Wildcat

The Wildcat Duology #1

by Rebecca H.

A dark tale about secrets, betrayal, familial love, loyalty, and war as told through the eyes of a young cat with autism and her father.

History is important, loyalty is everything, and everyone has at least one secret they will guard with their life; these are the only things Ember is certain of. As sure as the sky is pain blue. Everything else is a toss up—including whether or not she should still be breathing.

Being the chief advisor means Cloud is used to making tough decisions. Those decisions don't always grant him the respect of his colonymates, but when it comes to family, the approval of the council can wait. Some rules only work when broken—and some threaten to rip his family apart by the roots.

Nearly a century ago, the appala cats of ARC united to form the Colony. After a power struggle, the Colony was divided in half, with the resulting settlements positioned on two facing mountain the East and the West. Now, in 2110, life in the Western Colony is not easy. With every inter-colony meeting, tensions rise. A second war, one far bloodier than any fights before it, seems more inevitable by the day. However, when Westerners start to turn against each other, the father-daughter duo is forced to question everything they thought they knew. Are they really above the rogue gangs and mercenaries stalking the Lowlands, or are they no better than the wildcats?

*Paperback edition also includes "Defective," a short prequel story.

740 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 8, 2019

Reviews

[Betz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an action-packed sci-fi that brings two colonies of warring cats to life. The book focuses on each character’s unique qualities and/or weaknesses and how society treats those that are different. It touches successfully on various subjects such as suicide, trust, family loyalty, death, and acceptance. A father-daughter cat duo face tough decisions that could break their family apart. It also brings in some unique sci-fi content. The overall book has strong dialogue, action, and surprising plot turns. I recommend this book to older teens and adults due to the violence and sensitive content dealing with suicide, death, and disabilities. Its vivid landscape and character descriptions and dialogue are its best qualities. I definitely recommend this book. The book is long, but well worth the read. The bonus story also helps give the story greater clarity.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am IN LOVE with how human(er... cat?) every character feels. I feel deeply attached to all of them, and I'm heartbroken when something goes wrong.
As someone on the spectrum, Ember's struggles feel
real, especially prior to her finding out what autism is. Meanwhile every unknowingly cruel assumption from Cloud's viewpoint cut even deeper still.

Despite my LOVE for this book though, the writing gets a bit weird and rambly with the monologue, which works well from Ember's POV, as it compliments her personality and neurodivergence, but when it continues from Cloud's POV it feels unnatural and a little clunky.

[Sarah Bauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Theme Song: Over My Head by The Fray

I never thought I'd read a story about an autistic cat but here we are. Ember is an immensely likeable protagonist with issues that many on the spectrum will be able to relate to. And she's not a perfect angel either. She's allowed to make big mistakes and deal with the fallout without being cast as an irredeemable villain. In fact, every character in this book feels fleshed out and nuanced. The war that is the central conflict has a Game of Thrones level of complexity, and the conflicts going on in the human world, though we only get a taste of them, are intriguing and leave plenty of room for a sequel. While Cloud is the type of parent archetype I generally dislike, his arc was one of my favorite things about this book.
I wish we got to see more of the Lowlands, especially Bracken and his group. I also wish we got to see more of the human world, but I wonder if that is being saved for the second half of the duology.
Aside from the themes of disability, the topic of war was handled very well. It's never portrayed as a black and white issue and it feels like a looming tragedy rather than a cool third-act fight scene. While the book gets dark, it stays hopeful enough throughout that things don't get overwhelmingly dismal. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and would recommend it to any teen or adult who likes xenofiction.

[Avalon Roselin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thrilling, epic animal sci-fi story that never shies away from the horrors of war and mistrust, as told through the eyes of endearing but flawed characters. I look forward to the sequel!!

[Kandieman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her book "Wildcat", Rebecca H. creates an amazing world. The first line of the preface, “History is important, loyalty is everything, and everyone has at least one secret they will guard with their life…” sets the tone of the book. Even though the book is set in the future, the characters face many issues young people face today. The story is not from one character's point of view, and Rebecca H. makes a point to let the reader know whose eyes we are seeing through in each chapter.
The book is long, but most of the best books are. This one is well worth the read. I hope to read more from this rising star.

[Pinchy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I AM DONE... This book was stunning, one of the best books I've ever read 😭🛐
the writing style is so good it never got boring. i love this book so much <333333
WE NEED A NEXT BOOK!
...
But there might never be... Another one...
I'll still wait, I'll wait forever if I have to...