Tamsin

I can count the number of writers who can write cats on one hand: Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Hugh Howey, and Peter S. Beagle. Nothing supernatural occurs for the entire 1st quarter of this book, but I'm still engrossed because of Jenny's relationship with her cat and how absolutely awful it is to go through quarantine. My poor cat had to deal with me sniffling into his fur and apologizing for all the times I've left him, and he's really too cool for that sort of thing.

Anyway, Tamsin. In the afterword, Peter (I've fangirled over him in person three times, so that makes us best friends on a first name basis, right?) states that this story was originally conceived as an animated film for Disney. The pacing and the action feel about right for this medium, perhaps animated in a Rankin/Bass or even Studio Ghibli style. For lovers of English folklore, the book is a treasure trove. The novel collects legends as it rolls along, but each one is given a proper space, even when it is not directly linked to the story. For that alone, this book is worth a read.

It's also worth it for the relationship between Jenny and Tamsin. I am notorious for hating teenage perspectives, especially first person ones. At times, Jenny is an irritating protagonist even if she does look back and admit all the times she was making stupid teenage decisions. She can't really help it and the hindsight helps make it a little less annoying. She makes up for it with her reactions to Tamsin and the way that meeting her is her mirror into both past and future. Their relationship is unusual, and it almost seems to stand for those first forays of youth outside our comfortable circle of friends. Tamsin is a secret, perhaps a dangerous one, perhaps even a romantic one, and Jenny tests her own boundaries with their friendship. Tamsin herself is an interesting take on a familiar ghost story. Peter describes her as little more than memory and sometimes not even that. His vivid prose makes her as real for the readers as for Jenny.

It's a bit of a slow start (and if you're a cat lover you might need to take some breaks early on because the first quarter hurts), but it's worth the journey. I do hope someone talented someday does pick this up for an animated film. These characters are begging to drawn.