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It's the story of a pill-popping mother, an estranged father, their hapless son and his kitten, which is not a kitten.
No. It's the story of a kitten that IS a kitten on a Steel Planet he does not understand, accompanied by oddball companions on a quest to return home, seeking revenge.
Stop! You're both right. Kitten combines darkly personal and surreal psychodrama with zany adventure and absurd satire, adding to the mix a father-in-law who refuses to die and an ugly neighbor with fish for hands. Can Trevor enjoy the next episode of The Oversea Adventures of Pirate Piet? Does Willoughby make a fashionable hat for giant pandas? Only Kitten holds the answers.
No. It's the story of a kitten that IS a kitten on a Steel Planet he does not understand, accompanied by oddball companions on a quest to return home, seeking revenge.
Stop! You're both right. Kitten combines darkly personal and surreal psychodrama with zany adventure and absurd satire, adding to the mix a father-in-law who refuses to die and an ugly neighbor with fish for hands. Can Trevor enjoy the next episode of The Oversea Adventures of Pirate Piet? Does Willoughby make a fashionable hat for giant pandas? Only Kitten holds the answers.
- GenresBizarro FictionHorror
108 pages, Paperback
First published October 30, 2012
1 person is currently reading
251 people want to read
About the author
G. Arthur Brown
24 books85 followersG. Arthur Brown, when not sleeping, writes absurd and irreal fiction, especially in rest rooms. His flash fiction collection I Like Turtles earned a Wonderland nomination for Best Collection of 2014. Governor of the Homeless, his second novella and first horror offering, was released in 2016 by Psychedelic Horror Press. His latest collection, Stories to Make You Puke Your Pants, was released in June of 2022 by Planet Bizarro.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 20, 2013
Um, wow, I'm pretty blown away by this book, which really doesn't happen too often. I'm becoming a jaded, read it all, Bizarro fangirl. Nothing I can say will properly capture it's amazing-ness. So, how about I tell you what it's not?
* It's not gross
* It's not filled with references to bodily fluids
* It's not typical Bizarro
* It's not predictable (If you could predict anything that happens in KITTEN, you're probably taking expired medications and/or are insane. Seek medical help.)
* It's not a fashionable hat for a 3 story tall giant panda
* It's not a kitten nor is it not not a kitten
Yikes, double negative! Here have a card.
* It's not gross
* It's not filled with references to bodily fluids
* It's not typical Bizarro
* It's not predictable (If you could predict anything that happens in KITTEN, you're probably taking expired medications and/or are insane. Seek medical help.)
* It's not a fashionable hat for a 3 story tall giant panda
* It's not a kitten nor is it not not a kitten
Yikes, double negative! Here have a card.
July 13, 2013
Of the dozen or so Eraserhead Press NBAS books I’ve read so far, Kitten is one of my favs. A surreal, dreamlike narrative that appropriately begins with a dream, this story is told in two main parts, both of which concern a certain kitten. The voiceless, passive kitten of Part 1 is less of a character and more of a problem that other characters have to deal with. This kitten (who is more like an ugly squirrel than an actual kitty) takes to barfing up postage stamps after a dead girl with a degree in kitten psychology touches him. Once this stamp-vomiting, squirrely feline gets banished to “The Steel Planet,” Part 2 of the narrative begins. Here the same kitten has a name, a voice, a purpose, and a traditional kitten morphology to boot. The animal becomes a character instead of a nuisance and takes over as the novella's protagonist.
Unpredictability is something I like in fiction, and this novella has it. Brown lays down the quirk and absurdist humor thick, and does so via accessible but carefully crafted prose. While weird sex and over-the-top violence can be fun to read, it’s nice when a bizarro book hits a very high mark on the old WTF?-meter without the use of neither. Kitten is such a book. Also, this book gets extra credit points for the tale of “Pee Baby,” which may very well be the greatest story within a story ever written.
Let's round 4 stars up to 4.5 for the sake of "Pee Baby."
So if you're on the fence about whether to read Kitten or Puppy for your next book, I highly recommend the former. (Is there even a book called Puppy? I bet there is.)
Unpredictability is something I like in fiction, and this novella has it. Brown lays down the quirk and absurdist humor thick, and does so via accessible but carefully crafted prose. While weird sex and over-the-top violence can be fun to read, it’s nice when a bizarro book hits a very high mark on the old WTF?-meter without the use of neither. Kitten is such a book. Also, this book gets extra credit points for the tale of “Pee Baby,” which may very well be the greatest story within a story ever written.
Let's round 4 stars up to 4.5 for the sake of "Pee Baby."
So if you're on the fence about whether to read Kitten or Puppy for your next book, I highly recommend the former. (Is there even a book called Puppy? I bet there is.)
May 1, 2013
Well, I just finished this book, and normally, I'd be full of opinions and verbage. I could begin to weigh the subject matter within, to compare and contrast the characters and situations in this book against some measure of our reality, or failing that, I could be like those critics who try to play literary alchemist by saying 'This book is '_______ ___ _____' meets '___________ __________ __ ________ ______ ______.' But I've been mindflayed without even a pineal reach around. Thanks a lot, Gary. You stumped me. I have no idea what I just read! It's like there's a spectral gate around my brain and I got locked outside of it. Or maybe I'm in that trunk with all those kids waiting to put their well trained but ultimately useless talents to good use. I can only qualify the grown up adventures of Willoughby Kitten as folly, because... Because cognitive dissonance, that's why...
August 25, 2016
I am both very excited and concerned to start this book....
I showed it to Chris, he read the back, looked at the cover, glanced over at me and said: "So you wrote a book, did you?". - I call Chris my Man-Kitten, constantly say let's make pandas and well, truthfully, I'm pretty much a bizarro novel in real life.
*crosses fingers with gleeful smile*
Actual Review
What to say about G. Arthur Brown's Kitten ?! A smorgasbord of bizarrity, that's what it is!! And it's spastic unreality both simplistic and horrifying in it's range of weird.
I feel like Brown took a much unadvised trip through the darkest, weirdest parts of my mind and vomited it up on the page - much like Trevor's stamp-vomiting-squirrel-kitten.
Fun, easy writing with unique, laugh worthy characters - I would recommend Kitten to anyone with a twisted sense of ha-ha.
September 29, 2015
Kitten is a novella-sized work that seems to fit into the "bizarre" genre. Only my second read in this genre, but it felt like home. At its heart, it is the basic story of a boy and his Kitten. Deeper still, I got the feeling it had a little to do with the kitten finding his identity and meaning in the world. If there was anything deeper than that, I probably just missed it--although there were some clear potshots taken at the ridiculousness of society.
The humor in this book was right up my alley. Quirky, twisty and sometimes rude. Part of the reason I picked up this book was to take a shot at something different, and it was certainly that. It is set up in three parts (two primary parts and then a final, short act), and I have to say I rather enjoyed the first part better. I really liked Dead Girl and the story of "Pee Baby" quite a bit, and found myself chuckling out loud at times. And, too, I found the idea of the kitten as being more like a weird squirrel a little more fascinating ...
The style of the book seems to be very train-of-thought writing, buzzing from one thing to the next to keep the reader off guard. It was a fun style, but was also a little disjointing at times.
All-in-all, really good stuff. It reminded me a lot of James Walley's The First Forty Wink.
The humor in this book was right up my alley. Quirky, twisty and sometimes rude. Part of the reason I picked up this book was to take a shot at something different, and it was certainly that. It is set up in three parts (two primary parts and then a final, short act), and I have to say I rather enjoyed the first part better. I really liked Dead Girl and the story of "Pee Baby" quite a bit, and found myself chuckling out loud at times. And, too, I found the idea of the kitten as being more like a weird squirrel a little more fascinating ...
The style of the book seems to be very train-of-thought writing, buzzing from one thing to the next to keep the reader off guard. It was a fun style, but was also a little disjointing at times.
All-in-all, really good stuff. It reminded me a lot of James Walley's The First Forty Wink.
September 13, 2013
Who needs a fourth wall?
Not G. Arthur Brown, and especially not in Kitten, part of the 2012-2013 class of the New Bizarro Author series, meaning that this is his first published book. As a freshman effort, how does it stack up?
In Kitten, you really get two stories. The first story follows Amaand (not a mispelling), a mother who is concerned about a dead girl with perfect teeth (or undead, as she is a result of her father-in-law's experiments) visiting her son, an ex-husband who very publicly tells everyone about how he feels she wronged him, and a strange man called the Collector who has an unhealthy interest in the dead girl, her son, and her son's kitten that is not a kitten but rather a weird deformed squirrel thing that vomits postal stamps from around the world. That's just one story.
The other story involves the kitten who is not a kitten, although now it's a kitten, wandering a strange land after being forcibly removed from the previous story into his own story and trying to find a way back to the original story. Still following me? There are lots of pop culture references in this one, and Brown seems to like playing with the reader this way throughout much of the book.
That bring me to the odd feeling that this book gives the reader. Aside from being the most surreal of this year's class of NBAS books, it's also an experimental novel on a fundamental level. Brown's characters acknowledge the reader more than once without directly addressing them, and acknowledge the writer of this story. The characters even realize that they're characters in a story. It creates this weird meta feel which makes the book genuinely unpredictable. At times, the story even comes off like it could have been one of Brown's fever dreams. Just look at the cover!
The editing is actually pretty good, something that's been an issue in the bizarro genre on more than one occasion. Does this make it a good novel? Not in and of itself, but if you've read my previous reviews, you'll know that poor editing is a pet peeve of mine, and that's something that I can't fault this book for.
If you're looking for something that's not just weird but downright surreal, but at the same time is relatively tame compared to most bizarro books when it comes to sex and violence, you'll have a good time with Kitten. However, if this is not something you're looking for, you will probably not get much out of it. The book definitely has a certain charm and a sense of fun, but it takes a particular mindset to get into it. Aspects of the story do remain incomplete, but for the purposes of this book and the story the author wanted to tell, it remains relatively self-contained. This is his world after all, something which we get reminded of. While not perfect, Kitten is worth the short time it takes to read, even if it could trigger fever dreams of your own.
Kitten by G. Arthur Brown earns 4 international postage stamps out of 5.
Not G. Arthur Brown, and especially not in Kitten, part of the 2012-2013 class of the New Bizarro Author series, meaning that this is his first published book. As a freshman effort, how does it stack up?
In Kitten, you really get two stories. The first story follows Amaand (not a mispelling), a mother who is concerned about a dead girl with perfect teeth (or undead, as she is a result of her father-in-law's experiments) visiting her son, an ex-husband who very publicly tells everyone about how he feels she wronged him, and a strange man called the Collector who has an unhealthy interest in the dead girl, her son, and her son's kitten that is not a kitten but rather a weird deformed squirrel thing that vomits postal stamps from around the world. That's just one story.
The other story involves the kitten who is not a kitten, although now it's a kitten, wandering a strange land after being forcibly removed from the previous story into his own story and trying to find a way back to the original story. Still following me? There are lots of pop culture references in this one, and Brown seems to like playing with the reader this way throughout much of the book.
That bring me to the odd feeling that this book gives the reader. Aside from being the most surreal of this year's class of NBAS books, it's also an experimental novel on a fundamental level. Brown's characters acknowledge the reader more than once without directly addressing them, and acknowledge the writer of this story. The characters even realize that they're characters in a story. It creates this weird meta feel which makes the book genuinely unpredictable. At times, the story even comes off like it could have been one of Brown's fever dreams. Just look at the cover!
The editing is actually pretty good, something that's been an issue in the bizarro genre on more than one occasion. Does this make it a good novel? Not in and of itself, but if you've read my previous reviews, you'll know that poor editing is a pet peeve of mine, and that's something that I can't fault this book for.
If you're looking for something that's not just weird but downright surreal, but at the same time is relatively tame compared to most bizarro books when it comes to sex and violence, you'll have a good time with Kitten. However, if this is not something you're looking for, you will probably not get much out of it. The book definitely has a certain charm and a sense of fun, but it takes a particular mindset to get into it. Aspects of the story do remain incomplete, but for the purposes of this book and the story the author wanted to tell, it remains relatively self-contained. This is his world after all, something which we get reminded of. While not perfect, Kitten is worth the short time it takes to read, even if it could trigger fever dreams of your own.
Kitten by G. Arthur Brown earns 4 international postage stamps out of 5.
June 25, 2013
Kitten is a book about a kitten who is not a kitten. It’s also a book about a kitten who is a kitten. Both of those are Willoughby. Well, sort of. There’s also a woman dressed as a kitten, but she’s a whore, so let’s not worry about her right now. The point is, in this story that is not just one story, but a bunch of stories wrapped up in something that looks like one story, Gary Arthur Brown will play with your mind and sensibilities until you lose track of what reality dictates and throw yourself head first into his surreal meta-narrative. Trust me, you will enjoy the ride.
Brown deftly avoids the danger so common in this kind of book: confusion, by allowing the branching story to separate and naturally come back together. The two overarching main components of the story seem far removed, but slowly, inevitably, Brown brings the twisting, turning branches together and wraps everything up nicely in the end, revealing in a sparse few paragraphs how everything unites. Sure, you’ll still be asked to bring your own logic (or refuse it at the door) but the structure is there, and Brown invites readers of the weird to follow the map he’s provided to find it. Readers interested in alternate realities and pan-dimensional weirdness will definitely love it, but even those who aren’t will find the metaphysics understated enough to never bog down the story.
The characters are fun and well rounded, especially considering the short length of the book (as it’s part of the New Bizarro Author Series, there is a general limit on the length of the story). Brown is able to provide quite a variety, from Tamanney the fish-handed quasi-Scottish pirate fellow to the motherly Amaand. Amaand is particularly interesting, for even though we follow the “kitten” and the boy who owns him (Trevor) throughout the book, Amaand is arguably the protagonist. She certainly undergoes changes in her arc, and the action definitely revolves around her decisions. So is she the main character? Or just another mirror in the hall that Brown has created for his readers?
As strange as the book is (a hallmark of Bizarro – readers would expect no less) it follows an internal logic. Things happen for reasons, cause and effect exists, and things never become so off-the-rails that it feels like Brown has lost track of his narrative. This is a solid, fun and strange debut from an exciting young writer that should not be missed, especially by fans of the absurd and surreal.
Brown deftly avoids the danger so common in this kind of book: confusion, by allowing the branching story to separate and naturally come back together. The two overarching main components of the story seem far removed, but slowly, inevitably, Brown brings the twisting, turning branches together and wraps everything up nicely in the end, revealing in a sparse few paragraphs how everything unites. Sure, you’ll still be asked to bring your own logic (or refuse it at the door) but the structure is there, and Brown invites readers of the weird to follow the map he’s provided to find it. Readers interested in alternate realities and pan-dimensional weirdness will definitely love it, but even those who aren’t will find the metaphysics understated enough to never bog down the story.
The characters are fun and well rounded, especially considering the short length of the book (as it’s part of the New Bizarro Author Series, there is a general limit on the length of the story). Brown is able to provide quite a variety, from Tamanney the fish-handed quasi-Scottish pirate fellow to the motherly Amaand. Amaand is particularly interesting, for even though we follow the “kitten” and the boy who owns him (Trevor) throughout the book, Amaand is arguably the protagonist. She certainly undergoes changes in her arc, and the action definitely revolves around her decisions. So is she the main character? Or just another mirror in the hall that Brown has created for his readers?
As strange as the book is (a hallmark of Bizarro – readers would expect no less) it follows an internal logic. Things happen for reasons, cause and effect exists, and things never become so off-the-rails that it feels like Brown has lost track of his narrative. This is a solid, fun and strange debut from an exciting young writer that should not be missed, especially by fans of the absurd and surreal.
September 29, 2014
The writing here is quite similar to Kevin Donihe. Both writers write EXTREMELY well, and at times their wording leaves me weak in the knees. I enjoyed the story, but like most Bizarro novels, (nearly all of them) it reads as completely different works taped together. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, and Mr. Brown does it quite interestingly. But it begs the question, why does Bizarro insist on Novellas at the very least. Oddity works best in flash fiction and shorter pieces. G. Arthur Brown is a GREAT short story writer. This book is solid, but I've read his other writing, and something about this book left me hungry. As does a great deal of all things Bizarro. I'm not sure exactly why. The title of "THE Great American Bizarro Novel" is still up for grabs. I wouldn't be surprised if it goes to a future work by this fine writer.
January 6, 2014
I don't really know how to review G. Arthur Brown's debut book. I could list all the things I loved about it, but then I'd put the whole book down in this review. I'll just say this, Kitten is my favorite book to come out of the NBAS (I have not read all of them but have read a fair amount). Furthermore, it is not your typical bizarro book. It is much different and much more interesting because of it. Also, there is a Pee Baby. Pee Baby is the best invented children's story ever.
This book reminds me of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, except it is totally different than any other book that has reminded me of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Besides Kitten, all the other stories are very similar.
Just do yourself a favor and buy the book. You won't regret it.
This book reminds me of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, except it is totally different than any other book that has reminded me of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Besides Kitten, all the other stories are very similar.
Just do yourself a favor and buy the book. You won't regret it.
May 15, 2013
This Is A Debut Book?
I find it hard to believe that this is G. Arthur Brown's first book. The bizarro insanity is too perfectly realized. The prose is too exact. Even the Star Wars references were worked in so carefully that they weren't fanboy intrusive, but genuinely fun and appropriate within the story.
I find it hard to believe that this is G. Arthur Brown's first book. The bizarro insanity is too perfectly realized. The prose is too exact. Even the Star Wars references were worked in so carefully that they weren't fanboy intrusive, but genuinely fun and appropriate within the story.
September 10, 2014
Wow...this book was...well...really weird, but weird in such a good way. The novella is broken up into 3 parts, and I'm glad it was; if Brown had tried to execute the telling of this tale without some serious breaks, I think it woulda been very confusing. It was confusing enough as is. During the first part, I felt all smart and proud of myself. I said out loud "Aha! I've totally got this one figured out!" Boy was I wrong. Really wrong.
Basically, this is a familial tale about a little boy with a kitten that isn't really a kitten, a mother that isn't really a mother, same for his father, grandfather, etc. Basically, he has a pseudo family going on. Which I believe is meant to be commentary on the nature of families now-a-days. They're always split six ways to Sunday. And this poor little boy only has his kitten. Until The Collector eats the poor kitten that's not a kitten.
That's when stuff gets weird. Mr. Not-a-kitty ends up on a steel planet, which is explained to be the land of the living. Not-a-kitty asks Tamanney (his fish handed friend that helps him get back home) what this world is. The answer will stick with me forever. He says that this new place is the planet of the living, and that Not-a-kitty was brought up from the planet of the dead, because how else do you end up with real live things besides recycling the parts of the dead? Kinda makes sense, eh? Anyway, suffice it to say, the steel planet holds many wonders and strange happenings, including cardboard cutout children, neighbors with a serious case of bloodlust, a vessel manned by Captain Swann, a journey to the see the Chunder Lord (who is only accessible through a visit to the King of Children) on Children's Isle, and some nice, tasty gun parts for dinner. Hell, I think The Little Prince even makes an appearance! Which is a whole lotta stuff going on. Let's just say its kinda a 'happy ever after' type ending, but Willoughby, Amaand and Trevor pretty much have to crawl through shit to get to that contentment.
And therein lies the only problem I encountered...the lingering feeling that I really missed the boat on this one. Maybe it was because I was half asleep at one point (for the record, no...its NOT because the book was boring- quite the opposite- and I did go back and read that chapter again). But I feel as though Brown is a smart, smart guy, and I missed his metaphorical telling of a family in shambles. Maybe I'm way off; I'm not sure. But the situation with Ted, Amaand, and Trevor seemed very complex, and I felt as though the entire second/middle section was some sort of 'lesson' in morality and the nature of a failed marriage, and I hate that I just didn't 'get it.' I think it would have helped had the book been longer. That is one problem I consistently find with the NBAS- they aren't long enough to thoroughly tell the story the author is trying to convey. Either way, this is deserving of a re-read to see what more I can take away from this book.
The writing was incredible. Absolutely no complaints whatsoever in that department. The editing was tight, the prose was on point, and the description was very, well, detailed. It was an enjoyable little distraction from the 'real world' for an hour or so, and I enjoyed the book very much, even if I didn't quite understand exactly what the kitten represented. Love? Bonding? Family? Maybe I'll figure it out one day while I'm contemplating the book. Or maybe I won't get it until I re-read it. But if you enjoy weird and exciting adventure tales, you will most definitely enjoy this one. And who really knows? Maybe this isn't some serious social commentary, and was just meant for fun. I, personally, got the strong impression that this was not the case, however. You'll see what I mean when you read it. And if you figure out what Brown's underlying theme is, let me know! That man is obviously incredibly intelligent, and I will most certainly keep my eyes out for any more books he puts out. I think if he had a chance to write a longer piece, he'd have a grand slam on his hands. As it stands, Kitten is enjoyable, short, and entertaining with a flavor of seriousness lying just under the surface. If nothing else, read it for the sheer oddity of the story. Its worth it for that alone.
Basically, this is a familial tale about a little boy with a kitten that isn't really a kitten, a mother that isn't really a mother, same for his father, grandfather, etc. Basically, he has a pseudo family going on. Which I believe is meant to be commentary on the nature of families now-a-days. They're always split six ways to Sunday. And this poor little boy only has his kitten. Until The Collector eats the poor kitten that's not a kitten.
That's when stuff gets weird. Mr. Not-a-kitty ends up on a steel planet, which is explained to be the land of the living. Not-a-kitty asks Tamanney (his fish handed friend that helps him get back home) what this world is. The answer will stick with me forever. He says that this new place is the planet of the living, and that Not-a-kitty was brought up from the planet of the dead, because how else do you end up with real live things besides recycling the parts of the dead? Kinda makes sense, eh? Anyway, suffice it to say, the steel planet holds many wonders and strange happenings, including cardboard cutout children, neighbors with a serious case of bloodlust, a vessel manned by Captain Swann, a journey to the see the Chunder Lord (who is only accessible through a visit to the King of Children) on Children's Isle, and some nice, tasty gun parts for dinner. Hell, I think The Little Prince even makes an appearance! Which is a whole lotta stuff going on. Let's just say its kinda a 'happy ever after' type ending, but Willoughby, Amaand and Trevor pretty much have to crawl through shit to get to that contentment.
And therein lies the only problem I encountered...the lingering feeling that I really missed the boat on this one. Maybe it was because I was half asleep at one point (for the record, no...its NOT because the book was boring- quite the opposite- and I did go back and read that chapter again). But I feel as though Brown is a smart, smart guy, and I missed his metaphorical telling of a family in shambles. Maybe I'm way off; I'm not sure. But the situation with Ted, Amaand, and Trevor seemed very complex, and I felt as though the entire second/middle section was some sort of 'lesson' in morality and the nature of a failed marriage, and I hate that I just didn't 'get it.' I think it would have helped had the book been longer. That is one problem I consistently find with the NBAS- they aren't long enough to thoroughly tell the story the author is trying to convey. Either way, this is deserving of a re-read to see what more I can take away from this book.
The writing was incredible. Absolutely no complaints whatsoever in that department. The editing was tight, the prose was on point, and the description was very, well, detailed. It was an enjoyable little distraction from the 'real world' for an hour or so, and I enjoyed the book very much, even if I didn't quite understand exactly what the kitten represented. Love? Bonding? Family? Maybe I'll figure it out one day while I'm contemplating the book. Or maybe I won't get it until I re-read it. But if you enjoy weird and exciting adventure tales, you will most definitely enjoy this one. And who really knows? Maybe this isn't some serious social commentary, and was just meant for fun. I, personally, got the strong impression that this was not the case, however. You'll see what I mean when you read it. And if you figure out what Brown's underlying theme is, let me know! That man is obviously incredibly intelligent, and I will most certainly keep my eyes out for any more books he puts out. I think if he had a chance to write a longer piece, he'd have a grand slam on his hands. As it stands, Kitten is enjoyable, short, and entertaining with a flavor of seriousness lying just under the surface. If nothing else, read it for the sheer oddity of the story. Its worth it for that alone.
November 10, 2015
I love when a book is different. This book is even different from that kind of different. All in the best way, this one stands out, with a personality all it's own. The author does a great job tying together many odd moments. We are taken along for an unpredictable ride through many rich and surreal scenes. I definitely would call it bizarro, but it manages it without the more commonly used bizarro trademarks.
Here's my random, somewhat pointless synopsis of part one, only provided to stimulate your interest: Amaad got kitten (more like a mentally challenged squirrel) to annoy Ted. After discovering the "ghost" of the dead girl, Amaad seeks the collector, allowing Grandpa Marvin can get his belongings back. However, she had to overdose on expired pills to go back in time to do so, and was not happy. Kitten is transported to another dimension. Did that make sense? It really wasn't supposed to, but I hope you are now a bit more curious.
You really have to read this to know what a good experience it is. I certainly recommend it to both those who are new to bizarro and those who are very familiar.
Here's my random, somewhat pointless synopsis of part one, only provided to stimulate your interest: Amaad got kitten (more like a mentally challenged squirrel) to annoy Ted. After discovering the "ghost" of the dead girl, Amaad seeks the collector, allowing Grandpa Marvin can get his belongings back. However, she had to overdose on expired pills to go back in time to do so, and was not happy. Kitten is transported to another dimension. Did that make sense? It really wasn't supposed to, but I hope you are now a bit more curious.
You really have to read this to know what a good experience it is. I certainly recommend it to both those who are new to bizarro and those who are very familiar.
April 4, 2015
My introduction to G. Arthur Brown was the astounding short story Bronson's Shark Tank, which can be attained from Issu.com from the Bizarro edition of Surreal Grotesque, otherwise defunct (for now, anyways). This book has plenty of five-star moments but is overall a 4.4 for me (rounded down, of course). There is a fashionable hat/giant panda sequence in the book, which could stand as a 5-star sketch, and there are other such moments.
Kitten is kind of a two-part story, the first part involves an Earthbound family and the second part involves higher realities, so to speak. And this second part surprisingly earned my attention and it contains my favorite parts. In the process, G. Arthur Brown slathers us over with mutated pop culture references spliced with high art references. All this leads to a satisfying end.
Brown's use of stereotypes is also heartening and hilarious. In Kitten, stereotypes intermix mix with non-stereotypes in a way that warms my heart, I like to see the two getting along. Stereotype discrimination is no fun and I think Brown gets that. One thing is for sure: the titular kitten is no stereotype. All hail the King of Kittens!
Kitten is kind of a two-part story, the first part involves an Earthbound family and the second part involves higher realities, so to speak. And this second part surprisingly earned my attention and it contains my favorite parts. In the process, G. Arthur Brown slathers us over with mutated pop culture references spliced with high art references. All this leads to a satisfying end.
Brown's use of stereotypes is also heartening and hilarious. In Kitten, stereotypes intermix mix with non-stereotypes in a way that warms my heart, I like to see the two getting along. Stereotype discrimination is no fun and I think Brown gets that. One thing is for sure: the titular kitten is no stereotype. All hail the King of Kittens!
January 14, 2015
This is one of the most oddball fun books I've read in a while. I was actually laughing aloud as I read, which was kind of awkward since I was reading it in public. The flow and the weirdness are perfectly timed together and the whole thing is wonderfully playful. It rocks right along from beginning to end. A complete delight to read.
March 26, 2013
Id Says:
BARK BARK BARK! Squirrels bark, right? So what do kittens who are actually squirrels but might actually be kittens do? Conundrum!
Trevor's squirrel doesn't have a name and has recently, much to the dismay of Trevor's mother Amaand, begun to vomit up used stamps. The thing is completely fucking useless and Amaand wants it gone. She goes to her dead father-in-law for help and he gets in her touch with a collector...
But wait! Trevor's squirrel IS a kitten. And it does have a name. Willoughby named himself. He's found himself on a steel planet and meets a man with fish-hands who helps him journey this new world to find a way back to Trevor and get revenge on the woman who tried to end him.
Confused? Shit, well then why are you reading this review when you could be reading the book? Silly reader!
Ego Says:
There is a sort of a dual personality I see in the character of Willoughby. He is the same being both as the family squirrel and as a kitten alone in a strange land, but the way he is presented is changed drastically. As a squirrel, he is nameless and appears to be somewhat idiotic. As a kitten, he is inquisitive and motivated.
His owner is Trevor, a six year old boy who believes when he sees his father on television that his father is inside the television. Clearly he and his emetic non-kitten are a match made in heaven.
Trevor's parents are estranged, or perhaps I just found them strange. She eats expired pills and hires anaconda mouthed, creep freaks to do her dirty work. He is allergic to squirrel-kittens and spends a lot of time in a moon bounce. Clearly they are perfect for each other.
An interesting character is found in Tamanney, which isn't his true name but works just as well for a moniker. He is the first person Willoughby encounters when he finds himself in the land of the living, as opposed to his life of death with the family, and it is with this man's help that the kitten journeys to find a way back home. Saying Tamanney is a philosopher is putting it grandly, saying he has a way with words is putting it lightly.
Super-Ego Says:
When one vomits, one usually releases from within them the things they had previously been eating. If this is the case for humans it most certainly would be the case with squirrels or kittens. The only logical conclusion to be made about our protagonist is that he eats a lot of mail.
Kitten is two stories, but they share a common bond: The need for change.
In one story, a family struggles to adapt to their situation. The dynamics have changed and there is nothing happily ever after about them. In the other story, a creature that lacked the ability to do anything else other than eject stamps from his mouth can now think and speak and act.
Willoughby's journey is presented as one of revenge, but I see it another way. I like to think that he, being the only common denominator of both stories, is the only true stability the family has. The boy loves him dearly, and the parents need him just as much, if only to have something to fight about and keep the family (dys)functional.
BARK BARK BARK! Squirrels bark, right? So what do kittens who are actually squirrels but might actually be kittens do? Conundrum!
Trevor's squirrel doesn't have a name and has recently, much to the dismay of Trevor's mother Amaand, begun to vomit up used stamps. The thing is completely fucking useless and Amaand wants it gone. She goes to her dead father-in-law for help and he gets in her touch with a collector...
But wait! Trevor's squirrel IS a kitten. And it does have a name. Willoughby named himself. He's found himself on a steel planet and meets a man with fish-hands who helps him journey this new world to find a way back to Trevor and get revenge on the woman who tried to end him.
Confused? Shit, well then why are you reading this review when you could be reading the book? Silly reader!
Ego Says:
There is a sort of a dual personality I see in the character of Willoughby. He is the same being both as the family squirrel and as a kitten alone in a strange land, but the way he is presented is changed drastically. As a squirrel, he is nameless and appears to be somewhat idiotic. As a kitten, he is inquisitive and motivated.
His owner is Trevor, a six year old boy who believes when he sees his father on television that his father is inside the television. Clearly he and his emetic non-kitten are a match made in heaven.
Trevor's parents are estranged, or perhaps I just found them strange. She eats expired pills and hires anaconda mouthed, creep freaks to do her dirty work. He is allergic to squirrel-kittens and spends a lot of time in a moon bounce. Clearly they are perfect for each other.
An interesting character is found in Tamanney, which isn't his true name but works just as well for a moniker. He is the first person Willoughby encounters when he finds himself in the land of the living, as opposed to his life of death with the family, and it is with this man's help that the kitten journeys to find a way back home. Saying Tamanney is a philosopher is putting it grandly, saying he has a way with words is putting it lightly.
Super-Ego Says:
When one vomits, one usually releases from within them the things they had previously been eating. If this is the case for humans it most certainly would be the case with squirrels or kittens. The only logical conclusion to be made about our protagonist is that he eats a lot of mail.
Kitten is two stories, but they share a common bond: The need for change.
In one story, a family struggles to adapt to their situation. The dynamics have changed and there is nothing happily ever after about them. In the other story, a creature that lacked the ability to do anything else other than eject stamps from his mouth can now think and speak and act.
Willoughby's journey is presented as one of revenge, but I see it another way. I like to think that he, being the only common denominator of both stories, is the only true stability the family has. The boy loves him dearly, and the parents need him just as much, if only to have something to fight about and keep the family (dys)functional.
August 13, 2013
I have yet to read any of the New Bizarro Author Series of books. This isn't because I think they aren't potentially good (or even great) books, it's just that my time in incredibly valuable, and I'm barely literate as is, so IF I'm going to take the time to stammer my way through a story, I want to know ahead of time that I'm probably going to enjoy the next three weeks of reading... which is why I tend to stick with established authors and books with good ratings. Just because I haven't read the other New Bizarro Author Series books, though, doesn't mean I've ignored them- they SOUND great, based on their titles; Bucket of Face, Avoiding Mortimer, The Egg Said Nothing, Love in the Time of Dinosaurs... and though these all sound totally interesting (and I will get around to them), Kitten has this diminutive, innocuous title that is wholly intriguing compared to other books in the genre. "Kitten." Is it a story about a kitten? I don't know! It's like the Holy Grail in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," all unassuming but full of power. It kicked my interest in the face and made me take notice.
The great thing about Bizarro stories is that they can take you anywhere, they can do anything, and they don't have to conform to standard models of storytelling, which is one of the main reasons I love them. Can I talk about Kitten without giving anything away? I'm not sure, but I can try. The story held my attention, and G. Arthur Brown created a world in which anything weird or strange feels very natural to me. This is imperative to my enjoyment of anything in this genre, and absolutely important to me when dealing with anything Weird. In fact, I'm constantly talking about how crucial it is for Weirdness to be Authentic- it's something channeled from a Source by Prophets. Forced weirdness, "look how random and weird I am," is a major turnoff.
There are a lot of great moments in this story, too. I especially loved the advertisement and the children's story and birthdays before a birth day and the TV shows... but again, I don't want to spoil anything. Brown incorporates a good mix of interesting storytelling, absurdity, comedy, Bizarro-ness, colorful characters, and some fantastic ideas into a slim book that feels thicker than it is- in an entirely good way. I get the sense that this is his first book-length story, but not that he's a first-time writer. Far from it- he seems to have good control over his writing. If this is his first attempt at a book, I think there's a great deal of impending potential in Brown's work, and I hope we get to see more of it soon.
The great thing about Bizarro stories is that they can take you anywhere, they can do anything, and they don't have to conform to standard models of storytelling, which is one of the main reasons I love them. Can I talk about Kitten without giving anything away? I'm not sure, but I can try. The story held my attention, and G. Arthur Brown created a world in which anything weird or strange feels very natural to me. This is imperative to my enjoyment of anything in this genre, and absolutely important to me when dealing with anything Weird. In fact, I'm constantly talking about how crucial it is for Weirdness to be Authentic- it's something channeled from a Source by Prophets. Forced weirdness, "look how random and weird I am," is a major turnoff.
There are a lot of great moments in this story, too. I especially loved the advertisement and the children's story and birthdays before a birth day and the TV shows... but again, I don't want to spoil anything. Brown incorporates a good mix of interesting storytelling, absurdity, comedy, Bizarro-ness, colorful characters, and some fantastic ideas into a slim book that feels thicker than it is- in an entirely good way. I get the sense that this is his first book-length story, but not that he's a first-time writer. Far from it- he seems to have good control over his writing. If this is his first attempt at a book, I think there's a great deal of impending potential in Brown's work, and I hope we get to see more of it soon.
July 26, 2013
"What's the buzz? Tell me what's a-happenin'!"
I first heard about G. Arthur Brown's 'Kitten' from his blog post containing a somewhat(?) fictitious conversation between Laura Lee Bahr, S.T. Cartledge, and himself. It was bizarre, hilarious, musical, and imaginative: Much like 'Kitten' itself is. The story concerns a young boy, his stamp-vomiting kitten who is not a kitten, and a pill-popping mother who would love nothing more than to be rid of the infernal creation for all eternity. She brings in the Collector, and the kitten is off on an adventure through the Steel Planet, where a man with fish hands and giant pandas roam. Will he be able to return to his boy? With the help of the hat-savvy locals, he just might. This novella is as weird as they come, and G. Arthur Brown has a wild and fun imagination. With his refreshing sense of black whimsy, he could easily make a career out of writing twisted children's books (you'll know what I mean when you read it). I found myself smiling and laughing throughout. If you're looking for something clever, dark, weird, and with a dash of heart, I'd recommend you pick up a copy of 'Kitten' as fast as you can!
I first heard about G. Arthur Brown's 'Kitten' from his blog post containing a somewhat(?) fictitious conversation between Laura Lee Bahr, S.T. Cartledge, and himself. It was bizarre, hilarious, musical, and imaginative: Much like 'Kitten' itself is. The story concerns a young boy, his stamp-vomiting kitten who is not a kitten, and a pill-popping mother who would love nothing more than to be rid of the infernal creation for all eternity. She brings in the Collector, and the kitten is off on an adventure through the Steel Planet, where a man with fish hands and giant pandas roam. Will he be able to return to his boy? With the help of the hat-savvy locals, he just might. This novella is as weird as they come, and G. Arthur Brown has a wild and fun imagination. With his refreshing sense of black whimsy, he could easily make a career out of writing twisted children's books (you'll know what I mean when you read it). I found myself smiling and laughing throughout. If you're looking for something clever, dark, weird, and with a dash of heart, I'd recommend you pick up a copy of 'Kitten' as fast as you can!
June 3, 2015
PEE BABY RULES!
Kitten is easily one of the best books of The New Bizarro Author Series. Genre aside, Kitten is just a great story. Part action, part fairy tale, plenty of humor and heartbreak and the hints of surrealism should put Brown at the forefront of the Bizarro genre, as this book is fun and accessible for newer fans. Also, Brown has all of the crazy ideas his peers has, and even tops a lot of them, and...AND G. Arthur Brown can write. The guy's sentence structure, attention to detail, and his vocabulary sets him in a class with some of the best currently operating.
But what's Kitten about? Better, what ISN'T it about? This book is entertaining for anyone.
A boy who loves his kitten, who's not a Kitten, dies and goes to the land of the living, which is actually limbo. He encounters a fish-handed man whose only purpose in life is fending of murderous neighbors, the kitten is sent to an island of bratty children...Okay before I give away too much, if any of this hasn't peaked your interest this book also contains a secondary story called Pee Baby.
Kitten will go down as a Bizarro classic.
I absolutely loved it.
Kitten is easily one of the best books of The New Bizarro Author Series. Genre aside, Kitten is just a great story. Part action, part fairy tale, plenty of humor and heartbreak and the hints of surrealism should put Brown at the forefront of the Bizarro genre, as this book is fun and accessible for newer fans. Also, Brown has all of the crazy ideas his peers has, and even tops a lot of them, and...AND G. Arthur Brown can write. The guy's sentence structure, attention to detail, and his vocabulary sets him in a class with some of the best currently operating.
But what's Kitten about? Better, what ISN'T it about? This book is entertaining for anyone.
A boy who loves his kitten, who's not a Kitten, dies and goes to the land of the living, which is actually limbo. He encounters a fish-handed man whose only purpose in life is fending of murderous neighbors, the kitten is sent to an island of bratty children...Okay before I give away too much, if any of this hasn't peaked your interest this book also contains a secondary story called Pee Baby.
Kitten will go down as a Bizarro classic.
I absolutely loved it.
December 5, 2012
Kitten is a fantastically surreal story. It’s like moving through a dream. The writing is smooth and the characters click. The plot moves along at a nice pace and while none of it makes any sense whatsoever, there’s no real need to question it. Take the quirks with a sideways smile. And yeah, it’s weird and nonsensical, but it’s not forced like he’s trying to be too weird or crude or ‘out there’. This is bizarro written with sincerity. It’s funny in a quirky, heartfelt way. It’s complicated. It’s got depth. It’s got a lot of things going on that take the story to unexpected places. It won’t have you jumping up and down screaming “holy shit this is awesome!” It doesn’t work like that. I’d call it slow-burning bizarro. It happens, and then it ends, and it’s just so surreal that it takes a little while to sink in. That’s probably why I didn’t write my review up right away. Kitten is different. Kitten is wild. Kitten is a wonderful book that will make you smile.
May 6, 2015
Copy-pasting from my Amazon review:
Your first born child: Special only in theory.
This book: Special because it's original and kickass.
Your first born child: A foolish mortal.
This book: Smart and abstract.
Your first born child: Tells you too much s*** you don't wanna hear.
This book: A hella engaging page turner.
In all seriousness, this is the best Bizarro book I've read. The plot is rich and creamy, the symbols and archetypes complex. It's a trip through the eyes of Amaand and her son's 'kitten' (who is not a kitten at all!) and his surreal double life. I read this book months ago and I still find myself musing about the 'kittens' in my own life (you'll know what I mean once you read the book). Get ready for a twisty water slide of burdens, drugs, surrealism, TV, abstractions, duality, family relations, anthropomorphism, love.
---
And an additional note: This is the book that got me interested in Bizarro.
Your first born child: Special only in theory.
This book: Special because it's original and kickass.
Your first born child: A foolish mortal.
This book: Smart and abstract.
Your first born child: Tells you too much s*** you don't wanna hear.
This book: A hella engaging page turner.
In all seriousness, this is the best Bizarro book I've read. The plot is rich and creamy, the symbols and archetypes complex. It's a trip through the eyes of Amaand and her son's 'kitten' (who is not a kitten at all!) and his surreal double life. I read this book months ago and I still find myself musing about the 'kittens' in my own life (you'll know what I mean once you read the book). Get ready for a twisty water slide of burdens, drugs, surrealism, TV, abstractions, duality, family relations, anthropomorphism, love.
---
And an additional note: This is the book that got me interested in Bizarro.
December 13, 2014
This is a book about a kitten. That is not a kitten. Except for when it's not not a kitten. Which is not when it barfs up dead girls. Still with me on this? Yeah, I didn't think so.
What I appreciated most about this bizarro fiction was that it didn't feel like the author was wiping his boogers on me. Some of the genre feels like that to me - like they're going way too far to try and make the readers feel grossed out and uncomfortable. I was happy to find a weird and interesting tale without all that ick factor going on.
What I appreciated most about this bizarro fiction was that it didn't feel like the author was wiping his boogers on me. Some of the genre feels like that to me - like they're going way too far to try and make the readers feel grossed out and uncomfortable. I was happy to find a weird and interesting tale without all that ick factor going on.
October 7, 2014
There's no way a review can do justice to this. A complete Bizarro mindfuck, "Kitten" by G. Arthur Brown is Homer's "Odissey" written by The Riddler on crack. Or maybe is "Don Quijote" written by Billy Bibbit.
There is a man with fish for hands, a cat-loving prostitute, the kid from "The Blue Lagoon" (maybe), and more. Read this, please.
There is a man with fish for hands, a cat-loving prostitute, the kid from "The Blue Lagoon" (maybe), and more. Read this, please.
April 19, 2013
I tried to give it 0 stars but the damned thing went to 5 instead.
January 19, 2014
A review purrs at lurid-lit.com.
April 23, 2016
Just realized I never reviewed Kitten on G'reads!
Kitten was marvelous. That's a word I don't use often because it has super-hero connotations, but it fits. I marveled as I read Kitten. It was funny and dark and smart and transportative to other places that probably aren't really real, but somehow seem like they must be. I marveled about that. I marveled that I was in those places and that they made a kind of sense they didn't have any right to.
It's a real sneaky little firecracker of a book. So small, yet so loud. It sneaks up on you and goes off in your hands and you're left blinking, face blackened, hair singed and smoking, not sure what's just happened. But then you notice your left pinky's been blown off, and slowly it dawns on you: "This gall dang book's really effected me... It's... changed me..." And you smile to yourself, and for some reason you go to the post office, and you buy stamps. Rolls and rolls of stamps...
Kitten was marvelous. That's a word I don't use often because it has super-hero connotations, but it fits. I marveled as I read Kitten. It was funny and dark and smart and transportative to other places that probably aren't really real, but somehow seem like they must be. I marveled about that. I marveled that I was in those places and that they made a kind of sense they didn't have any right to.
It's a real sneaky little firecracker of a book. So small, yet so loud. It sneaks up on you and goes off in your hands and you're left blinking, face blackened, hair singed and smoking, not sure what's just happened. But then you notice your left pinky's been blown off, and slowly it dawns on you: "This gall dang book's really effected me... It's... changed me..." And you smile to yourself, and for some reason you go to the post office, and you buy stamps. Rolls and rolls of stamps...
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