The Wild Cats of Piran

October 15, 2014
This trilogy opener introduces readers to the Slovenian seaside town of Piran and its colony of feral cats.Felicia, a short-haired black cat, is queen of the titular wild cats; the colony roams the streets of picturesque, medieval Piran with all the authority of, well, a bunch of cats, aided by the imperfectly described feline power of Magikat. But there is trouble for the wild cats, in the forms of thuggish youth Fisko and his German shepherd, Thor, and a rat general who is drilling his troops preparatory to a takeover. Two separate storylines emerge, as fluffy angora Bezya is catnapped by Fisko, and General Rat prepares for his assault, before converging almost arbitrarily at the end. That should be action aplenty for a slight, 120-page book, but the narrative chops it up and intersperses it with mannered musings on cat psychology, oddly placed forays into back story and loving descriptions of Piran. The avuncular narrator can be quite funny (when Fisko's sister rescues Bezya from his clutches, the storyteller remarks: "Call it a sense of common decency, if you will. Or even if you won't"), but just as often the voice bobbles, distracting readers from what plot there is. Chiste's full-color illustrations add grace notes, recalling animated films in their line and composition. If Young can get his voice and pacing under control, subsequent volumes might be rather a lot of fun. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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January 1, 2015

Gr 3-5-The feral cats of Piran are magical. When enemies approach, and there are many, they can make use of their powers of enchantment, known as Magikat, to escape them. Several story threads wind through this first in a series. The queen of the cats, Felecia, is the leader of the feral cat colony. She is a beautiful black cat whose long, ancient history brought her to the pretty seaside town of Piran, Slovenia, the story's setting. Her cohorts are Dragan, a warrior cat, and two cats in love, Beyza and Magyar. In one of the main story threads, Beyza, a sweet female Angora, gets kidnapped by a cruel boy and his German shepherd dog. A second plot involves an army of huge, vicious rats whose goal is to kill all of the cats in Piran. Also present in the story are ghosts from ancient times who are part of the ambience of Piran. Though the voice of the narrator at times interrupts the action taking place, the story has many engaging elements and will be a welcome addition to those who enjoy animal fantasy. It can be recommended to readers who love Ursula Le Guin's Catwings (Scholastic, 1988) and are still too young for Erin Hunter's "Warriors" series (HarperCollins). The colorful, cartoonlike illustrations are lovely and enhance the story. The unique and interesting setting of Piran and the surrounding area could be researched as part of a lesson plan that incorporates history and geography.-Tina Martin, Arlington Heights Memorial Library, IL

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