Woe: A Housecat's Story of Despair

This full-color collection focuses on Knisley's fluffy orange cat, Linney. The vast majority of these comics are humorous, but be warned that this does go, a little, into Linney's eventual death. It was pictured as peaceful, and Linney was herself throughout, but it still made my chest tight. My own cat is about 15 years old, so...yeah. I could see myself rereading this at some point in the future (hopefully still several years from now) and sobbing my eyes out.

I loved the way Knisley drew Linney. Linney's facial expressions and the way her overall shape morphed were perfect - she had a ton of personality to her as she interacted with Knisley, her family, and Flora the dog.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)

I only wish I had ever been able to document the excellent and infuriating personalities of my own cats in the way that Linney shines here. Deeply, derpily hilarious, until the sorrow sets in. Manages to capture all the cat owning emotions in short form, with love.

Reading about the experiences and feelings of Linney the cat was so entertaining. We all know that cats feel elitist, but the author's take on it was hilarious. Her writing about how Linney being so dramatic just added to its hilarity. It was a quick read. Well worth your time.

What are the odds of me reading two books about elderly pets and their inevitable fates in the same week? (See also: Hogbook and Lazer Eyes.) Considering the extremely random manner in which I select and read books, trust me when I say it should be very unlikely.

At least this one was more amusing and heartwarming, being 90 percent generic cat humor before the sunset days.

I'm not a big fan of generic cat humor, but Knisley's talents with a pen make it tolerable, and the repeated visits by a friendly dog help too.

In a Nutshell: A purr-fect book for all cat lovers, though the ending is somewhat bittersweet. Much recommended!

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I grabbed this graphic comic book for the title (Love the use of “Woe!” as a substitute meow!), the cat on the cover (I adore dogs, but cats come a close second), and the author (loved her graphic memoir: [b:Kid Gloves: Nine Months of Careful Chaos|30145085|Kid Gloves Nine Months of Careful Chaos|Lucy Knisley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1528377706l/30145085._SX50_.jpg|50578775]) In other words, I didn’t read the blurb and totally judged the potential of the book based on these superficial factors. And guess what?! This time, it worked!

I have not had show more the pleasure of reading Knisley’s online Linney comics as I am rarely aware of web-based comics. But apparently, this is a hardcover edition containing all Linney comics, collected in a single book for the very first time.

Linney was adopted by the family at an older age, so she came preloaded with catty attitude. She knows that her requirements are foremost, and the humans exist merely to service her demands. I love how Linney is given a somewhat royal tone, so every time a speech bubble comes in her first-person perspective, she sounds just as condescending and snooty as cats would if they could talk.

You don’t need to be an ailurophile to enjoy this book, though being one would certainly help you understand Linney’s behaviour even more. The author’s fondness for Linney is very clear, as is her understanding of the cat’s personality. Be it Linney’s thoughts or emotions or actions, the author seems to have captured everything with perfection.

The author's preschooler son also makes a regular appearance in the book, raising the cuteness factor exponentially. There is also a friendly dog whose enthusiasm for Linney is as hilarious as Linney’s repugnance for him.

Most of the story is cute and funny, but the ending is somewhat bittersweet. This doesn’t reduce the impact of the book as there is a foreshadowing of what’s to come in the introductory note as well as repeated references to Linney’s being an older cat. But it is still sad to read. I can’t imagine how the author dug up the mental fortitude to pen that section; it must have been so painful. I hope she found healing by sketching it.

As the above might lead to some tears while reading, I am glad the book doesn’t end at that point, but proceeds to a finish with a happier memory.

The illustrations are quite simple, but funny and totally apt for the book. As the author rightly says, cats have no predefined shape, so you don’t draw a cat, but you draw the personality of a cat. Goes without saying that the author has nailed Linney’s royal personality in every sketch.

The only thing I am not sure about is why this is labelled a teen book. While there is nothing age-inappropriate in the story, the content is universal and will appeal to every cat lover. At the same time, the ending might be a little upsetting to some sensitive kids. I would rather label this a generic/adult graphic novel than as a children’s or teen’s title.

A teeny complaint: I wish a photo of the actual Linney had been included at the end of the book.

This book was read jointly with the two not-so-little readers at home and the three of us loved it equally. We laughed heartily at Linney’s pompous dialogues and her antics, and had a sad smile on our faces at the end.

Definitely recommended to all cat parents, pet parents, and animal lovers and to those who enjoy funny animal books.

4.5 stars, gladly rounding up.

My thanks to Random House Graphic and NetGalley for the DRC of “Woe: A Housecat's Story of Despair”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

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Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

I. LOVE. THIS. It made me very sad and weepy at work, but I absolutely love how Lucy Knisley draws, especially how she draws cats. I followed all of these comics on twitter and absolutely fell in love. She totally knows the love of a cat, and the true personalities they all have.

Knisley wrote/drew WOE about her cat, Linney, to preserve his memory. She invents lots of dialogue for him, and includes herself, her husband John, and their young son as characters, plus an enthusiastic dog who visits sometimes ("It's our puppy friend, Flora!" "Extremely no."). The story of "how Linney lost her bedroom privileges" is laugh-out-loud funny, and WOE will amuse and resonate with anyone who has ever loved, or loved and lost, a pet.

See also: Penny by Karl Stevens