Aiyar, Pallavi

With a fluidly pleasing writing style, the author has tackled a potentially dry topic in a way that keeps the reader engaged. A solid addition for anyone with an interest in political, cultural, or economic studies.

While the cats are more anthropomorphized than in many novels that treat them as main characters, they are still engaging without being cloying. And the author paints a vivid portrait of the daily routines in the hutong neighborhoods of old Beijing. Fans of animal stories, as well as readers with a curiosity about daily life in modern China, will enjoy this. [See Prepub Alert, 6/11/12.]