It's a Catastrophe

Title:  It’s a Catastrophe
Author:  Sibel Hodge
Genre:  Teens and YA
Publisher:  Wonder Women Publishing Limited
Publish Date:  November 9, 2012
Pages:  *kindle edition* 296 pages
ISBN:  1480289035
Obtained:  Review copy from Netgallery
Synopsis: *obtained from Netgallery*
For Disney story lovers everywhere!

Think Cats & Dogs meets Toy Story...

Warning! Contains fur-raising adventure, wacky characters, laugh out loud comedy, and heart-warming drama.

The cats at Briarswood Cottage are lucky. After being rescued from the local Cats' Home by Ma Katz, they live out their days in luxury under the watchful eye of Buster, the mogfather. But all that's about to change...

When the local mayor announces that the cat population is spreading a deadly disease, their lives are in mortal danger. There's no time to paws! Somehow, Ma's moggies have to organize all the neighbourhood cats to unite as one, getting their claws stuck in to prove their innocence and save each other from certain death.

Can they put aside jealous rivalry and tomcat turf wars to work together as a team and save catkind from extinction?


In the tradition of other books with an animal cast “It’s a Catastrophe” is told from the view of animals. Mostly cats as the titles suggest. And there are plenty of great books told from a cat’s view. Sadly, this isn't one of them.

To start with characters are introduced too quickly and their descriptions are too bland. Generally for the younger set this wouldn't be a huge problem. But considering this book has on my reader 369 pages I feel there is more than a little room for longer and slightly more developed introductions.

Often I was taken out of the story slightly by the comparison of smoky to Captain Jack Sparrow and other pop culture references. It would be okay in some cases but in a storyline where you’re trying to look at the world from animals view it doesn't quite fit in. It’s just jarring.

I could nitpick from here to forever on every little thing that bugged me but that would be unkind. In the end I feel this book is trying to fit for the older audiences but also is trying to reach out to the younger readers as well. It does not balance well however and it just doesn't work.

As much as I hate to say it I didn't get much enjoyment out of this book. I honestly can’t recommend this book to anyone. If you want a good book from an animal’s point of view go read “Watership Down”.
RATING: 1 out of 10