Publisher: 1st May 2024 by ABC Books AU
Pages: 340 pages
Genre: pets, cats, autobiography
Synopsis:
From the New York Times bestselling author of Cleo, a warm, wistful coming-of-age true story about the transition from childhood to adolescence, and the small stray cat who helped guide the way.
It was 1966 and the times they were a-changing, even in the provincial New Zealand coastal town of New Plymouth. Skirts were getting shorter, the Vietnam War was on TV every night and French nuclear tests in the Pacific turned the night sky a violent red. Twelve-year-old Helen, the youngest daughter of an eccentric engineer and a musical theatre fanatic, was living in a crumbling castle overrun by nature, and overshadowed by the majestic Mount Taranaki. On the eve of puberty, everything suddenly is uncomfortable and unfamiliar to Helen. She feels lonely and lost, adrift in this new turbulent sea.
That is, until her father gifts her a tiger-striped kitten with extra toes on each paw. Noticing an M on the cat's forehead, Helen names her new companion Mickey. Inquisitive, clever and skittish, Mickey disrupts the already rambunctious household with his mischief. But as it turns out, he's just the ally Helen needs to explore the new world waking up around her.
My Thoughts
‘Cat and girl, we embraced the meow, surrendered to the shimmer, and let ourselves melt into the particles.’
The author, Helen Brown, has previously written three other books about cats and how they loved and supported her through challenging times. She has now gone back to the very beginning with the one cat that started it all, Mickey. When she was twelve years old, at the very cusp of what would be a challenging adolescence, her father presented her with a kitten. Mickey was her first friend and love with whom she shared all her dreams.
Living in a household with her eccentric parents and older siblings, everyone seemed to be caught up in their own dramas. Feeling somewhat lost and unseen, Helen and Mickey traversed through the challenges together. Living in provincial New Zealand in the 1960s, one was still aware of global tensions from Russia and USA, troubles in Vietnam and nuclear testing in the Pacific. So, far from being a book just about cats, it tells a story that is much broader.
This is a heartwarming memoir about love and loss, family and friends and how our furry friends can provide the joy and healing we humans often look for. A genuine story that celebrates the power of our animal companions during life’s trials and tribulations.
’Mickey and I shed our physical bodies and became weightless spirits, limited only by the size of our thoughts. The cat expanded to become the size of a giant tiger. I climbed on board her back. Together we dissolved through the ceiling and floated across the night sky.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
No comments:
Post a Comment