Reviews

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark

retrogirl20's review

adventurous mysterious medium-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? No

4.0

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for allowing me to read this early!

I was instantly drawn to this book by the title and the cover and the synopsis  sealed the deal, I HAD to read this book! I have only ready one other book from Clark’s backlog and am happy to say this doesn’t disappoint! My only real complaint is that it wasn’t longer! The world that Clark builds is so unique and the story that comes of it takes you on an unexpected adventure. The characters, world building and plot are extremely well thought out and keeps the readers interest and attention. I highly recommend this!

ninamoskowitz's review

adventurous funny mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.5

kaavyareadsbooks's review

5.0

 

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the arc. I could not put this down. I loved reading TDCTA. The concept immediately intrigued me, the world building is phenomenal, and the characters so compelling. I want to read more stories set in this world. Though this novella is short, the world, the magic, the plot, and the characters will stay with me for a long time. I loved the plot, it was really fun. I also really want to visit this world, especially during the Festival. I want to explore the whole place. The stories, the legends, the magic system, the guilds, the gods and goddesses, every thing was made to intrigue me. I did not plan on staying up to read this, I just wanted to read a few pages before bed, but that was my mistake, because now I want to read everything P Djeli Clark rights. Normally I don't like novellas because they always feel lacking, but this was perfect. It was short, fast, and so intriguing and captivating. Love Eveen so much, and Sky, and Fennis, and Baseema. The prose was also so pretty and perfect. I really hope there are more stories set in this world. This is probably the best world building I have ever come across in my life. I need more stories here.

 

kylie_t's review

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

haylee_reads's review

adventurous dark medium-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? No

3.5

The world building in this novella was so lush, I truly felt transported to Tal Abisi. There was so much lore and history packed into such a short amount of pages. I also really enjoyed Eveen and Sky as characters. I think they were well developed and entertaining to read about. The overall idea was also super unique and I really enjoyed the whole dead assassin thing. I did struggle a lot with the pacing. The first half of the book was essentially Eveen being chased around, then that would stop, then they’d be chased around again. It got a little repetitive. The second half of the book was a lot slower paced and it took me quite awhile to get through 224 pages. Pacing aside, I did really enjoy this one!

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

knockoutbooks's review

adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins instantly caught me with its’ intriguing premise, mysterious edge and surprising humor. This is a captivating and page-turning novella and I enjoyed every page. There are such small, wonderful moments tucked into the assassination action of this story that made it so well rounded and enjoyable.

I hope that the author builds on this world, and there’s definitely room for it! I finished this desperately wanting more of Eveen, Sky, Baseema and Fennis. Most of all, I really want to know how Eveen became a Dead Cat Tail!

a_reader_obsessed's review against another edition

4.0

4 Stars!

What an entertaining story!!

Bridging fantasy with a touch of steampunk, this is a world where magic and sorcery are abundant, class division is sharply noted, and guilds of hired killers are a dime a dozen ready to carry out a job if the price is right.

Our heroine Eveen is one of those hired killers, having agreed to be resurrected and undead but with many side benefits. She is beholden to the goddess Aeril who demands a strict code of conduct that’s in place for civilized reasons, mainly to minimize collateral damage but always in the goddess’s favor. Aeril obviously has the power to bestow existence after death, but she can easily take one’s life force if they don’t play by her rules.

When Eveen is given what seems like a standard contract, what she uncovers about her target tilts the axis and all bets are off where unbreakable vows just might need to be broken.

To say the least, I loved how this was set in the fictional port city of Tal Abisi, evoking a Middle Eastern historic vibe with hints of New Orleans and India as well. This is a place with opulent trade filled to the brim with luxuries and exotic items but also with dangerous depravity, violence, and horror. Magic is everywhere, forbidden thaumaturgy lurks in dark corners, and the atmosphere is rich with strange occurrences and offbeat creatures.

Clark caught my attention with [b:A Master of Djinn|52504334|A Master of Djinn (Dead Djinn Universe, #1)|P. Djèlí Clark|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1600715136l/52504334._SY75_.jpg|78021845], and this has solidly put this author on my radar! Adventurous, filled to the brim with action, Eveen is a scrappy skilled assassin who knows her way around varied fighting techniques and weaponry, all with plenty of tricks up her sleeve and the talent to take advantage of her surroundings as her back up plans have back up plans. She must race against time to find a way out of her binding contract as well as save herself from its fatal repercussions. Will she succeed???

Overall, this was a lot of fun despite the grim tones and themes, and I can only hope Clark brings more to this fascinating world he’s created. The last sentence was perfect, making me cackle with a well placed nod to the reader!

Thank you to the author and Tordotcom via NegGalley for an ecopy in exchange for a honest review

katelin00's review

adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

 This book was difficult for me to rate. While reading it, I enjoyed many aspects, but it was also so easy to put down and not pick back up.

The worldbuilding is interesting and I liked the history that we are given on how the Shimmer came to be. Eveen is a fun character, and I enjoyed her sarcasm very much. I had a hard time matching her age to her voice, however. It was written like she was much younger. Maybe because she's undead and her memories are erased? I'm unsure but it did throw me a bit.

The ending was really what made it difficult for me to give it a higher review. There is a character that has the dialogue written to demonstrate an accent, but that made it nearly impossible for me to understand. I wish there was some translation of it as my brain had a hard time with reading it and that threw me from the scene. This is a novella, so I knew it would be short, but the ending felt almost rushed. I wanted a little more of Eveen's vengeance instead of glossing over that part.

Overall, I think this will be a good read for some and I did enjoy it. It was just a little too easy to put down. I will most likely look into P. Djèlí Clark's other works because I did enjoy his writing style.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the ARC. 

moholub's review against another edition

3.0

There are three rules to being an undead assassin in Tal Abisi: a contract must be just, you can only kill those who have been contracted, and a contract must be fulfilled (or all of hell might literally show up on your doorstep)--and Eveen the Eviscerator is well on her way to breaking another one of these unbreakable vows. Fast paced and funny, "The Dead Cat Tail Assassins" trips you into a world of magic, murder, and mansplaining, with a loud-mouthed main character not afraid of the forces amassing against her (or her goddess' fiery tits).

While the sudden-stop of an ending was ultimately unsatisfying compared to the depth and heart of the rest of the story, I enjoyed Clark's writing and flair for description. Kept waiting for this one to magically grow more pages so I could spend more time in Eveen's world.

lillieslibraryy's review

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This was so much fun! I wish this had been longer, purely because I was enjoying it so much and just wanted more. This is the perfect mix of fantasy, gods, assassins and multiverse aspects. 

I'm truly in awe of how much Clark can fit in to so few pages. Clark is truly a master of characters, combined with an amazing world and social commentary this book does not miss. 

If you love fantasy books with witty characters and amazing humour this is the perfect book for you.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review.