Helpful Score: 12
As a fan of both cat cozies and mysteries based in actual history, I was delighted to find How to Wash a Cat. It seemed like it was tailor-made for me--until I started reading it.
The cats and the history did, in fact, prove charming. The rest of the tale? No so much. The main character is nameless throughout the bulk of the book, which was irritating, and the resolution of that issue was equally obnoxious. There is also a lack of description of the main character. The only certainty is that she's passive to the point of being wishy-washy. The other characters, however, are described in detailed, rather snotty ways. Most of them, for instance, are smelly and/or childish.
The deal-breaker, however, was that the mystery simply wasn't very good. Like the rest of the book, it had lots of potential with very little follow through. Aspects of the tale originated only to go nowhere, leaving parts unresolved, while other aspects skewed dangerously close to deus ex machina territory.
The cats and the history did, in fact, prove charming. The rest of the tale? No so much. The main character is nameless throughout the bulk of the book, which was irritating, and the resolution of that issue was equally obnoxious. There is also a lack of description of the main character. The only certainty is that she's passive to the point of being wishy-washy. The other characters, however, are described in detailed, rather snotty ways. Most of them, for instance, are smelly and/or childish.
The deal-breaker, however, was that the mystery simply wasn't very good. Like the rest of the book, it had lots of potential with very little follow through. Aspects of the tale originated only to go nowhere, leaving parts unresolved, while other aspects skewed dangerously close to deus ex machina territory.
Helpful Score: 6
This book was a cute cozy. The main charater had zero personality but her cats made up for it. Rupert wa a cutie.. I have one named that myself.
The book had alot of history of San Francisco which was really cool, but the plot was scattered and The character Monty was just obnoxious...
The ending was very confusing.. What did Mrs. Wang give to her? It ended very suddon and odd. Maybe the next book will be more rounded out.
The book had alot of history of San Francisco which was really cool, but the plot was scattered and The character Monty was just obnoxious...
The ending was very confusing.. What did Mrs. Wang give to her? It ended very suddon and odd. Maybe the next book will be more rounded out.
Kathleen J. (cozyreader) reviewed How to Wash a Cat (Cats and Curios, Bk 1) on + 101 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
The book was interesting in that it had a lot of San Francisco history. That said, I found it to be a little hard to get through for 2 reasons.
First, it is a little wordy--sometimes first time authors overelaborate, she did that.
Second, I found Monty, the character to be extremely irritating and could not imagine how the main character could spend time with him.
The cats, however, especially Rupert, are extremely cute..
First, it is a little wordy--sometimes first time authors overelaborate, she did that.
Second, I found Monty, the character to be extremely irritating and could not imagine how the main character could spend time with him.
The cats, however, especially Rupert, are extremely cute..
Helpful Score: 3
I liked this book, but found it a bit slow going at the beginning. But the ending was good. The characters are interesting, but one is quite annoying. I always enjoy reading books with a bit of history in them. I feel as though I have learned something.
Bonnie A. (ladycholla) -
Helpful Score: 3
Loved this story. Great characters, some to love, some to irritate and some to want to keep at a distance. Quirky tale, good Gold Rush history, fun story about the Green Vase Shop.
Heather F. (AZmom875) -
Helpful Score: 2
This book sure had some haters. I was surprised to read the negative reviews after finishing this book. I loved the history lesson about San Francisco. I am not sure how much is factual but the story was great. Many reviewers complained about the main character being nondescript, but I thought it was a charming way to write a book.
I am surprised that not one person complained about how the cats were written in a way that was unbelievable. The cats smiled and smirked and responded to humans as if they understood the humans. But the cats are not portrayed as magical, they are just cats. And somehow the cats would travel in tunnels and totebags, and travel carriers and walk in fashion shows. My cats do whatever they want, and dont give a hoot about a solving a mystery or being in a cat jewelry fashion show.
I thought it was a good book, I loved her quirky very well described characters. I loved the main character, I even loved her unbelievable cats. I love the store that she becomes the owner of. I love her new life. I loved the mystery and all the fun clues her uncle leaves behind.
I am surprised that not one person complained about how the cats were written in a way that was unbelievable. The cats smiled and smirked and responded to humans as if they understood the humans. But the cats are not portrayed as magical, they are just cats. And somehow the cats would travel in tunnels and totebags, and travel carriers and walk in fashion shows. My cats do whatever they want, and dont give a hoot about a solving a mystery or being in a cat jewelry fashion show.
I thought it was a good book, I loved her quirky very well described characters. I loved the main character, I even loved her unbelievable cats. I love the store that she becomes the owner of. I love her new life. I loved the mystery and all the fun clues her uncle leaves behind.
Richard M. (algernon99) -
Helpful Score: 2
I wanted to like this book. I really did. OK, it had some strikes against it--for one, it was about cats. I do not like cats, and I think people who think cats are people have only a loose grip on reality. Nevertheless, I have loved a number of books with cats in them, mostly outstandingly Lilian Jackson Braun's THE CAT WHO... series.
Secondly, the heroine is an accountant--like me. Imagine my distress to discover that the leading lady here is insipid, clueless, spineless, 100% incapable of making any kind of decision, and unwilling to stand up for herself, even if she could figure out what she really wants. In short, a person I am wholly unable to identify with. I do not want to ride around in her head, sharing her confusion and indecision. Sheesh!
So, I kept telling myself I was going to put down this book and not finish it. Well, I finished it, but I complained the whole time, and had several episodes of slamming it down on the table and tossing it away in disgust.
Aside from slanderously defaming and misrepresenting the personalities of accountants, what else is wrong here? Let me give you a few ideas on that:
1. The author purposely uses obscure dictionary-only words just to impress us with her high level of intelligence and prodigious vocabulary. The words chosen are usually archaic and never needed to be used--there were simple, direct synonyms that would have told the story much better without taking the reader out of the story to go find a dictionary. Instead of impressing us, she does the opposite--exposes an amateurish desire to show off.
2. To me--and this one is totally subjective--the plot doesn't hold water. It's just not credible. Things happen for no reason. The most unlikely things happen. I just couldn't suspend my disbelief.
3. The character of Monty is so distasteful that no one would put up with him, much less let him steamroll her so thoroughly and continually. The best our heroine could do is try to hide from him periodically. (One supposes that's because accountants have no backbone and no personality.)
[Allow me to wander off topic momentarily. I was particularly thrilled to run across a quote some years ago that went like this: "What's an actuary? Oh, they're like accountants, only without the personality." Finally, someone admitting that accountants have personalities!]
Back to the book, now. Usually, these cozy books have charm and humor. None of that makes it through the problems with the book.
So, I'm listing this book to trade off to someone who doesn't mind spineless, clueless heroines and perhaps will buy anything with a cat in the title. No one else need bother with it.
Secondly, the heroine is an accountant--like me. Imagine my distress to discover that the leading lady here is insipid, clueless, spineless, 100% incapable of making any kind of decision, and unwilling to stand up for herself, even if she could figure out what she really wants. In short, a person I am wholly unable to identify with. I do not want to ride around in her head, sharing her confusion and indecision. Sheesh!
So, I kept telling myself I was going to put down this book and not finish it. Well, I finished it, but I complained the whole time, and had several episodes of slamming it down on the table and tossing it away in disgust.
Aside from slanderously defaming and misrepresenting the personalities of accountants, what else is wrong here? Let me give you a few ideas on that:
1. The author purposely uses obscure dictionary-only words just to impress us with her high level of intelligence and prodigious vocabulary. The words chosen are usually archaic and never needed to be used--there were simple, direct synonyms that would have told the story much better without taking the reader out of the story to go find a dictionary. Instead of impressing us, she does the opposite--exposes an amateurish desire to show off.
2. To me--and this one is totally subjective--the plot doesn't hold water. It's just not credible. Things happen for no reason. The most unlikely things happen. I just couldn't suspend my disbelief.
3. The character of Monty is so distasteful that no one would put up with him, much less let him steamroll her so thoroughly and continually. The best our heroine could do is try to hide from him periodically. (One supposes that's because accountants have no backbone and no personality.)
[Allow me to wander off topic momentarily. I was particularly thrilled to run across a quote some years ago that went like this: "What's an actuary? Oh, they're like accountants, only without the personality." Finally, someone admitting that accountants have personalities!]
Back to the book, now. Usually, these cozy books have charm and humor. None of that makes it through the problems with the book.
So, I'm listing this book to trade off to someone who doesn't mind spineless, clueless heroines and perhaps will buy anything with a cat in the title. No one else need bother with it.
Helpful Score: 2
It was a cute cat mystery. The cats were a bit over the top with human attributes. Made it humorous. It wasn't gory. rather PG rated for a refreshing change.
Cheryl C. (moondance120) reviewed How to Wash a Cat (Cats and Curios, Bk 1) on + 422 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
The cats, Isabella and Rupert were the only saving grace to this book. There were too many odd characters introduced too quickly. The plot is a little off and the tunnel freaked me out! 2.5 stars
Helpful Score: 1
I have mixed feelings about this book. I agree with a reviewer on another site who described the characters as over the top. They can be a bit distracting. It was extremely difficult throughout the book to figure out who the good guys were, who the bad guys were and what exactly the mystery was about. I was also a bit disoriented by the fact that you don't know the name of the main character throughout the book. The conclusion of the book was a bit disatisfying to me as well. The bright spots were the two cats, Isabella & Rupert. I geuss I would give the book a 5 rating. The second book in the series comes out later this year. I will read it in the hopes that things will be a bit clearer than in the first.
Helpful Score: 1
Spoiler Alert! This book was enjoyable and mostly well-written. The reason I give it such a low rating was the fact you never find out the protagonist's name until the last sentence (she's always referred to as the deceased's neice) and the last sentence reveals her name to be the author's name...cheeeesy!
Regina C. (flyinggems) reviewed How to Wash a Cat (Cats and Curios, Bk 1) on + 436 more book reviews
I hated this book. It took me 3 weeks to get to page 109 Chapter 16. I always give books 100 pages. I ended up flipping to Chapter 41 to find out how it ended. I am so glad I gave up on this book. I hated the ending.
Hate the characters and story.
Hate the characters and story.
Even though the writer has chosen not to define the "heroine", I really enjoyed this book. Its unconventional format kept me reading. There are some really funny parts that had me laughing out loud.
The cats are wonderful, they remind me of my cats with all their quirks.
I look forward to continuing this series and already have the next 3 books.
The cats are wonderful, they remind me of my cats with all their quirks.
I look forward to continuing this series and already have the next 3 books.
Christine E. (emersunrose) reviewed How to Wash a Cat (Cats and Curios, Bk 1) on + 8 more book reviews
Intriguing, with bits of San Francisco history that whet the appetite to do a little research on one's own. Fun book.
Charlene C. (mccoffield) reviewed How to Wash a Cat (Cats and Curios, Bk 1) on + 76 more book reviews
This is an unusual series, not a run-of-the-mill mystery series, cozy or not. Rebecca M. Hale is a good writer and a very unique author.
It took me some time to get into this book and its sequels in the series. My best advice is to "go with the flow" and don't over analyze things.
The story lines are a bit mystery, a bit fantasy, a bit adventure and a bit historical novel. The mystery part is just that there is a mystery (or two) to solve. The fantasy part refers to the authors propensity to humanize (give dialogue or thought process to) animals and sometimes objects. The adventure part varies from book to book and is usually tied into the historical part - specifically the gold rush era, though the setting is current-time San Francisco.
My guess is this: either you will become oddly enthralled in this different kind of mystery, or you will simply not appreciate the author's style at all.
I had previously read the first two books in another series by the same author - her mysteries set in the Virgin Island, which also are not your typical cozy mysteries. However, I loved the Virgin Islands books, so I had to try her cat series.
I do recommend this series to the adventuresome reader, but it does require a bit of "getting-used-to".
It took me some time to get into this book and its sequels in the series. My best advice is to "go with the flow" and don't over analyze things.
The story lines are a bit mystery, a bit fantasy, a bit adventure and a bit historical novel. The mystery part is just that there is a mystery (or two) to solve. The fantasy part refers to the authors propensity to humanize (give dialogue or thought process to) animals and sometimes objects. The adventure part varies from book to book and is usually tied into the historical part - specifically the gold rush era, though the setting is current-time San Francisco.
My guess is this: either you will become oddly enthralled in this different kind of mystery, or you will simply not appreciate the author's style at all.
I had previously read the first two books in another series by the same author - her mysteries set in the Virgin Island, which also are not your typical cozy mysteries. However, I loved the Virgin Islands books, so I had to try her cat series.
I do recommend this series to the adventuresome reader, but it does require a bit of "getting-used-to".
I am having trouble getting into this book. I'm annoyed with Monty the neighboring business owner though I should mention I am also reading Rita Mae B rown's Mrs Murpjy series. I am going
to put How to Wash a Cat aside til I finish RM Brown (have 3) and then give it another chance.
to put How to Wash a Cat aside til I finish RM Brown (have 3) and then give it another chance.
Julia V. (gardenlady5562) reviewed How to Wash a Cat (Cats and Curios, Bk 1) on + 183 more book reviews
Loved the book - looking forward to reading the next in the series.
This is a cute cozy little mystery. Not bad for a first in a series. I will be ordering the next one!
I read this book. I have no idea what happened. I have great respect for the writer because her story telling tactics are adventurous, her language flows with a great flood of words that no one uses, and she didn't tie up all the strings into neat little bows at the end of the story. There are still a lot of unanswered questions. The history of the Gold Rush and all the little extra stories associated with it kept me turning the pages (but I think that's because I'm a history buff). I didn't like any of the characters including the nameless main character. The cats were the most interesting but even they were a little odd. The description of each of the characters made them incredibly unlikeable and that whole Frank/Gordon/???? at the end just didn't make any sense. I never figured out if her uncle Oscar died of a stroke/heart attack/bled out/or faked his own death. I never figured out why the tunnel was such a big secret if everyone knew about it. I never figured out the whole diamond story. I never figured out what the mystery was... or if we solved it. Here's my advice ~ go with the flow! Once you accept the author's eccentricities, the story works. Will I read the next book in the series? Yes! Because I want to know if Oscar's dead or alive! And I like the history! If her marketing tactic is to not solve the mystery in the first book so that you're forced to buy the next book ~ it worked! Because I'm going to buy it!
Sandra C. (shinypenny) -
This is a first in a new series. Basically about a young lady with 2 cats. She is beginning a new life in this historical area. Her uncle has his own personal museum to the Gold Rush era. She and her feline friends begin their journey there in San Francisco
