Customer Reviews

Circle of Cats

5 star:		(7)
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This book is a prequel to "Seven Wild Sisters", and focuses on the character of Lillian, a free-spirited orphan, who lives with her aunt, miles away from others. She is an independent and free spirit who leaves food for wild cats and seeks fairies in the wild forest and countryside. This is a magical, lyrical, and original fairytale written by Charles de Lint. Charles Vess' illustrations, in color throughout the book, are superb! Today it is rare to find an original fairytale that isn't a retelling of a classic tale. I recommend this book to all age groups, and most especially to those who love cats and fairytales. I predict that this book, along with the others in the series, will be cherished and read for years to come.

This is an excellent, 44 page book for younger children, filled with full color illustrations. The type style and formatting make it easily readable. It is the story of a young girl, Lillian, who lives with her aunt at the edge of the forest, far from the nearest neighbors. She spends her free time wandering in the woods looking for fairies. When disaster strikes, she is saved by cat magic. This is an original fairy tale, and seems a mixture of folklore and magic. It can be read to younger children, or read by slightly older children. I would put the age level at 4 to 12, although I am 67 and thought it was an interesting tale (I actually bought it to use as a gift for a young child).

Circle of Cats is that rare thing, a perfect blend of words and pictures which really is something for all ages. Whilst this is most obviously described as a children's fairy tale, it would be wrong to set any artificial limits as to those who would enjoy it, because reading the story and looking at the pictures in Circle of Cats quickly becomes an experience which those of all ages might find themselves immersed in. Either the words or pictures alone would make for a fantastic (in both senses) piece of storytelling, and each and every painting in the book is a thing of beauty itself; the combination adds up to something more than the some of its parts. Recommended to the highest degree!

Charles de Lint has long been creating a new North American mythology through his Newford (and pre-Newford, for that matter) stories of magical realities in a modern world, where Celtic, Native American, cyberspatial and other mysteries combine into a fresh tapestry of lore. Now, de Lint and artist Charles Vess have created a modern folk tale in which a young girl and the spirits of trees interact with the innate magic of cats.

The story is written for children, but adults -- particularly those who have been steeped in de Lint's lore in the past -- will still find this tale absorbing. It's perfect to read aloud to a child or for an intermediate reader to enjoy alone. The artwork, too, is an integral part of the story; Vess supplies us with a very vivid, spindly limbed and red-haired young heroine, brimming with sparkle and delight, seeing the world through deep, thoughtful eyes.

And the cats? Don't be surprised if one pads its way from the pages to curl up on your lap for a scratch and snooze.

I rarely write reviews but this book is a fascinating read for adults and children alike. The illustrations are superb. Well worth buying.

This book is a prequel to "Seven Wild Sisters", and focuses on the character of Lillian, a free-spirited orphan, who lives with her aunt, miles away from others. She is an independent and free spirit who leaves food for wild cats and seeks fairies in the wild forest and countryside. This is a magical, lyrical, and original fairytale written by Charles de Lint. Charles Vess' illustrations, in color throughout the book, are superb! Today it is rare to find an original faerytale that isn't a retelling of a classic tale. I recommend this book to all age groups, and most especially to those who love cats and faerytales. I predict that this book, along with the others in the series, will be cherished and read for years to come!

Lillian is an orphan who lives with her aunt on a homestead miles from anyone, surrounded by forests. She wanders around the woods, chasing squirrels and rabbits and climbing trees. Free-spirited and independent Lillian is a friend to the many wild cats who gather around the ancient beech tree. One day, while she is under the beech, Lillian is bitten by a poisonous snake. The cats refuse to let her die, and use their magic to turn her into one of their own. I absolutely LOVED this book, and the illustrations are gorgeous! My daughter and I both enjoyed reading this book together. One of our absolute favorites.