Reviews

Rat-Catcher by Seanan McGuire

chilotte's review

dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

ramakn22's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

witchivor's review

4.0

A short look into Tybalt’s past and his journey to becoming King of Cats. I really liked this story (not surprising, he’s one of my favourite characters), and the look into the world in faerie as it existed in another century and another county. 

iamshadow's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

devrose's review

challenging emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

I forgot how sad this story is! 

atsumeri's review

adventurous emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

eyan_birt's review

5.0

I love Tybalt but I think a full length novel of his life prior to Toby would just make me unbearably sad. 

mimela78's review

adventurous challenging lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.0

quirkycatsfatstacks's review

5.0

Rat-Catcher is the first of what I hope will be many short stories featuring the one and only Tybalt. Written by Seanan McGuire, this short story takes place before the main events of October Daye and thus before the first novel even occurs.

The Tybalt we all know and love has gone by many names and titles over the years. While we know him best as Tybalt, King of the Cats, there was a time when he was known as Rand, Prince of the Cats.

For a Prince, all he wanted was to enjoy the little pleasures in life; a good play, the company of his sisters, and a happy life. Instead, he must step up and do what he had hoped would never happen – but what he, in truth, knew was inevitable.

Oh man, Rat-Catcher absolutely broke my heart. I knew that any older tale involving Tybalt would do so, but I was still not emotionally prepared for what unfolded here. This is a tale of Tybalt before he was Tybalt.

Before he was even King, he hasn't come into his own yet, though he is clearly still powerful. Yet there's a difference here, as the Prince was content to be just that. The events that forced his hand...it hurts. Let's just put it that way.

It puts Tybalt's whole story into context in a blinding way. While this one kicked me right in the feels, I actually can't wait to read more about Tybalt's past. Then again, he's my favorite character, so there's no real surprise there.

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laurla's review

free online http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/rat-catcher/

the story of how tybalt became king of cats, of the cait sidhe.

"You must stop running off like this, Rand! Father is furious, and when he’s furious, it’s us that suffer, not you."