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Kitten
Not yet published
Expected 4 Aug 26A magnetic novel about a young woman who falls in love with her boyfriend's cat.
Katie hasn't spoken to her mother in a year when her boyfriend James introduces her to his cat Silver. A small, vulnerable, incorrigible ball of need, Silver's acceptance of Katie cracks open something inside of her: an unravelling begins.
Fresh out of college and far from home, Katie is desperate to skirt the demands of adult life - especially because, as she promised her mother, the plan was to never grow up in the first place. Luckily, she has James: self-assured, generous, and seemingly happy to make decisions for them both.
When they go on holiday to James's family's seaside home, Katie's attachment to Silver grows. Silver doesn't mind that Katie can't seem to get a job, hold her own at dinner parties, or make amends with her mother. Silver, who gets to misbehave spectacularly, be childish, be gross, and still get fed, seems to have the life Katie increasingly longs for. But as their bond intensifies, Katie's other relationships reach tipping points. Soon, Katie must come to terms with what she really wants, and what she might have to risk to get it.
Delicately playful and unexpectedly heartfelt, Kitten is a sensitive reckoning with the allure of helplessness and the uncertainty of becoming yourself in a world that is as disorienting as it is full of hope and connection.
Katie hasn't spoken to her mother in a year when her boyfriend James introduces her to his cat Silver. A small, vulnerable, incorrigible ball of need, Silver's acceptance of Katie cracks open something inside of her: an unravelling begins.
Fresh out of college and far from home, Katie is desperate to skirt the demands of adult life - especially because, as she promised her mother, the plan was to never grow up in the first place. Luckily, she has James: self-assured, generous, and seemingly happy to make decisions for them both.
When they go on holiday to James's family's seaside home, Katie's attachment to Silver grows. Silver doesn't mind that Katie can't seem to get a job, hold her own at dinner parties, or make amends with her mother. Silver, who gets to misbehave spectacularly, be childish, be gross, and still get fed, seems to have the life Katie increasingly longs for. But as their bond intensifies, Katie's other relationships reach tipping points. Soon, Katie must come to terms with what she really wants, and what she might have to risk to get it.
Delicately playful and unexpectedly heartfelt, Kitten is a sensitive reckoning with the allure of helplessness and the uncertainty of becoming yourself in a world that is as disorienting as it is full of hope and connection.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication August 4, 2026
10 people are currently reading
3344 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Want to read
January 24, 2026This cover means everything to me I'm so serious
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Want to read
January 24, 2026This may be the most important read of my life
January 31, 2026
Yes, there’s a very important character in this book named Silver, who is a cat. Silver can also swim in the ocean with the main character Katie, who has just graduated from college, has no money, and a tumultuous relationship with her mother, who is indeed a narcissist. Katie is spoiled by her wealthy boyfriend, and definitely is unsure of her attachment to him.
I can relate to growing up in a narcissistic Asian household. I currently deal with it daily. 🙋🏻♀️
“My mother wasn’t human, she was my mother.”
However there are many layers to Kitten, Stacey Yu’s debut novel. It’s a “coming of age”, that space between ending a childhood, and getting old. Who are we, who should we become?
“You forget how small everything is when you’re a kid,” he said. “The desks, their chairs. We used to think that was normal sized.”
If you’re looking for a quirky book revolving a cat, this isn’t for you, as it’s a fairly emotional read. We’ve all been Katie before, and I felt some of her experiences at the age of 22.
Yu’s writing is exquisite and can’t wait to see what she writes next.
I can relate to growing up in a narcissistic Asian household. I currently deal with it daily. 🙋🏻♀️
“My mother wasn’t human, she was my mother.”
However there are many layers to Kitten, Stacey Yu’s debut novel. It’s a “coming of age”, that space between ending a childhood, and getting old. Who are we, who should we become?
“You forget how small everything is when you’re a kid,” he said. “The desks, their chairs. We used to think that was normal sized.”
If you’re looking for a quirky book revolving a cat, this isn’t for you, as it’s a fairly emotional read. We’ve all been Katie before, and I felt some of her experiences at the age of 22.
Yu’s writing is exquisite and can’t wait to see what she writes next.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I first saw the author’s TikTok talking about the design of the cover and how it relates to the story. I was immediately so intrigued and wanted to read this story. It did not disappoint! Just to reassure everyone, the love that Katie develops for Silver, the cat, is an innocent one, the same way a child loves deeply their pet.
This new love comes at a turning point in Katie’s life. She just graduated, she has no job, a non existent relationship with her mom and a new older boyfriend. I loved Katie’s voice and how she was somewhat self-aware of her issues but also unwilling to change.
As I’m around the same age as Katie, I could relate to some of her struggles. I loved how this story was written, it was entertaining but also thoughtful and deep. I think this story might help people, especially younger adults in their twenties, and remind them that they can ask for help when there is a tough situation and that they are deserving of love.
I really loved Kitten, it was a well written coming of age story. The exploration of Katie’s relationships with her mom, her boyfriend and her friend was also very interesting. I can’t wait for people to read this book !
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book, opinions are my own.
This new love comes at a turning point in Katie’s life. She just graduated, she has no job, a non existent relationship with her mom and a new older boyfriend. I loved Katie’s voice and how she was somewhat self-aware of her issues but also unwilling to change.
As I’m around the same age as Katie, I could relate to some of her struggles. I loved how this story was written, it was entertaining but also thoughtful and deep. I think this story might help people, especially younger adults in their twenties, and remind them that they can ask for help when there is a tough situation and that they are deserving of love.
I really loved Kitten, it was a well written coming of age story. The exploration of Katie’s relationships with her mom, her boyfriend and her friend was also very interesting. I can’t wait for people to read this book !
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book, opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Writing that's precise, cool like water, sparing but rich. I suspect Yu is an excellent short story writer, as well: this is a small, contained story that finds beauty in restraint in the way of Keegan or even Lahiri. My emotional response built slowly, and I was impatient at first, but by the final phone call, I cried!
I've read a lot of fiction recently with this sort of solitary, off-putting, socially inept protagonist, and in my estimation, Katie falls somewhere between Paradise Logic (Kemp)'s ineffable Reality and Sky Daddy (Folk)'s Linda. Katie wants for so much, and needs so much, and lacks so much, and even so, she remains lovable. The reader is bound to make sense of her as a character just as she makes sense of Silver: desperately, approximately, precisely, with love and good intentions and room to be wrong.
A staggeringly good debut! I will be buying a physical copy as soon as I can to mark it up and highlight all the gorgeous turns of phrase. Thanks to Random House for the ARC!
I've read a lot of fiction recently with this sort of solitary, off-putting, socially inept protagonist, and in my estimation, Katie falls somewhere between Paradise Logic (Kemp)'s ineffable Reality and Sky Daddy (Folk)'s Linda. Katie wants for so much, and needs so much, and lacks so much, and even so, she remains lovable. The reader is bound to make sense of her as a character just as she makes sense of Silver: desperately, approximately, precisely, with love and good intentions and room to be wrong.
A staggeringly good debut! I will be buying a physical copy as soon as I can to mark it up and highlight all the gorgeous turns of phrase. Thanks to Random House for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
For the cat ladies with mommy issues. I have to admit that this one disappointed me. I didn’t understand her issue with her boyfriend because he seemed great and understanding, considering how she was behaving. I’ll have to revisit this one later to see if I connect to it more.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
for the girls with mommy issues and codependent relationships with their cats (me)
Want to read
January 31, 2026thoughts as i bookmark: this character (described by user bewareofpity ok tiktok) sounds just like me so i can't wait to read it and get heartbroken
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews