Her Cat: Stories shares 4 interwoven slices of life featuring struggling women and the cats that help them find their way. It’s about loneliness and companionship, the struggle to escape from modern isolation, and healing through the care of a pet. It’s about the magic of the mundane.
We follow a young woman with social anxiety struggling to end a failing relationship, a naive artist hoping her dream is worth it, a grieving friend who is afraid to break her isolation, and an older woman who has forgotten to care for herself.
It’s heartwarming and tear jerking, but most importantly, half of the book is told from cat POVs! They’re cheeky and whimsical and have a fully developed society of their own in the neighborhood. They help their people search for connection, grieve, create, strengthen, and find renewed energy.
All four of these women and their feline companions live entangled lives; they appear in each other’s stories and connect in big and small ways. Each POV has a very distinctive narrative voice.
It’s an incredibly sweet and cozy read; it’s touching without being too emotionally draining or profound.
My only gripe - that sometimes pulled me out of the story - was some of the cheesy wisdom dispensed from elderly dog Jon. It was heightened philosophical silliness that didn’t match the earnest, down-to-earth vibes from the rest of the novel. Most of the book was simplistic and charming, dispensing wisdom without trying too hard, and these segments felt detached from that tone.
CW: death of loved one, death of animal, mental illness, sexual assault, pregnancy, grief
(I received an advance reader copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Death, Animal death, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Grief
ezwolf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
4.0
As someone who is nearly first and foremost a cat person and look at my cat and I as our own little family of two, I was very excited to read this book.
She and Her Cat is divided up into four short stories that all intertwine, told from the perspectives of the cats and the women and that come to be their owners. It does a great job showcasing the relationship that people have with their cats and the way that even though we don't /really/ know what our cats are saying to us, we know that they're talking to us in their own way. The way that they greet you at your front door and know just when you need their love and attention.
Chobi, Mimi, Cooki, and Kuro all bring a unique look at being a cat and how their lives and our own change when we take on caring for a cat and I will admit to tearing up a few times. The parts that really got me were right off with Chobi's introduction and then, of course, the end with Jon.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
She and Her Cat is divided up into four short stories that all intertwine, told from the perspectives of the cats and the women and that come to be their owners. It does a great job showcasing the relationship that people have with their cats and the way that even though we don't /really/ know what our cats are saying to us, we know that they're talking to us in their own way. The way that they greet you at your front door and know just when you need their love and attention.
Chobi, Mimi, Cooki, and Kuro all bring a unique look at being a cat and how their lives and our own change when we take on caring for a cat and I will admit to tearing up a few times. The parts that really got me were right off with Chobi's introduction and then, of course, the end with Jon.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Pregnancy and Sexual assault
Minor: Death, Grief, and Blood
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