Woe: A Housecat’s Story of Despair

Gr 8 Up–Acclaimed graphic novelist Knisley delights with vignettes about her cat Linney in this bound collection of her popular webcomic. In Linney’s own words, “Prepare yourself to be enveloped by a glorious apricot-hued cloud of softness.” Linney’s dialogue, in which she speaks directly to her humans, is witty, clever, and at times, hilarious. Both Linney’s words and expressions will be recognizable to any cat owner. Tender and laugh-out-loud moments among Linney, Lucy, Lucy’s husband, and their three-year-old—aka the “human kitten”—make this collection a stand-out. In one interaction, Lucy is fondly telling her son that three years ago, he was in her tummy. After asking who will come from his tummy, he excitedly shares that this was how Linney came to be, and that she hatched from the egg he laid. A few pages later, he puts his toys under Linney so she can have baby eggs, too. Readers who follow Knisley on social media will already know that Linney sadly passed away in 2019, and those final comics are included at the end of the book. Woe is a beautiful tribute to Linney’s life, and will be enjoyed by not only cat enthusiasts but also by readers who enjoy memoir comics with a bit of humor.