The Mole King's Lair

Cat's Cradle #2

by Jo Rioux

Suri the monster tamer is back for the second volume of this thrilling graphic novel trilogy!

Suri has what it takes to be a monster tamer―she just knows it! She’s even tamed her first monster…if you count Byron. He’s less like a monster, more like a giant dog. He needs a master that’s just his size, so Suri, Caglio, and Byron set off for the land of the the Monster’s Cradle.


An epic journey like this requires money and provisions, which they don’t have. But the treasure at the heart of the mole king’s lair might be the solution to their problem!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fiction, Adventure, Comics, Monsters

256 pages, Paperback

Published June 20, 2023

About the author

Jo Rioux was born and raised in Ottawa. After high school she pursued her artistic schooling at Sheridan College. Now back in the lush suburbs of her home town, she works, reads and plays video
games from home.

Reviews

[Devin Willson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sequel only improved upon the first one, exactly in the ways I wished it would. Really cute and fun, I do love a good MG graphic novel 🧡

[Malli (Chapter Malliumpkin) · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC was given by NetGalley & First Second Books in exchange for an honest review.


✨ Cat's Cradle: The Golden Twine ★★★★

Content/Trigger Warnings: Abandonment

The absolute blessings that I was able to obtain an arc of the second book in the Cat's Cradle series. I wasn't sure when arcs would be available and by a miracle, the power of the arc gods, an arc landed in my grabby little hands. I was so eager to find out what was going to happen next to Suri and this book didn't disappoint. I had such a fun time reading this and everything that happens just filled my soul up with love.

We are once again following Suri, a traveling monster tamer, who's searching for her family, but this time she has the help of some friends. Caglio, an imp, was the original person to trap Bryon, also various mischievous like many imps, and then we have sweet Bryon, a large monster dog, who thinks he's a lap dog and is very fond of Suri. This group of friends are traveling to the land of monsters, in search of Suri's family. However, their journey will take them on a side quest of gold, mole kings, and making a new friend along the way.

I absolutely adored the new characters we're introduced to! When this book introduced Kolya, the screech that left my body was enough to scare my neighbors. I was really invested in the role Koyla would play and at the end, the way Koyla decides to join Suri on her travels just made my heart melt. Even more so because you know Koyla is doing everything in his power to just survive and have a place where he belongs. Seeing the way Suri and him just click, it was every thing and just made me think of found family. Also, we're introduced to a character named Glassa, who I loved! She was such firecracker and I love how she was referred to as The Mole Queen. However, her love for her sister is what really made me love her character. That kind of love was so powerful that it made my heart mushy and I just knew I was going to love her character with my whole chest.

"But don't give up! The world's full of opportunities! The littlest thing could come along and change your luck completely."

Since the first book, one of the things that has really stuck out to me and I had to mention it. This is one of my favorite themes in any book and it's the found family theme. I love a good story that laces found family into the story. The found family in this book, the way Suri keeps attracting these supernatural beings to her, is so beautiful. It happens in the most natural way and even when she interacts with Koyla, despite not knowing much about him or being super close to him, she refuses to let him be on his own or leave him behind. Whether Suri knows it or not, the little group of friends she's been gathering has been turning into a found family. And I can't wait to see how the author continues to escalate this theme in the rest of the series.

Overall, I don't want to spoil too much of this book because it is the second book in this series! However, there's traveling, found family themes, shenanigans, and it just reminds me of a good time dungeon crawling. It was such a fun read and truly, I can't wait to see what the third book has for us. Also, if you love maps and extra little details, there is a map and we get to see the inside of Suri's monster book, which I thought were both lovely details to add!


All thoughts, feelings, experiences, and opinions are honest and my own.


Instagram|Ko-fi|Throne

[Ilona · Rating 5 out of 5]

J'ai adoré le deuxième volume du « Chat Perché » ! On y suit la suite des aventures de Suri aux côtés de son monstre-chien-géant Byron, qu'elle souhaite emmener au Berceau des Monstres, et du lutin Caglio, qui a créé Byron.

Ils rencontrent, sur leur chemin, un voleur Cat Sith (mais qui, bien sûr, cache cette dernière particularité), qui s'allie avec eux pour récupérer un trésor enfoui dans la montagne – montagne habitée par un immense Roi-Taupe, aui semble vouloir protéger son trésor coûte que coûte.

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Une fois de plus, j'ai adoré cette BD ! Les personnages sont géniaux, tous très différents et dont les motivations sont parfois un peu… douteuses ? Suri est très « innocente », dans ce sens qu'elle fait confiance à tout le monde et ne doute pas de leur amitié, ce qui en fait un personnage à la fois touchant et attachant. À partir du moment où elle se persuade que leur nouveau compagnon n'est pas un Cat Sith, elle semble lui faire entièrement confiance.

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Je pense l'avoir déjà écrit aussi, mais qu'importe – les illustrations sont incroyables, et le design des personnages et des monstres est sublime aussi.

[Sirah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picking up where book 1 left off, Suri is traveling through the forest trying to find her long lost home, unknowingly stalked by three vicious shapeshifting monsters. She bumps into a wandering boy while hiding from the mole king, and the two form a tentative alliance as they attempt to get the gold they need to continue on their ways. But something's not right inside the mountain, and if they can't figure out the mystery, they may never get out again.

I chuckled quite a bit at this one, enjoying the snarky moments and great character development. The dialogue was a lot of fun, and the conflicting interests of the leading characters made book 2 more fun to read than its predecessor. Suri is a likable, if sometimes oblivious character, and although I'm not sure where she's going, I'm glad to be along for the ride. I hope this series continues for a good long while.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mole King's Lair is an excellent follow up to the Golden Twine, and the Cat's Cradle series is shaping up to be a very enjoyable one. The characters are interesting and easy to cheer for, especially the protagonist Suri and Byron who is very much like my dog. I also enjoyed the introduction of a new character who subverts expectations of what different types of people are like. It's a very fun middle grade fantasy graphic novel and I definitely recommend it (although check out the first book first). Since I've read it in October, I also definitely have to recommend this series as a great Halloween read for kids who prefer more of a fantasy adventure story with monsters than anything super spooky.

[Chelsey Hostetler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to be granted the ARC for the second book in the Cat's Cradle series.

"Suri has what it takes to be a monster tamer―she just knows it! She’s even tamed her first monster…if you count Byron. He’s less like a monster, more like a giant dog. He needs a master that’s just his size, so Suri, Caglio, and Byron set off for the land of the the Monster’s Cradle."

We follow Suri and her supernatural friends on a quest for provisions and gold because even adventuring to find one's family requires money. They head off to the Mole King's Lair and on the way add to their found family in the process. I adore this series because it reminds me of Dungeons and Dragons, but on a slightly smaller scale. This graphic especially had some awesome dungeon delving and survival situations. I don't want to give away too much detail, but the friends Suri makes on the way are just as amazing as the first novel. Once more the color and artwork are just splendid and the writing is on point! I'm so excited to see this in print and eagerly await the third installment!

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars

While I didn't quite enjoy this as much as the first book, I did enjoy it. The nagging questions about Suri's past and her ability to use the golden twine (can anyone do this or is it because Suri is the one who has the golden twine or is it dependent on the golden twine itself?). So many questions that I really need answered.

I fear this book is a bit like most 2nd books in a trilogy, bridging the gap until the third book comes and sweeps everything through. Adventure happened. New characters were introduced. There was danger and thrills galore...and yet, I still wanted a bit more. The illustrations were just as great as the first book so I hope that the third book will be better.

[Kellee Moye · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in this trilogy picks up where the first left off with Suri venturing to the Monster’s Cradle with Caglio and Byron, but they’ve run out of money and provisions and must figure out how to survive. They learn that what you see is not always what it seems in this adventurous graphic novel that puts Suri’s taming to the test.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d like to thank netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed part one so I was looking forward to part two, another action packed adventure following Suri and her job of monster hunting. Can’t wait for the third one.

[Katie Harder-schauer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was fairly juvenile, but I can absolutely see how it would appeal to children like my 11 year old (who picked it out for me to read). I will have a more in depth review posted here after it goes live on my blog.

[Greg S · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the illustrations and the story.
It’s definitely an adventure story that II would have enjoyed in middle school.
I also enjoyed the humor: it reminded me of Ranma 1/2.
Suri, her giant dog, and her malfunctioning staff are all very fun.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and First Second Books for giving me a digital copy of "Cat's Cradle: The Mole King's Lair" by Jo Rioux in exchange for an honest review.

In the start of this second-in-the-series book, would-be monster tamer Suri continues her journey away from home and toward the land of giants. Her new companions, Caglio the Imp and Byron the giant monster puppy, join her. They are stalked by several catsith, still trying to retrieve the golden twine that Suri unknowingly stole in Book 1. The vile prince and his toadies, are also on their trail tricked by some of the malevolent catsith to aid in their quest for the twine.

At the opening of the story, Suri's attempts to feed her tiny crew in exchange for chores is not going well. They are tromping through the woods when they are suddenly pursued by an enormous creature that Suri identifies as a mole king. She defends herself with magic, again unknowingly generated by the stolen twine, when they encounter Koyla. Koyla tells them of an enormous golden treasure horde he found in the mole king's lair and this incredible wealth seems like the solution to Suri's woes. They convince Koyla to take them inside the cave, and of course, everything goes awry.

By the end, they break a curse, find a different sort of treasure (no, not the metaphoric treasure of friendship), and resume their journey. The story introduces another malevolent catsith to the mix The prince and his overprivileged goons remain threatening but largely ineffective and clueless jerks.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It's a standard story with a standard cast of characters. I liked Suri's indefatigable attitude and Caglio is funny enough. The monsters are the most interesting aspect of the story for me. It's not a simple dragon-slaying story, and I love the bestiary notes at the end of each book.

I read a digital copy of my phone and I think I would have enjoyed the artwork more on a larger screen or in a printed copy.. I recommend reading the first book; this is definitely not a standalone.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much fun! I loved being back with these characters and on another fun adventure.

This volume in particular reminded me of a lot of things that I love about Avatar: The Last Airbender, and anyone who loved that series should definitely pick this up! We're following a group of friends: monster hunter Suri, imp Caglio, and the sweet and lovable big dog Byron (kind of like our Appa character). There's a (medieval-historical? steampunk?) fantasy world filled with monsters - some truly evil and some just misunderstood - and Suri is learning to use magical abilities. There's a problem-of-the-week situation, in this case that Suri and her friends need food and money to begin their journey to the monsters cradle, and end up seeking out the mole king's treasure. Then we also have a longer running plot in the background about our protagonists being chased down by a prince and a group of sibling catsiths who want Suri's golden twine. I also loved the budding friendship/relationship between Suri and Kolya, who is secretly a catsith and originally joins her group to try to take her golden twine.

I do think I could have used a recap of the previous volume at the beginning or a reminder of who our characters are, since it took a while to remember who was who and what everyone's goals were. But once I was into the swing of things, this book flew by and was a pleasure to read!

I know the blurb says this is supposed to be a trilogy, but I could read endless volumes about these characters and this world! I can see this becoming very popular with middle grade readers looking for a new good graphic novel to pick up. I just love this series and concept and can't wait for the next one!!

(thanks to the publisher on netgalley for the arc!)

[Mystic DreamClouds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Special thanks to the author(s), publisher, Goodreads and/or NetGalley for the review copy. All views and opinions expressed are honest and my own.

We continue our story with Suri and her small crew trying to find some odd jobs to earn money for food. The journey to the Monster's Cradle will be long and along the way they encounter a mysterious cave and a new friend.

This is a pretty fast paced story but we haven't reached our end goal yet. There are many twists and turns and the story progresses while adding more mysteries. We meet old and new characters each adding a touch of magic to this adventure. The plot in this volume is centered towards solving the mystery of the Mole King's lair instead of traveling to the Monster's Cradle, however there are many parties heading there so it'll be enjoyable to see how it all unfolds.

In this volume we encounter a new character called Koyla. I'm still not too sure about this character. Koyla is a catsith and a thief. Many times Koyla is getting closer to Suri to steal her shining ball of yarn but he has stepped up to also save Suri. So I'm conflicted because his expression shows he's up to no good. I think the only trustable one is Bryon, our cute monster dog.

The art is similar to this first volume. It's unique, colorful, expressive and beautiful. I liked how there were colored themes used throughout. Such as, in the forest scenes there were more green and brown tones used whereas, the town uses more yellow and brown tones. Not sure if that was intentional but I did like that cause it helped me stay focused instead of distracted with too many colors and things going on in the background.

Overall, I really enjoyed this volume. It was longer than the first volume and we got to learn more about the characters and their personalities. I really hope Suri doesn't get betrayed by her friends and I'm curious about her origins as well. I'm looking forward to reading the next volume in this short trilogy!

Read more reviews @ Mystic's Review Shelf

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was terrifically enamored with the first Cat's Cradle volume and, while The Mole King's Lair isn't quite as a perfect an adventure, it's still an extremely quality middle grade read. One huge bonus for this adult reader, at least, are the many subtle jokes that might sail over younger heads, but happily land exactly in my lap. Thank you, Jo Rioux, for writing an all ages book!

The less subtle parts of The Mole King's Lair are also satisfying: Suri, her dog-monster Byron, and imp Caglio have set off for the Monster's Cradle, but they need money and food to continue the journey. Fortunately, a thief falls into their lap with claims of a big score in an old abandoned mine. The twist, of course, is that the titular mole king is not what he seems and the mine contains many more surprises than just a big pile of gold.

Suri and the others also have to contend with a bored prince/monster hunter and his retinue, which includes the trio of evil Caitsiths from the first volume. Unfortunately, not much world-building progress is made on that front: who are these Caitsiths and why are they mean and also, what's the deal with all the monsters in general? Maybe we'll find out in the next volume.

The Mole King's Lair does feature a somewhat silly conclusion and lots more running around for running-around's sake, but it has definitely still held my interest in the Cat's Cradle series. Looking forward to the next one!

[Gabby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5

Themes:
Fantasy
Monsters
Adventure
Ragtag group

Suri is a monster tamer that keeps getting into mischief! Along with her group of friends, she hears a story about a cave full of gold! On their way to claim their treasure, they are faced with their scariest monster to date; The Mole King.

It’s been a hot minute since I picked up the first volume. If you, like me, don’t remember much about “The Golden Twine” I definitely recommend giving it a re-read! A refresher was definitely needed. Once I caught up on some reviews for the first book - I started to pick up more about this story and enjoy the narrative.
I read that some people wanted more backstory of the characters in volume one, and this delivers. We learn more about our main character - story which I think will progress in later volumes. I enjoyed following this group of characters, with Suri and Byron being my favourites. I’m excited to read the next volume, but will make sure I re-read the previous ones before picking it up!

Perfect for fans of Amulet, Wynd: Flight of the Prince and Hooky.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable continuation of the story. But I feel a bit of frustration with the ongoing vagueness of the setting, there are so many unknowns or incompletely explained things and this book just adds more: why is there magical twine, how broad are its applications and can anyone use it? (and given its so far fairly broad applicability, why do caitsith just use it to disguise their appearance?); it seems doubtful that Caglio created Byron as he claims, but also doubtful that imps generate (pullulate) as he says, but it is impossible to judge for sure as so much about the setting and the nature and bounds of magic are unknown. Still, curious to see if anything is clarified in the next book. But at least one review calls this a trilogy, and this does not feel like the middle book of three, but more like a second step in something longer.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
Suri continues her journey through the Monster's Cradle with her companions Caglio and Byron. While trying to source provisions for the journey she meets Kolya. In a series of misadventures, the group ends up in the Mole King's lair.
This book is the second in a series. While it helps with background knowledge, it is not necessary to read the first book to enjoy the second. The reading level is suitable for a juvenile level.
This book was easy and fun. I did not read the first before this and didn't feel like I was missing too much. I do plan on reading it though because I enjoyed this one s much.
I would suggest this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy.

[Liv CG · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up CAT'S CRADLE: THE MOLE KING'S LAIR by Jo Rioux since I'm on the lookout for more fantasy graphic novels to pair with a book club unit my team has been working on the past few years. A lot of my students have enjoyed the first in the series, and sequels are a sure-fire hit with the tween crowd. I think they'll enjoy this one! It's action-packed, and Suri is just as relatable and strong in this episode. The artwork is very well done (I appreciated the range in perspectives/close-ups), and the plot maintains a good steady pace. It's a great read for fans of Wingbearer, Snapdragon, Beetle and the Hollowbones, or My Aunt is a Monster.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance digital copy. Published Jun 20/23!

[pineapple tofu · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this second adventure for Suri and her friends, she's making her way to the Monster's Cradle. But without the things to help her along the way, such as food, she travels from town to town, offering her business as a monster tamer. As she meets a thief along the way, they stumble into a mole lair underground. Can Suri make it out alive before it's too late?
It's just as whimsical as the first volume, and Suri is here to save the day and perhaps the local townsfolk, too. With mysterious catsiths hiding in alleyways, a bored prince, and a one-mole queen, Suri is ready for another adventure. Suri is fun and sometimes sarcastic and is enjoyable to read about. The art of the catsiths is strange, in a haunting sort of way. I can't wait for the final volume!

[Kayla Zabcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

82%

Going into this, I didn't realize it was the second part of a series, but for the most part that didn't hinder my experience of reading this graphic novel - I did have a few questions as to the nature of the magic, but I figured it would be explained later (or, as it turns out, before). Either way, they weren't the kind of questions and curiosities that made the story unreadable or confusing. Overall it was intriguing and charming and fairly stand-alone. Hopefully it won't take another decade for the third installation to be released!

~Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.~

[Abigail Pankau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suri is traveling to the Monster’s Cradle with her new friends, but they need money to buy food on their journey. When they come across a Mole King, Suri knows that a Mole King is usually guarding a large treasure and thinks that they can use some of that to get food. They meet a boy, Kolya, who says he can lead them to the treasure. But Kolya is hiding something about himself, and the treasure itself is also more than what it seems.

A great continuation of this mid-grade graphic novel story about a girl who wants to be a monster tamer. Still great world-building and fun characters. Looking forward to where it goes in the next book.

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suri, Caglio, and Byron continue on their journey to the monster lands. They cross paths with Kolya who is secretly a caitsith. Caglio finds out and uses to the knowledge to blackmail Kolya. Kolya tells the group about his run in with the mole king and his horde of treasure. The group decides to plunder the treasure for travel money, but runs into something else entirely. Will Suri be able to break the curse? #NetGalley

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one more than the first! Its really funny (the prince and his entourage is hilarious) and Suri is at it again, trying to find the monster's gold. Only anyone who touches the gold turns into a monster, and the whole cave is FULL of monsters. She learns how to break the spell and people get their relatives back and there are happy reunitings at the end. BUT she still has the magic string and there are people who want that.

[hope h. · Rating 4 out of 5]

did i read the first book in this series before picking this up? no, no i did not. and honestly it didn't detract from my enjoyment at all - the worldbuilding is pretty easy to pick up on and also super cute (the catsiths!! the little mole guys!!), and overall it was just a really cute, fun read. probably going to be hunting down the first one in the series to pass to my niece because i feel like she will love this!

[Glenna Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book interested me enough to want to read the first book in the series. Having a monster tamer defeat a monster who really isn't a monster is a clever twist. Also, taming monsters who are really still monstrous in their thinking, but are outwardly tame is an interesting complication, especially when the tamer believes the work is complete. The artwork was clean and appealing. Sometimes transitions were hard to follow.

[Dolores · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this sequel to The Golden Twine, Suri sets off on her journey to the Monster's Cradle. But first she needs food and provisions. When she learns that there is a Mole King with a lair full of gold, she is determined to get some of that gold for her journey. A wonderful followup that does a great job of reminding us of what happened in that first book--published in 2012!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as cute and quick a read as the first one. Have already started recommending this series to kids who ask for adventure graphic novels. My copy had a misprinting where the first 20 pages were repeated about 40 pages in, so I hope that'll be corrected in future printings. Art is still great. The new characters are a lot of fun, and the returning characters are well developed.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one didn't really do anything for me. The story was fine. The characters too - the side characters entertain me more than the lead. I get some of the names mixed up while reading. The art is fun and consistent, but didn't have any parts that stood out strongly.

It really was just ok for me, so I can't give it more than a 2.

I don't think I'll keep reading this series.

[Bozhena Levine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you First Second and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this delightful book. I really enjoyed this fast paced adventure with a well written characters and an interesting world and magic system. A great, fun read that I definitely recommend!