I loved this book.
5 plus/5
As a fan of novels with animal characters and a big fan of Katherine Applegate, I was very excited to read this novel that combines two of my favorite animal characters, cats and rodents. It didn't disappoint. Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity.
It starts as a story of a cat and her boy, then mixes artifacts, amulets, magic, witches, familiars, and evil goblins...leads us into a classic journeying back home, but with a twist.
This novel is told from the perspective of the animals, but we get the personalities of the humans and I love Agatha.
Fletcher (Nim's owner) comes across powerful and evil relics that will put his life in danger, and Nim in her naive efforts to protect him will be misunderstood and accused of being the cause of his illness. His Aunt takes Nim away, abandoning her far from home as a solution. It's time for Nim to learn about the world and herself (also as a cat) if she wants to go back home. But it isn't easy. Magic will help her but also hold her back. When it feels like repetition and inexperience writing sometimes it is more of part of the plot, and well explained as we move forward. There is a reason why magic keeps holding Nim back.
I love that we get to learn more about the other cats' stories, grief, or past. There is a reference to prejudice and examples too. The author mentions other books ( I like it when authors do that) also Rhett (a rat who is one of my favorite characters) adds a lot of charm with his wish to be more than society thinks of him... and especially with his Shakespearian quotes.
Also, how can we not love Nim when she is inspired by Bilbo and Gandalf to be brave and clever?
All infused with a discovery of self, coming-of-age, Wicca-inspired magic with its respect for goodness, healing, and herbs.
The action scenes are well-written and easy to visualize. The cover is gorgeous. It was an exciting read and I finished it in one day. I am looking forward to reading more from the author.
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