Cattywampus by Ash Van OtterlooMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Finished on May 31, 2021
Favorite Scene/Quote: "I'm a lone wolf."
"Ain't such a thing. There's always a pack."
"I don't have a pack."
"You're the leader, silly goose."
The cover for this book immediately drew me in and then I learned that one of the characters was intersex and I knew I had to read it. I requested it at my library and split it up between two nights.
Delpha McGill and Katybird Hearn both come from families of witches, but they aren’t supposed to let other people in the village know. After a feud between the Hearn’s and the McGill’s ages ago, the families have decided that keeping their magic a secret is the best thing for everyone. Delpha’s mother went another step forward and refuses to even talk to her about magic. This leads Delpha to practicing on her own. Katybird can’t seem to control her magic and she isn’t even sure if she has any, or is supposed to, to begin with. The two have a confrontation that ends with them raising their dead ancestors who are determined to continue their feud, even at the expense of other people.
This is a middle-grade book, so I wasn’t expecting a lot out of it. Not in a bad way, more of a I don’t know whether I’ll enjoy the experience way. I did. This book was fun and at times silly, but it was good. I was pulled into the story almost immediately and I found that I wanted to keep reading until I hit the end.
I love all the characters involved in this story. From Delpha who tries so hard to be a lone wolf but can’t quite manage it in the end to Katybird who is so sweet but doubtful. I love Tyler who tries his best. The living family members are good and enjoyable. I really just loved these characters. Even when Delpha wasn’t always being nice or Katybird was doing things that were risky and stupid, I loved them. There wasn’t a single point where I didn’t enjoy the characters or where I just wished they would stop.
I love the magic in this book. I especially love there being a drawn difference between the McGill’s and Hearn’s and how they use magic. It made a nice way to differentiate between zombie family members, but it also allowed for the possibility of their being many ways of channeling magic. I also love that magic, and magic use, wasn’t just black and white. As one of the characters said, “I reckon everybody’s a little bit magical, even if they don’t know it.”
I enjoyed this book a lot more than I had expected to, but I wish there was more to the story. I honestly wish this were a series where I could watch them grow up and come into their magic. It was great to get to know them, but it sucks to have to part.
If you’re looking for a cute middle-grade book: go for it. I’m hoping you won’t regret it, I didn’t. In fact, Otterloo has another book coming out this year and I'm really hoping I can get my hands on it at some point.
The cover for this book immediately drew me in and then I learned that one of the characters was intersex and I knew I had to read it. I requested it at my library and split it up between two nights.
Delpha McGill and Katybird Hearn both come from families of witches, but they aren’t supposed to let other people in the village know. After a feud between the Hearn’s and the McGill’s ages ago, the families have decided that keeping their magic a secret is the best thing for everyone. Delpha’s mother went another step forward and refuses to even talk to her about magic. This leads Delpha to practicing on her own. Katybird can’t seem to control her magic and she isn’t even sure if she has any, or is supposed to, to begin with. The two have a confrontation that ends with them raising their dead ancestors who are determined to continue their feud, even at the expense of other people.
This is a middle-grade book, so I wasn’t expecting a lot out of it. Not in a bad way, more of a I don’t know whether I’ll enjoy the experience way. I did. This book was fun and at times silly, but it was good. I was pulled into the story almost immediately and I found that I wanted to keep reading until I hit the end.
I love all the characters involved in this story. From Delpha who tries so hard to be a lone wolf but can’t quite manage it in the end to Katybird who is so sweet but doubtful. I love Tyler who tries his best. The living family members are good and enjoyable. I really just loved these characters. Even when Delpha wasn’t always being nice or Katybird was doing things that were risky and stupid, I loved them. There wasn’t a single point where I didn’t enjoy the characters or where I just wished they would stop.
I love the magic in this book. I especially love there being a drawn difference between the McGill’s and Hearn’s and how they use magic. It made a nice way to differentiate between zombie family members, but it also allowed for the possibility of their being many ways of channeling magic. I also love that magic, and magic use, wasn’t just black and white. As one of the characters said, “I reckon everybody’s a little bit magical, even if they don’t know it.”
I enjoyed this book a lot more than I had expected to, but I wish there was more to the story. I honestly wish this were a series where I could watch them grow up and come into their magic. It was great to get to know them, but it sucks to have to part.
If you’re looking for a cute middle-grade book: go for it. I’m hoping you won’t regret it, I didn’t. In fact, Otterloo has another book coming out this year and I'm really hoping I can get my hands on it at some point.
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