‘The Splendid City’ by Karen Heuler proved a fun read. I was initially drawn to this genre-blending little novel by its playing card style cover showing a cat with gun and a witch with a wand.

It opens with a quote about witchcraft from The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. For those unfamiliar with this modern classic, it features a large talking black cat. So does this novel.

Eleanor is a rebellious young witch currently on a mission set by her coven’s High Priestess to investigate the disappearance of Dana, a water witch, that may be linked to the water shortages in Liberty, formerly the state of Texas. In Liberty, water is rationed, free speech comes at a price, and paranoia runs deep. In a surreal touch animatronic heads of its president are scattered throughout the city, eager to talk to passing pedestrians.

Eleanor’s feline companion, Stan, used to be her co-worker whose obnoxious ways had led to her turning him into a cat: a talking cat that loves fish tacos, craft beer, wise-cracking, and guns. Stan has recently caught the scent of a treasure hunt adding to Eleanor’s troubles.

‘The Splendid City’ is set in an alternative USA in which Texas has seceded and been renamed Liberty. Karen Heuler uses this as an opportunity for some wry political satire along with the novel’s other delights.

There was a great deal for me to enjoy, including how she depicted Eleanor’s introduction to witchcraft and the coven. I always appreciate it when an author takes the time to understand the Craft and depict it respectfully.

I was also pleased that Stan, who was a truly awful human, remained so after his transition though on occasion he is tempted to roll over and offer his belly. Still, I expect he would be the kind of cat to attack a stroking hand with bunny kicks.

Overall, a quirky blend of alternative history, urban fantasy, science fiction, politics, satire, feminism and witchcraft that I enjoyed very much.

Eleanor has been sent to the new state of Liberty as a punishment for transforming her co-worker Stan into a talking cat.

Sharing an apartment with Stan is bad enough, but there is something very strange happening in Liberty - water is rationed, people are taken away in vans, and a witch has disappeared.

While Eleanor investigates what happened to the witch, Stan is determined to win a treasure hunt and will do anything to reach it first.

The premise for this book really intrigued me, especially the fact that the protagonist turned her co-worker into a talking cat, so I requested a copy in NetGalley.

Eleanor was a likeable and relatable protagonist. I really liked that she wasn't perfect.

Stan was an pretty awful character, but it was interesting to read from his perspective.

The setting of Liberty was interesting, and I can easily imagine something like that happening in real life.

The plot was mixed for me - while I did enjoy finding out more about Eleanor, Stan, and what was happening, my interest did wane and I struggled a little with the writing style.

I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more.

Overall, this was a mixed read.

Rounded up from 3.5 as 3 was too harsh.

The Splendid City is very unlike my usual reads however when I read the blurb I was intrigued and any book with a talking cat has to be good right?

The main thing I need to say about this book is it’s all about the fun! I have a strong image of the author sitting writing and chuckling to themselves as they come up with more and more interesting things to ad into the city of Liberty. Liberty is introduced and explored in part one and I loved how the world was built. It’s recognizable – but it isn’t. There are so many little tweaks to the world as we know it (and some very big ones) but they all provide satire linked to current situations across the world e.g. the water shortages and the rising cost. There are a lot of zany touches too e.g. nougat, the vans delivering news etc. They just work tougher to create this world that is so much fun to escape to for a while.

In part 2 we learn about the history between the two characters and how they got into the position they were in. Eleanor is a with in training and after being pushed too far by Stan, an unbearable colleague, she turns him into a cat. As a consequence of both their actions, they are forced to stay together whilst they redeem themselves and solve the mystery of a missing witch. Stan really is awful however I couldn’t help but chuckle at him at times. They are like a part of unruly children at times, squabbling away and annoying each other.

This novel will not be everyone’s cup of tea but it was so much fun to completely escape into for a while. A really enjoyable read.

The Splendid City

Author: Karen Heuler

Published: 14th June 2022

Angry Robot

Stan has a habit of getting annoyed with people who disagree with him, then shooting them.

If he was your average every-day mobster or the Michael Douglas character from 'Falling Down' it would be understandable.

But Stan is in fact, a rather large, talking bi-pedal black cat.

And Stan the cat was bound to Eleanor until the powers that be decided that they’d both learned their lessons. * We don't know at the beginning exactly what they're supposed to learn *

Luckily, in the meantime, to keep her busy and to stop her from killing Stan, Eleanor has a missing witch to find.

Liberty, the town in which they find themselves, is a strange, faux-bright dystopia.

For starters, the sound of a bell would precede the arrival of a van bearing gifts, or a van followed by the disappearance of random strangers; Latinx people, more often than not. Much like a bizzaro 'Childcatcher' from 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' someone is throwing random nougats around the streets for anyone who wants them. Distraction rather than action to fix the ills of the city.

The residents of Splendid City face a similar cost of living crisis as we face right now (2022); everything is extortionate and there's also a black market for water. And speaking of water, Gloria, Eleanor's boss, isn't buying the president's excuses for the water shortages.

And she wants to know why the Liberty coven is so small, and where the missing witch is. And it's telling that Daria, the witch in question, is a water-witch.

All problems for Eleanor to solve. Thank goodness she has Stan who trawls through Whispers, a kind of Twitter thread for info.

Yes, there are plenty of jokes in here, but we also have social commentary, adventure and a mystery to solve.

The inherent racism in some residents along with other forms of prejudice is pretty clear; as is the fact that 'Liberty' is anything but what it is named for.

Stan the cat - formerly human - is kind of oblivious, selfish and narcissistic, but that is where a lot of the humour comes from.

The whole novel has a wonderfully absurdist humour to it, amidst it all, the painful truth about their 'benevolent' president, government control, abuse and poverty.

It reminded me a little of the Philip K Dick story, 'We Can Remember it For You Wholesale' filmed twice as 'Total Recall'.

It's a really well written book, with great characters and the frenemy games between Stan and Eleanor bring an extra dose of fun.

It's definitely one to remember.

I feel so disappointed I loved the sound of this book, a talking cat, what's not to like ! but unfortunately ,I kept thinking I would start to enjoy it, but I just didn't.it was a bit silly, and didn't grab me .Really sorry to say.

Magic meets politics means absolute chaos in this compelling, addictive novel that kept me up way too many nights. I'll gladly put this one on the must read pile.

Ripped right through this unraveling mystery about a young witch, a talking cat, and way more! Loved how this was forward thinking fantasy mixed with a dash of a dystopian sci-fi, with states declaring liberty from America, water rationing and the paranoid and vain leader maybe perhaps behind it all hitting a little close to home.

Good thing there are witches!

Texas ceded, water rations, abductions, facts are what you want to believe... even with witches and talking cats, it's hard to imagine such a world could stay afloat the miserable pit of cynicism. Oh but it does. And marvelously so. Take Stan, the talking cat. He wasn't always a cat but has remained a steadfast, despicable prick to say the very (very) least, and when he's particularly unbearable, Eleanor the witch/heroine sets down a cardboard box before him and there unfolds within him the utterly undeniable... "Would he fit exactly? Would the fat around his middle spill over the sides? Would he tuck his feet in so neatly that he looked like a loaf still in its pan? Sitting in boxes was so comforting and life-affirming that he had to promise himself he would only sit in it for a moment, and then go about his business..." 

Golden nougats like this are scattered throughout and indeed, literal showers of nougats too - to soften (or sweeten) the sting of witnessing public abductions, of course. But Heuler doesn't simply (and deftly) measure the social commentary/political satire with the absurd, she sustains it with humanity. With Eleanor and her evolution both within and apart from her coven. She's effective too because you laugh, and you laugh hard, but you don't escape the unease of a dystopian world that should be but isn't quite so different from the one we live in. I devoured this one. Just read it.

Great fun. A reimagined Texas, witches, a talking cat - who could ask for anything more? Heuler has a great imagination and this is expertly written.

Great book.