This short story has been sitting on my Kindle forever. I can't even remember how I came across it. I needed a break from STEELHEART, so I dug through my library. Boy am I glad I did.DON'T EAT CAT is surprisingly deep. It starts off hilariously, and I thought I had picked up a comedy. I rarely laugh out loud while reading (movies, yeah; books, not so much) but I cackled a good dozen times at this one. I guess I gel with the author's sense of humor. I don't know if the story would be ruined by telling you what it's about, but it might be, so I'll only say this: It's an emotional rollercoaster ride. It starts off pedal-to-the-metal funny, then decelerates, becoming introspective, until finally it crashes head-first into icy waters, and we're plunged head first into soul-crushing sadness. It's hard to find a novel with range like this, much less a short story.Most of you know I love sentences that describe things beautifully with simple language. Check this out: "His voice was ice in a blender." I got goose bumps. The author didn't have to say anything else. With that line I could hear the person in question perfectly; I could even see them quite clearly. That's why I read. Shit, that's why I write.If you like passionate writing that isn't pretentious, I highly recommend this book. Hell, I almost want to buy it for you. I especially suggest this one to new authors. Jess Walter knows how to build his characters without exposition.I will most certainly be looking for more from this author. I always find it a bit funny when the summary is so long like this one is when the piece is a bit over 20 pages. I guess they need to give extra reasons to purchase the short story since it isn’t free but is so short? Anyway, Don’t Eat Cat is a mixture of humor and a harsh view of reality. Zombies being a clear metaphor for anyone from druggies (the most obvious example) to the lazy and unmotivated (if you read between the lines/look deeper). The short plot is the selling point in this piece as you fly through this journey to discover what is left of humanity in the world as it is and the depth of some people’s motivations and choices. The best line by far in Don’t Eat Cat is delivered by a ‘zombie’ “That nobody chooses. That we’re all sick. We’re all here.” An enjoyable and surprisingly eye-opening short story, I’d say Don’t Eat Cat hit all the marks it was aiming for spot on, quite well done.Rating: 4/5
What do You think about Don't Eat Cat (2012)?
Very short and fast read, but full of Jess Walter's wit and dry delivery. I'm a fan.
—fikreat
I love the whole premise of this tongue in cheek zombie short.
—Brenna
