Premise: Despite the challenges she knows she'll face in striking out on her own, Sasha can't bring herself to join ShadowClan upon discovering Tigerstar's true character. She gets as far away as she can from her former mate and his Clan. But even as she does, the inexperienced she-cat is forced to survive against wild animals, unfriendly humans, and hostile rogue cats. And it only gets harder when she finds out she's expecting Tigerstar's kits. Will Sasha give up hope, or will she keep going until she finds the love and sense of belonging she yearns for?
Story/Writing: It's good that the first volume in this graphic novel trilogy ended on a cliffhanger, 'cause I was dying to know what happens! While I have kind of read/watched this story before – where someone strikes out on their own and faces a ton of hardship before getting a break in the end – and they usually feel a bit cliché, I was still interested in seeing where it would go. And I'm happy to say I was pleasantly surprised and more than satisfied with where the story went! Since this kind of story is a bit common, I've always felt like if you're gonna have us sympathize for a character by having them go through some hard times, then you have to do that in an interesting way that sets it apart. And I was interested from the first to last page! I knew the story had to go somewhere different than it first seemed, and I was satisfied with how it handled that.
Artwork: Once again, the artwork is fantastic! For most of the time, Sasha is the only cat in a world seemingly dominated by Twolegs. So that was a nice change of pace in a series where the focus is usually on the cats. It's always cool to look at things from an animal's point of view, even if it is fictional. But back to the art, the landscapes were beautifully drawn. I liked that no two humans looked exactly the same. And of course, the way Sasha is drawn – especially the humanlike expressions on her face – really make you feel for her and what she's going through.
Sasha – As I just said, Sasha is the only prominent cat character in this title, and thus the one with the most development. While it's always good to read about a character go through trials and tribulations, what makes said character strong is how they react to them. Sasha has always been a good-natured cat. And while a little bit naïve, she's clearly gotten more wise since the last volume in the trilogy. She's brave enough to decline Tigerstar and his offer to join ShadowClan when she realizes he's not the strong and courageous leader she thought he was – well, maybe he is strong and courageous, but in the wrong ways – yet you feel so bad for her and her rough encounters with both animals and humans. You hope that she won't give up hope, that she'll get through everything life throws at her, and fortunately (for the time being, anyway) she does!
Various Other Characters – Given how, early on, Sasha is searching for Ken, it's heartbreaking when you realize before she does that he's passed away. Both of her humans are now gone, so she pretty much has nowhere to go. That said, it's heartwarming when she befriends the ship captain – even if he does lock her in that hot, stuffy room at first (which, arguably, is animal abuse). And it is kinda funny when he starts calling her Brownie. Still, she becomes something of a local celebrity and even saves the captain and his boat. But you ultimately know she can't stay there, and it makes her separation from the captain a bit easier to swallow when Patch arrives on the scene. So at least he won't be alone when she goes off again. That said, their parting was bittersweet.
Overall: Another great graphic novel in the "Warriors" series, and a great midway point for this particular trilogy! For the record, it is amusing that the trilogy is titled "Tigerstar and Sasha" given it's mostly about Sasha and her adventures, but I digress. I thought this was a pretty touching story in sad, happy, and bittersweet ways. And given that it leaves us on yet another cliffhanger, I can't wait to read the conclusion to Sasha's story!