Ahoy me mateys! A young adult fantasy yarn . . . Adventures on the high seas, deception, surprises, a missing princess and a boy who can speak Cat. What is not to love? This young(er) adult fantasy book has a plucky young boy, Duncan, at the center of the action with his trusty kitten friend, Fia at his side. Duncan starts out on his journey as a young person just wanting to be allowed to succeed and to be allowed to be noticed despite his mother’s wishes. He soon gets what he desires and learns that not everything is as it seems.

I enjoyed Duncan’s transition in this novel from dissatisfied but principled youth to mature young adult. The secondary characters of Duncan’s mother, his friend Betsy, and Brig in particular were lovely. Not to mention all of the cats and their quirky personalities and tricks. Trick # 8 ½ being one of my more favorites.

Also a super nice touch when reading were the author’s own illustrations at the beginning of each chapter. They are charming and fun. The picture of Mr. Flu . . . I mean Spike! in particular made me laugh.

I know this book is aimed towards younger readers (8 to 14 bah!) but if you are looking for a light easy read that revolves around the sea and cats and an epic adventure then this book is for you. I read it in a couple of hours and enjoyed every moment.

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