From Library Journal
Winner of the Writer's Digest National Self-Publishing Award for Fiction, this debut allegorical novel combines a Southwestern setting with elements of magical realism, in which folkloric characters come to life. The Catwoman ("Kat") fears her present, fifth, reincarnation because her previous lives have ended badly. She dwells inside a desert mirage, alone except for her feline companions, who are wise, adorable, and mad for tuna. When a man stumbles into her refuge, Kat is alarmed, but she soon recognizes her brother from their first, original family. Angelo draws Kat back into the world by offering her a teaching job, convincing her that she can make a difference in the lives of the students. The scenes in which Kat uses her previous life experiences to teach her students are the best in the novel. As in her other lives, Kat is soon confronted by intolerance, and she must decide whether to stand or flee. Some library patrons may be put off by the pagan elements in this pleasant novel and by Kat's budding romance with Angelo. But those who like New Age or visionary fiction may enjoy. For larger fiction and regional collections.
Mary K. Bird-Guilliams, Wichita P.L., KS Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
*Starred Review* This wonderful novel, told in a folkloric voice, is set in New Mexico. Kat O'Malley lives in self-isolation in a hidden place in the mountains that can only be entered by those who possess a special magic. Kat, the daughter of a witch, has changed into a half-cat, half-human. She is on her fifth life, out of nine; but her magic has allowed her to transcend time, to move from one life to another for the past 400 years. One day, when a catman from her past invades the privacy of this sanctuary, she is persuaded to reenter society and teach history at his school. Her teaching style is unconventional; for instance, when she covers the French Revolution, she tells the story of a homeless sister and brother starving while the king and queen feast, and while Kat tells this story to an intentionally hungry classroom of students, she samples small pieces of food and tosses the rest into the trash. As the story unfolds, Kat must decide if she is meant to live only in the mirage or whether she can live among people. The conflict between her personal past and the present makes the novel not only rich but also relevant to all readers.
Eileen HardyCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
