Reviews

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark

rachelle1207's review

adventurous challenging funny 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

https://www.tiktok.com/@rachellesreads/video/7359022005091372318
Would you agree to be resurrected years later after death in exchange for being a contracted assassin? I often find myself asking this question. Jk but I did receive this ARC which is set to release August 6. This was such a short, fun, quick read. Assassins and gods? Count me in. It almost gave me zombieland vibes with some humor and the rules on how to make it through life as an assassin reminded me of the rules on how to make it through a zombie apocalypse. The cast is diverse, the setting was interesting and I would say probably my favorite part was the descriptions of food. It probably made me snack more than I should’ve. This is categorized on GR as adult but I would say it read more along the lines of YA. The plot seems to move on rather quickly which I prefer. However, I can’t quite explain it but it wasn’t hitting the ‘great’ mark for me. Maybe it would’ve hit a little better if it was longer? I’m not sure.  

Thanks to NetGalley and Tordotcom for providing this ARC for review

ibingebooks's review

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

b_meow's review

adventurous dark 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? No

4.75

Oh my gosh, I freaking loved this book!! The world building was far and above what I expected from such a compact book. I found myself being very sad when I hit the 75% mark because I didn’t want it to be over. Let end did feel a touch rushed (hence the tiny deduction from 5 stars). Overall this book was incredibly funny and engaging with a great plot twist. I absolutely recommend this! 

Thanks NetGalley and Tor for the ARC!

liss_28's review

4.0

I received this as an ARC and here is my review.

This was the first I’ve read from this author and it was pretty interesting. The characters were very enjoyable and the story was pretty fun to read. I think the story was quite unique and it was very fast paced.
I really liked the zombie assassin and the twist at the end I didn’t see coming. The world building was great for being such a short story.
I highly recommend checking this one out!

claireviolet's review

4.5

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins follows Eveen the Eviscerator (who is not a fan of nicknames) over the course of a single evening at her job. Her very mundane job as a resurrected assassin for the Goddess of Knives, where she has no recollection of her life before and three simple rules to follow. On her latest assignment, it turns out that following that final rule of carrying out the accepted job isn’t something Eveen is interested in doing when her mark is wearing her face.

This was so ridiculously fun. The description of “next level worldbuilding” feels inadequate when discussing what P. Djèlí Clark does, but it’s the best I have. Clark’s ability to spin a living, breathing city from untouchable government leadership down to the cobblestones out of just a handful of words is a testament to the skill of his craft. The pacing is tight, and this is one of those reading experiences where I felt like I got to grab the author’s hand and hang on for dear life.

The humor in this story really worked for me, which is always an unexpected surprise in fantasy. And on top of everything else, Clark is able to tie everything together with a beautiful contemplation on what it feels like to reflect on your past and present self, and the pain and wonder that comes with that. 

This is an easy recommendation for everyone who likes darkly funny fantasy with murderously competent heroines and top notch worldbuilding.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor.com for the eARC.

pdmcguire's review

adventurous funny fast-paced

4.0

Thanks to Tor/forge  for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins is a fun tongue-in-cheek adventure about undead assassins in a world of magic and mysterious gods. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and the characters have plenty of snark. I've enjoyed everything I've read from P. Djeli Clark and this is no exception. 

The story revolves around a mystery that the characters spend most of the book solving. Though it starts off slow, it quickly builds the intrigue and action to a satisfying conclusion. I would happily return to this world for another adventure. 

readerpants's review

adventurous funny lighthearted 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

4.5

That was Good Fun. A fast-paced, funny, rollicking up-all-night-to-get-this-done fantasy adventure with the fun, complex, and never heavy-handed worldbuilding I've come to anticipate from P Djeli Clark. I love how his universes feel so consistently fresh while still bringing in classic elements. 

Eveen is an undead assassin -- it's a living with some clear rules, she's great at it and there's minimal angst -- who finds herself on the run with her intended victim after it all goes sideways. There's a mystery ("what's going on?" mostly), snappy banter, and some neat character building. 

The end feels a little rushed -- lots of details and threads that got squished into too few pages -- but not so much that it detracts from the fun of reading it. And (hooray) no cliffhangers! Definitely one I'll be adding to my high school library and booktalking widely. Recommended! 

brireads97's review

4.0

Thank you Net Galley and Tor for providing this arc. P. Djeli Clark creates a black sci-fi masterpiece that rivals Lovecraft Country. Eveen is an assassin who has one crazy night that includes, magic, time travel, zombies, extensional dread, and surprisingly a good amount of food. I truly believe the story should be read without a lot of context I will say there is a load of gore but crafted perfectly. I can't wait to read more of Mr. Clark's works.

abookishtype's review

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

There are very clear rules about being an assassin and Eveen the Eviscerator (it was one time, she says) follows them very carefully. After all, being an assassin is the only reason that she’s alive…well, not actually alive. She’s undead. In her first life, she made a promise to serve Aeril, the Matron of Assassins, for one hundred years. In P. Djèlí Clark’s beautifully plotted and highly entertaining novella, The Dead Cat Tail Assassins, we get to witness Eveen’s greatest caper...

Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration. 

bobabunnie's review

adventurous dark funny fast-paced

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

5.0

this book is SO MUCH FUN, i didn’t want it to end!!! (but it ended perfectly)