But Cats Don't Talk

by Lynne Heinzmann

But Cats Don't Talk is a young adult novel that combines elements of romance, tragedy, classical music, auditory hallucinations, a reinterpretation of "family," and dogged determination. It is the inspiring story of Rebecca O'Sullivan, a 17-year-old prodigy who has everything going for a promising career as a classical pianist, a supportive mother/piano teacher/manager, and a loving pet, Beethoven the Cat (BC), who accompanies her everywhere, even to her concerts where he wears a bowtie and sleeps atop her grand piano while she performs. Becca relies on her mother for practically everything, so when her mom dies suddenly, Becca finds herself ill-equipped to take care of herself or to perform her remaining concerts that season. To make matters worse, BC starts talking to her— becoming snarkier by the moment— and convinces Becca she is losing her mind. Even with the help of Cassie, her alcoholic aunt, Dak, her new friend/boyfriend, and Mrs. Fox, her honorary grandmother, Becca is afraid she won't be able to hold it together long enough to perform the last two concerts. And even if she does, she has no idea what she is going to do after the concerts are over.

Genres: Fiction

318 pages, Paperback

Published October 2, 2023

Reviews

[K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

But Cats Don’t Talk is about Becca, a 17-year-old concert pianist attempting to become the youngest to perform all of Beethoven’s piano sonatas in one year. As the year draws to a close and she nears her goal, Becca deals with an unbelievable number of challenges—dealing with death, an alcoholic aunt, the loss of her manager and mentor, and her cat’s sudden ability to speak to her. I enjoyed this book, although I felt it needed more balance—after a bit, the tragedy just seemed like piling on—but I can see how it might be a useful book for YA readers dealing with loss and grief.

Favorite Quotation: “A full house. And a talking cat. Nothing to worry about.”

[Kate Porter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet coming-of-age story with a beautiful ending that left me tearing up at the airport. May we all be blessed with such a beautiful community. (Full disclosure: the author is my neighbor and she’s wonderful!)