Friday, August 15, 2014

Everybody Wants to be a Cat

2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas by Marie-Helene Bertino
Published
: August 5, 2014 by Crown
I'm not sure what I expected going into this, but I don't think there's anyway I really could have understood what I was getting into. Yes, the book is about a little girl who goes to The Cat's Pajamas, a jazz club in Philadelphia, but yet it's really about so much more than that.

The story is told from several different perspectives, which could get a little confusing, but really seemed to work. The three main ones were that of Madeleine, a 9-year-old who recently lost her mother, Sarina Greene, Madeline's teacher, and Lorca, the owner of The Cat's Pajamas. There's a few other characters who have their moment in the spotlight with a scene or two told from their perspective, but Madeleine, Sarina, and Lorca are the ones you hear from the most. As you might expect, I enjoyed certain characters more than the others, with Lorca's momments being my least favorite. But while I started out enjoying Madeline's sections the most, I soon fell a little in love with Sarina's.

Madeline though is still the heart of the story, and you can't help feeling for her throughout. She puts on such a tough exterior to the world to get through all the hardships life has dealt her. While she isn't the nicest person to many, because we're in her head we can see where she's coming from, and it's a bit heartbreaking. Luckily there are a few others, like Sarina, fighting for her, and when she finally has her moment you can't help but cheer for her.

I don't know that I've ever read a book quite like this one. I do think a lot of it is because it all happens over such a short period of time, only 24 hours, and we hear from so many different characters. But it's more than, really. There's just such a soul to this book that's almost indescribable, but I feel a little blessed to have had the experience of reading it.

4.5/5

I have one copy of 2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas to giveaway to one lucky reader. (US and Canada only.) Please use the rafflecopter form below to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: I was provided this book through TLC Book Tours. All opinions expressed are my own.

10 comments:

  1. I would like to read this because I lost my mom when I was young, so I understand putting on a front to make sure no one knows you're hurting!

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  2. This captivating novel would be unforgettable and a treasure. The characters and the story make the book beautiful and emotional. Thanks for this fascinating giveaway.Your wonderful review caught my interest. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  4. This looks like a great read. I'm interested in reading because of the story line and that it takes places in such a short amount of time. I don't think I've ever read a book that has before.Thanks for hosting this giveaway!

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  5. I like books that use different point of views from the different characters. This story also seems like it's a great read :)

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  6. This sounds like a good read! I love getting multiple perspectives:)

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  7. Thanks for being a part of the tour! I'm featuring your review on TLC's Facebook page today.

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  8. This sounds like such a unique and interesting book!!

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  9. This sounds like an interesting read!

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