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The Ghost Cat: A cozy historical fiction novel with a touch of magical realism
A charming novel for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold and How to Stop Time, following a cat through his nine lives in Edinburgh, moving through the ever-changing city and its inhabitants over centuriesEarly morning, 1902. At 7/7 Marchmont Crescent, Eilidh the charlady tips coal into a fire grate and sets it alight. Overhearing, Grimalkin the cat ambles over to curl up against the welcome heat and lick his favorite human's hand. But this is to be his last day on earth…before he becomes the Ghost Cat. Follow Grimalkin as he witnesses the changes of the next 120 years, prowling unseen among the inhabitants of an Edinburgh tenement while unearthing some startling revelations about the mystery of existence, the unstoppable march of time and the true meaning of feline companionship.
193 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 3, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
August 24, 2024
A cat has nine lives. For three he plays, for three he strays and for the last three he stays. ~ English proverb 🐈
As many of you know I am a cat lover. Books written with cat narrators are so intriguing to me and this one was a delight. Good, but not great. Perhaps the author's TikTok inclinations and my lack of an account have something to do with it. He mentions the app several times in the Acknowledgments.
Here are the three things I really liked:
🏘 7/7 /Marchmont Crescent in Edinburgh is the central location for the entire book. Our cat narrator returns to the same room with each life. He may go out and about when in his straying lives, but always starts in the same place.
🐈Grimalkin, our narrator, is an orange marmalade cat. I do love the orange tabbies so that endeared me to him from the beginning.
🗓The scope of history is seen in quick snapshots beginning with 1902 and the imminent publication of 'Peter Pan' and ending with the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.
If I were a resident of the UK, this might have worked a little better to me. There are some things that just went right over my head. I did enjoy the bits about the royal family. Thank you to Hanover Square Press and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
As many of you know I am a cat lover. Books written with cat narrators are so intriguing to me and this one was a delight. Good, but not great. Perhaps the author's TikTok inclinations and my lack of an account have something to do with it. He mentions the app several times in the Acknowledgments.
Here are the three things I really liked:
🏘 7/7 /Marchmont Crescent in Edinburgh is the central location for the entire book. Our cat narrator returns to the same room with each life. He may go out and about when in his straying lives, but always starts in the same place.
🐈Grimalkin, our narrator, is an orange marmalade cat. I do love the orange tabbies so that endeared me to him from the beginning.
🗓The scope of history is seen in quick snapshots beginning with 1902 and the imminent publication of 'Peter Pan' and ending with the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.
If I were a resident of the UK, this might have worked a little better to me. There are some things that just went right over my head. I did enjoy the bits about the royal family. Thank you to Hanover Square Press and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2023
The idea of following a (ghost) cat through time, observing the changing world and experiencing fleeting insights into everyday life of individual human beings while pondering about your own (aka the cat's) mortality, was executed in a very fun, cute and thought-provoking way.
I really liked how the different time periods were described. It felt both authentic and atmospheric as well as emotional sometimes. I wish some of the chapters were longer, especially the ones taking place in the 1800s and the early 1900s. At the same time, I learned a lot of new interesting facts about Scotland and history in general. A few of the more contemporary chapters/hauntings were not as interesting to me personally, most notably the one set in the 1940s and the very last chapter. By the way, it would have been nice to have an epilogue about the Grimalkin's afterlife now that I thnk about it. Anyways, I also enjoyed that some time periods indirectly affected future chapters, and that some characters and places unexpectedly reappeared again. It sometimes made the story feel less believable and realistic, but it also enriched the reading experience in a way.
I really liked how the different time periods were described. It felt both authentic and atmospheric as well as emotional sometimes. I wish some of the chapters were longer, especially the ones taking place in the 1800s and the early 1900s. At the same time, I learned a lot of new interesting facts about Scotland and history in general. A few of the more contemporary chapters/hauntings were not as interesting to me personally, most notably the one set in the 1940s and the very last chapter. By the way, it would have been nice to have an epilogue about the Grimalkin's afterlife now that I thnk about it. Anyways, I also enjoyed that some time periods indirectly affected future chapters, and that some characters and places unexpectedly reappeared again. It sometimes made the story feel less believable and realistic, but it also enriched the reading experience in a way.
May 30, 2024
Do
not
make the mistake I made: Despite appearances, this is not a middle-grade book! One of the chapters in it is full of expletives (not gratuitous ones, however). Which is a pity because tweens would adore this book.
Adults will find this spectral feline tale pretty alluring, as well. Born in the Victorian Era, cat Grimalkin’s life is cut short; to make up for it, the cat in the sky allows Grimalkin eight more shots at life (making nine, of course). Grimalkin visits the house at 7/7 Marchmont Crescent in Edinburgh over 120 years and marvels at the changes. I really enjoyed Grimalkin’s reactions to the changes of the 20th and 21st centuries. Recommended.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Hanover Square Press in exchange for an honest review.
Adults will find this spectral feline tale pretty alluring, as well. Born in the Victorian Era, cat Grimalkin’s life is cut short; to make up for it, the cat in the sky allows Grimalkin eight more shots at life (making nine, of course). Grimalkin visits the house at 7/7 Marchmont Crescent in Edinburgh over 120 years and marvels at the changes. I really enjoyed Grimalkin’s reactions to the changes of the 20th and 21st centuries. Recommended.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Hanover Square Press in exchange for an honest review.
September 9, 2024
did I expect a book that followed a cat to make me cry? no. but it was such a cute story and an easy read!
July 22, 2023
This has got to be the first book that has made me weep during the first chapter! But by chapter two I was smiling again and I knew that I had a great read ahead of me!
We follow Grimalkin the cat, who passes away one fine day by the fire and his soul is transported to another world where he meets the great cat-sìth, who explains to him that he still has 8 lives remaining and that he has something special about him. It turns out that Grimalkin is a cat of uncommon curiosity and insight, the finest of the cat kind! Which means that should he choose to take the 8 lives he is owed then he must live them out on earth as a ghost cat!
**The cat-sìth is a fairy creature from Celtic mythology, said to resemble a large black cat with a white spot on its chest. Legend has it that the spectral cat haunts the Scottish Highlands. The legends surrounding this creature are more common in Scottish folklore, but a few occur in Irish. Some common folklore suggested that the cat-sìth was not a fairy, but a witch that could transform into a cat nine times**
The author’s writing style is enchanting, entertaining and engaging on so many levels, a perfect picture was painted in my mind of Grimalkins desires, surroundings and feelings. I found this beautiful little cats paws wrapped around my heartstrings throughout the entirety of the book.
Overall, this was a delightful read of which I am sure will leave the cat lovers among us yearning for more!
We follow Grimalkin the cat, who passes away one fine day by the fire and his soul is transported to another world where he meets the great cat-sìth, who explains to him that he still has 8 lives remaining and that he has something special about him. It turns out that Grimalkin is a cat of uncommon curiosity and insight, the finest of the cat kind! Which means that should he choose to take the 8 lives he is owed then he must live them out on earth as a ghost cat!
**The cat-sìth is a fairy creature from Celtic mythology, said to resemble a large black cat with a white spot on its chest. Legend has it that the spectral cat haunts the Scottish Highlands. The legends surrounding this creature are more common in Scottish folklore, but a few occur in Irish. Some common folklore suggested that the cat-sìth was not a fairy, but a witch that could transform into a cat nine times**
The author’s writing style is enchanting, entertaining and engaging on so many levels, a perfect picture was painted in my mind of Grimalkins desires, surroundings and feelings. I found this beautiful little cats paws wrapped around my heartstrings throughout the entirety of the book.
Overall, this was a delightful read of which I am sure will leave the cat lovers among us yearning for more!
September 1, 2024
5🌟
I loved this! It even made me cry. Over the course of 120 years, we witness vignettes of the lives of those that inhabit 7/7 Marchmont Crescent, an Edinburgh tenement, in the company of Grimalkin the cat who has been granted their remaining lives in ghost form.
The historical reference points are really interesting, but it is Grimallkin's love for Eilidh, the child who found them and who accompanies her through her life, which really touched me.
It is a very enjoyable, charming read that was more emotional than expected.
I loved this! It even made me cry. Over the course of 120 years, we witness vignettes of the lives of those that inhabit 7/7 Marchmont Crescent, an Edinburgh tenement, in the company of Grimalkin the cat who has been granted their remaining lives in ghost form.
The historical reference points are really interesting, but it is Grimallkin's love for Eilidh, the child who found them and who accompanies her through her life, which really touched me.
It is a very enjoyable, charming read that was more emotional than expected.
July 27, 2024
1.75⭐️ Grimalkin is a majestic cat living in a historical flat in 1890’s Edinburgh. Once his natural life comes to an end, he is given a rare opportunity to experience the ages of the world in 9 separate lives in a distinctly feline way: 3 to stay, 3 to stray, and 3 to play.
Unfortunately this was a huge miss for me. It could have been cute and very sweet, but the writing was so poor that the attempts at charm very rarely landed. There were some strangely fatphobic, bigoted, and misogynistic vibes in certain chapters and the things that Grimalkin knew and could figure out seemed random with no clear pattern. There was no singular thread to connect the different storylines together and most of them seemed to end unceremoniously and awkwardly transition into the next without rhyme or reason. Grimalkin himself wasn’t a compelling enough character to carry the storyline through each vignette so it really dragged through most of the story.
Instead of charming snapshots of each era with a common thread of something meaningful to the story, like human-cat interaction or the way a single family inhabits the house, we get partial vignettes of random historical events with a diatribe of strange judgements on each from a poorly fleshed out character.
Also, points deducted for the plotline of a literal 1890’s era cat selling a man’s stocks online as some far-fetched form of vigilante justice. That was a little too much for me.
Huge thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for this Advanced Reader Copy! This review is my honest opinion and offered voluntarily!
Unfortunately this was a huge miss for me. It could have been cute and very sweet, but the writing was so poor that the attempts at charm very rarely landed. There were some strangely fatphobic, bigoted, and misogynistic vibes in certain chapters and the things that Grimalkin knew and could figure out seemed random with no clear pattern. There was no singular thread to connect the different storylines together and most of them seemed to end unceremoniously and awkwardly transition into the next without rhyme or reason. Grimalkin himself wasn’t a compelling enough character to carry the storyline through each vignette so it really dragged through most of the story.
Instead of charming snapshots of each era with a common thread of something meaningful to the story, like human-cat interaction or the way a single family inhabits the house, we get partial vignettes of random historical events with a diatribe of strange judgements on each from a poorly fleshed out character.
Also, points deducted for the plotline of a literal 1890’s era cat selling a man’s stocks online as some far-fetched form of vigilante justice. That was a little too much for me.
Huge thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for this Advanced Reader Copy! This review is my honest opinion and offered voluntarily!
May 3, 2024
2.5/5
Thank you Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for allowing me to read an eARC for “Ghost Cat.”
This book was cute and cozy
.
It was an interesting idea and I enjoyed it overall.
It just really didn’t have much sustenance or depth. I loved following Grimalkin through history, starting with the invention of electricity and ending with Queen Elizabeth II’s death. My issue is I wanted more of everything. I wanted more historical details, more descriptions, more depth to each haunting, and more personality of Grimalkin.
Overall a quick ok read.
Thank you Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for allowing me to read an eARC for “Ghost Cat.”
This book was cute and cozy
.
It was an interesting idea and I enjoyed it overall.
It just really didn’t have much sustenance or depth. I loved following Grimalkin through history, starting with the invention of electricity and ending with Queen Elizabeth II’s death. My issue is I wanted more of everything. I wanted more historical details, more descriptions, more depth to each haunting, and more personality of Grimalkin.
Overall a quick ok read.
August 14, 2023
Such an enjoyable and readable book and you don't need to love cats to enjoy it!
Grimalkin is a vivid character who is a memorable guide through the history of his flat and through time. There is also an emotional thread that runs through this book which adds extra depth and an added dimension which I thought worked very well. This is a beautifully written book with well drawn characters and a great eye for period detail. Buy it and enjoy it, you will find it hard to put down.
Grimalkin is a vivid character who is a memorable guide through the history of his flat and through time. There is also an emotional thread that runs through this book which adds extra depth and an added dimension which I thought worked very well. This is a beautifully written book with well drawn characters and a great eye for period detail. Buy it and enjoy it, you will find it hard to put down.
August 24, 2024
The Ghost Cat is an enchanting, mesmerizing read about a special cat who has died and must throughout the years still earn its nine lives. With humor, sadness and irritation, his progression goes from the early 1900's into the 2000's. During this time, we watch this innocent cat learn about the changes, sometimes drastically which have occurred. All he really wants is the simplicity of what he lost, but unfortunately his journey only leads him into turmoil.
In 1902 Grimalkin, who resides at 7/7 Marchmont Crescent in Edinburgh, the pet cat of a woman named Elidh whom he loves deeply, falls asleep for the last time after being petted by his owner.
When he awakens, he discovers he is not really dead yet. He is told since he has never lived the nine lives of a cat but was just loved and taken care of and sheltered from harm, he must travel as a ghost and earn those lives before heading off into the afterlife.
Thus, begins Grimalkin's magical journey through the changes in time and years, his home, his beloved, as well as the incredible (but sometimes unlikable) developments in technology, human behavior and life. To say Grimalkin lives those lives to the fullest would be an understatement. He tortures himself (and others) with his unhappiness of what at times he sees. But he somehow is always learning.
Finally, and only then is he allowed to cross over to where he belongs. His final resting place. Come along with this wonderful ghost cat and witness through the eyes of a feline what life is like and what it has become. What is experienced, what he has loved and lost will be a lesson for all who sometimes take the smallest things for granted.
The Ghost Cat was a marvelous journey.
Thank you #NetGalley #HarperCollins/Harlequin/Alex Howard #TheGhostCat for the advanced copy.
In 1902 Grimalkin, who resides at 7/7 Marchmont Crescent in Edinburgh, the pet cat of a woman named Elidh whom he loves deeply, falls asleep for the last time after being petted by his owner.
When he awakens, he discovers he is not really dead yet. He is told since he has never lived the nine lives of a cat but was just loved and taken care of and sheltered from harm, he must travel as a ghost and earn those lives before heading off into the afterlife.
Thus, begins Grimalkin's magical journey through the changes in time and years, his home, his beloved, as well as the incredible (but sometimes unlikable) developments in technology, human behavior and life. To say Grimalkin lives those lives to the fullest would be an understatement. He tortures himself (and others) with his unhappiness of what at times he sees. But he somehow is always learning.
Finally, and only then is he allowed to cross over to where he belongs. His final resting place. Come along with this wonderful ghost cat and witness through the eyes of a feline what life is like and what it has become. What is experienced, what he has loved and lost will be a lesson for all who sometimes take the smallest things for granted.
The Ghost Cat was a marvelous journey.
Thank you #NetGalley #HarperCollins/Harlequin/Alex Howard #TheGhostCat for the advanced copy.
February 28, 2024
I love the ideas here, but not the execution.
I was expecting the vignettes to examine the humanity of each new tenant in the flat, with our feline lead musing on the human condition and how different eras affect that as he travels the decades. Maybe I misinterpreted the synopsis, and if so, that's on me. What I got, however, was our feline lead giving an educational tour with as many history beats as possible shoved into each vignette.
I'm sure this will work for some readers, as will the author's sense of humor, but neither worked for me.
I was expecting the vignettes to examine the humanity of each new tenant in the flat, with our feline lead musing on the human condition and how different eras affect that as he travels the decades. Maybe I misinterpreted the synopsis, and if so, that's on me. What I got, however, was our feline lead giving an educational tour with as many history beats as possible shoved into each vignette.
I'm sure this will work for some readers, as will the author's sense of humor, but neither worked for me.
April 6, 2024
flop. didn’t do what he thought it did. the cat didn’t even get 9 lives just 9 half an hours on every historical event
February 1, 2024
If you know the truth about cats, then you know they are some of the wisest of creatures, and therefore Grimalkin will of course make a wonderful guide through almost 150 years of history! Born in 1887 in Edinburgh Grimalkin lives his first 15 years of life as “a thinking cat and, as such, enjoyed a life of quiet contemplation.” But in a cosmic mixup he passes a bit before his time and is granted the opportunity to live 8 more lives as a ghost cat. Through his eyes we see the world in snippets of time as it changes on its steady pace into the 21st century. Grimalkin shares his perceptions of fashion, food, decorating styles, language, inventions, world events, the people he observes and so much more all from his home base of the flat in Edinburgh where he was born. Told with wit and wisdom this is an account that is outright funny, endearing, warm and bittersweet. Any lover of history or cats will enjoy it! Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to read this advanced reader copy.
September 10, 2024
A charming tale of Grimalkin the cat, who gets to haunt his old Victorian lodgings for the next 120 years or so, which makes him a witness to all the changes the house and the inhabitants go through.
Some of the 'hauntings' focus more on the historical aspect, others are outright silly, but I cared most for those that were endearing.
A fun, cosy read, with a cat as the narrator and main character. Sometimes, that's all you need!
Some of the 'hauntings' focus more on the historical aspect, others are outright silly, but I cared most for those that were endearing.
A fun, cosy read, with a cat as the narrator and main character. Sometimes, that's all you need!
August 27, 2024
The premise of this story was good. It was an enjoyable read, and I loved Grimalkin and his goings on through the years.
Grimalkin has come to the end of his life, but since the he only used one life he gets sent back as a Ghost cat. With eight lives left, he gets a short moment in each of the lives.
I would have liked to get a little more from some of those lives. I would have especially liked to get a little more about his time with Eilidh.
In all it was a nice, enjoyable story. If you are a cat lover, you’ll enjoy this book.
Thank you to netGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Grimalkin has come to the end of his life, but since the he only used one life he gets sent back as a Ghost cat. With eight lives left, he gets a short moment in each of the lives.
I would have liked to get a little more from some of those lives. I would have especially liked to get a little more about his time with Eilidh.
In all it was a nice, enjoyable story. If you are a cat lover, you’ll enjoy this book.
Thank you to netGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
May 25, 2024
I am definitely an ailurophile, with two of my own, so I knew this book would appeal to me.
“A cat has nine lives. For three he plays, for three he strays and for the last three he stays.”
This is an old English proverb. The author has imagined the nine lives of one tabby, who actually dies at the end of his first life, so his following eight lives are lived as a ghost, meaning that he can observe but is invisible to humans. It is a great idea, but it does create a few problems for the story structure.
Grimalkin is the puss involved. He is a “cat of uncommon curiosity and insight.” We first meet Grimalkin when he is an elderly cat living in Edinburgh. He was rescued as a kitten by Eilidh in 1887 and she and Grimalkin love one another deeply. Unfortunately (and in error) Grimalkin dies at the end of his first life instead of experiencing the nine lives that are traditional for cats. This error is corrected by Cat-Sith, the King of the Cats. (This is where the story becomes complicated.). Grimalkin chooses to return to Eilidh (his person) as a ghost to complete his nine lives rather than the oblivion of immediately dying permanently. So he returns to his cat life eight times, seemingly at random intervals of time, for just a day each time. When he falls asleep he jumps forward in time to his next life. He is present at Eilidh’s death, misses the First World War entirely, meets a couple of famous Scots, has some adventures and finally dies on the same day that Queen Elizabeth II does, in 2022.
There is change over the decades and new inventions to scare our hero, but each life is very brief and only vaguely connected to his previous lives. This makes for a rather disjointed story, almost like a collection of short stories. Why does he stay in each life for only a day? A longer life at each stop would allow more development of the story and the characters.
But overall I did enjoy the book and became quite attached to Grimalkin as he progressed through his allotted nine lives. I learned a bit about Edinburgh and was reminded of some major events in the twentieth century. It was a nice touch that the last stop was in the home of the author. I think any cat lover would enjoy this quiet little fantasy.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press who provided me with the ARC in return for my honest review.
“A cat has nine lives. For three he plays, for three he strays and for the last three he stays.”
This is an old English proverb. The author has imagined the nine lives of one tabby, who actually dies at the end of his first life, so his following eight lives are lived as a ghost, meaning that he can observe but is invisible to humans. It is a great idea, but it does create a few problems for the story structure.
Grimalkin is the puss involved. He is a “cat of uncommon curiosity and insight.” We first meet Grimalkin when he is an elderly cat living in Edinburgh. He was rescued as a kitten by Eilidh in 1887 and she and Grimalkin love one another deeply. Unfortunately (and in error) Grimalkin dies at the end of his first life instead of experiencing the nine lives that are traditional for cats. This error is corrected by Cat-Sith, the King of the Cats. (This is where the story becomes complicated.). Grimalkin chooses to return to Eilidh (his person) as a ghost to complete his nine lives rather than the oblivion of immediately dying permanently. So he returns to his cat life eight times, seemingly at random intervals of time, for just a day each time. When he falls asleep he jumps forward in time to his next life. He is present at Eilidh’s death, misses the First World War entirely, meets a couple of famous Scots, has some adventures and finally dies on the same day that Queen Elizabeth II does, in 2022.
There is change over the decades and new inventions to scare our hero, but each life is very brief and only vaguely connected to his previous lives. This makes for a rather disjointed story, almost like a collection of short stories. Why does he stay in each life for only a day? A longer life at each stop would allow more development of the story and the characters.
But overall I did enjoy the book and became quite attached to Grimalkin as he progressed through his allotted nine lives. I learned a bit about Edinburgh and was reminded of some major events in the twentieth century. It was a nice touch that the last stop was in the home of the author. I think any cat lover would enjoy this quiet little fantasy.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press who provided me with the ARC in return for my honest review.
August 31, 2024
The Ghost Cat by Alex Howard was a mostly cute story. I enjoyed the premise and Grimalkin as a narrator. However, I wished at times that we could have spent a little more time in each era as it felt a little rushed and as if our feline friend did not get long enough to experience all the new things in each decade he visited. As such, the story lacked the depth it could have had. Nonetheless, many people are sure to enjoy this book as it is in the same vein as many of the cat-centred Japanese tales that have become popular in recent years. I am giving it four stars.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 14, 2024
Finished reading: August 13th 2024
"He was suddenly struck with the sense that this whole business of time travel might turn out to be rather more taxing on his brain than he'd initially thought."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Hanover Square Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
REVIEW
August 28, 2024
This was a quick, charming historical fiction romp through Edinburgh over the span of 120 years as told through the perspective of a cat named, Grimalkin, who finds himself sentenced to live 9 lives as a ghost cat attached to the inhabitants of one city tenement.
Moving and insightful, this is a cozy read, that while not my particular cup of tea, is still recommended for cat lovers and fans of books like Before the coffee gets cold, Hiro Arikawa's The goodbye cat or The full moon coffee shop by Mai Mochizuki. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
Moving and insightful, this is a cozy read, that while not my particular cup of tea, is still recommended for cat lovers and fans of books like Before the coffee gets cold, Hiro Arikawa's The goodbye cat or The full moon coffee shop by Mai Mochizuki. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
July 29, 2024
The Ghost Cat
Alex Howard
Pub: 8/27
Synopsis:
Early morning, 1902. At 7/7 Marchmont Crescent, Eilidh the charlady tips coal into a fire grate and sets it alight. Overhearing, Grimalkin the cat ambles over to curl up against the welcome heat and lick his favorite human's hand. But this is to be his last day on earth…before he becomes the Ghost Cat.
Follow Grimalkin as he witnesses the changes of the next 120 years, prowling unseen among the inhabitants of an Edinburgh tenement while unearthing some startling revelations about the mystery of existence, the unstoppable march of time and the true meaning of feline companionship.
My Thoughts:
As a cat lover/owner the unique premise called out to me. The Ghost Cat was a cozy historical fantasy read. I enjoyed that we get to experience 9 lives spanning 120 years all from the POV of Grimalkin the cat. It’s a slower paced story so I did find my mind wandering a few times, but overall it was a fun read and I enjoyed taking part in the read-a-long.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Thank you the Hive for hosting a fun read-a-long.
Alex Howard
Pub: 8/27
Synopsis:
Early morning, 1902. At 7/7 Marchmont Crescent, Eilidh the charlady tips coal into a fire grate and sets it alight. Overhearing, Grimalkin the cat ambles over to curl up against the welcome heat and lick his favorite human's hand. But this is to be his last day on earth…before he becomes the Ghost Cat.
Follow Grimalkin as he witnesses the changes of the next 120 years, prowling unseen among the inhabitants of an Edinburgh tenement while unearthing some startling revelations about the mystery of existence, the unstoppable march of time and the true meaning of feline companionship.
My Thoughts:
As a cat lover/owner the unique premise called out to me. The Ghost Cat was a cozy historical fantasy read. I enjoyed that we get to experience 9 lives spanning 120 years all from the POV of Grimalkin the cat. It’s a slower paced story so I did find my mind wandering a few times, but overall it was a fun read and I enjoyed taking part in the read-a-long.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Thank you the Hive for hosting a fun read-a-long.
September 2, 2024
I really liked this book. It's the sort of book that would be perfect for a cold autumn day, under a blanket with a fire and hot chocolate. It had rich descriptions of a bygone Edinburgh that made me feel wistful for the city my mum grew up in. A gentle and whimsical tale, it isn't a classic but for a rainy afternoon you'd be hard pushed to find a better book.
Shelved as '2024'
June 10, 2024📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press
August 31, 2024
The idea of this book was wonderful- a cat that has nine lives. Each lived over different periods of time in the same house.
Unfortunately the book lacked any depth or really any point in my opinion. We flew through each period of time, learning very little about the inhabitants of the house or the time period and ultimately not caring. The cat’s constant use of the word ‘numpty’ was also irritating!
This definitely fell short for me I’m afraid.
Unfortunately the book lacked any depth or really any point in my opinion. We flew through each period of time, learning very little about the inhabitants of the house or the time period and ultimately not caring. The cat’s constant use of the word ‘numpty’ was also irritating!
This definitely fell short for me I’m afraid.
August 30, 2024
Second favourite read this year
August 19, 2024
Charmant en hartverwarmend!
Mijn hele bespreking is hier te vinden: https://bettinaschrijft.blogspot.com/...
Mijn hele bespreking is hier te vinden: https://bettinaschrijft.blogspot.com/...
February 1, 2024
If you know the truth about cats, then you know they are some of the wisest of creatures, and therefore Grimalkin will of course make a wonderful guide through almost 150 years of history! Born in 1887 in Edinburgh Grimalkin lives his first 15 years of life as “a thinking cat and, as such, enjoyed a life of quiet contemplation.” But in a cosmic mixup he passes a bit before his time and is granted the opportunity to live 8 more lives as a ghost cat. Through his eyes we see the world in snippets of time as it changes on its steady pace into the 21st century. Grimalkin shares his perceptions of fashion, food, decorating styles, language, inventions, world events, the people he observes and so much more all from his home base of the flat in Edinburgh where he was born. Told with wit and wisdom this is an account that is outright funny, endearing, warm and bittersweet. Any lover of history or cats will enjoy it! Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to read this advanced reader copy.
August 25, 2024
I'm a cat lover and fell in love with Grimalkin since the first pages. This is the story of a cat and a way to tell how morals, technology and way of living changed during more than 1 hundred years.
Grimalkin lives his 9 lives and see how things are changes. There's also loss and love.
It's well written and life affirming book, Edimburgh and history are relevant characters as our cat and human he met.
The world bulding and character development are excellent and I loved the storytelling
I loved it and it's strongly recommended.
A book I could read multiple times and always having fun, being moved as I love Grimalkin and how he faces the changes in life
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Grimalkin lives his 9 lives and see how things are changes. There's also loss and love.
It's well written and life affirming book, Edimburgh and history are relevant characters as our cat and human he met.
The world bulding and character development are excellent and I loved the storytelling
I loved it and it's strongly recommended.
A book I could read multiple times and always having fun, being moved as I love Grimalkin and how he faces the changes in life
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
March 19, 2024
Endearing little story, comprised of a series of narrative snapshots from different years. Each is set in the same house as it, its decor and occupants and feel, changes with the advancing time. Each mini-story is insightful and very evocative of its peroid, while the house and its layers of memories, and the great grey backdrop of Edinburgh stay the same. Charming and very touching, and if you’re a cat person, spot on.
May 16, 2023
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
A beautiful love letter to the majestic cat. It took me a moment to get used to the writing still, but once I was able become Grimalkin and tried to see things through his cloudy eyes I was golden
The imagination used for this story is one I haven't read in a while. I thought it was delightful, but not before bed reading. I did have to google some words
A beautiful love letter to the majestic cat. It took me a moment to get used to the writing still, but once I was able become Grimalkin and tried to see things through his cloudy eyes I was golden
The imagination used for this story is one I haven't read in a while. I thought it was delightful, but not before bed reading. I did have to google some words
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