You Only Live Nine Times by Gwen Cooper

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Rachel Baum came to Coacoochee, Florida to start over.  She landed a great job in a bookstore, and is enjoying not only selling books but creating events to promote the store.  She has an apartment above the bookstore that she shares with her three cats:  Scarlett, Vashti, and Homer, a blind black cat who doesn’t let a lack of vision hamper his fearless nature.

Coacoochee is an upscale community with a thriving social scene.  Rachel’s friends include Tommy aka “Mr. Nightlife,” who works for a magazine, reporting all the gossip and news on the beautiful people; Natalie, an investigative journalist who owns “Hot Mike,” a German shepherd who flunked out of police dog training school; and Daisy, a party girl who knows everybody who’s anybody.  Rachel finds herself rubbing shoulders with a celebrity chef, a wealthy real estate developer who owns at least half the property around, and a high profile newspaper columnist, all of whom have their own agendas. Still it all seems cordial enough—until someone turns up dead outside the bookstore right after an event Rachel hosted.  The police seem to think that it was natural causes, but Rachel isn’t so sure.

Her cats definitely think there is something wrong.  Unbeknownst to Rachel, the three felines have more interests than birds and catnip.  They think something is definitely amiss and they intend to protect Rachel. Unfortunately, Rachel doesn’t speak cat—or maybe that’s a good thing, or else she’d know what they have planned could be very dangerous.

Gwen Cooper is the author of the non-fiction book Homer’s Odyssey, which is the real-life story of her blind cat Homer, and Love Saves the Day, a novel about human relationships.  I knew I liked her writing based on those books, so I was interested to see what she’d do with a mystery novel.

As with many of the cozy mystery book series, the author throws out numerous characters all at once.  I was glad there was a list of characters in the front or I might have given up. Some don’t play a major role in the story and could have been skipped.  I understand that the author wants to build up her cast of characters for future installments, but overwhelming the reader with names is off-putting. As I said this is common in first in series books: the author is creating a setting she intends to return to so it seems that the reader is introduced to everyone in town, whether or not that character is going to play a significant role in this particular story.

Once I was past that, the book turned out to be as entertaining as I had hoped.  Part of the story is told from Rachel’s point of view as she tries to prove foul play, and part from the cats’ as they gather clues and enlist helpers including Hot Mike. Incidentally, Hot Mike is a fun character; his name comes from journalism, i.e. a “hot mic” and he adores his human, but he’s welcome to lend a paw or nose to help Homer and the gang.

The mystery was interesting and the cats are a hoot. There’s a good bit of sibling rivalry going on between them, and they all have delightfully distinct personalities.  I just decided to roll with all the characters and soon found the only ones I needed to keep track of.  There were well- placed clues, a bit of romance, and lots of feline frolics—or folly, depending on your point of view.

There’s a second book planned and I am looking forward to it.

My Life in a Cat House by Gwen Cooper

Reviewed by Jeanne

Back in 2009, Gwen Cooper published book about her blind cat, Homer, who lived his life with zest despite his disability.  Homer’s Odyssey became a best-seller and Cooper became an advocate for cats with special needs, which is how she came to adopt Clayton, a three legged cat, and his sister, Fanny.  With a strong social media presence, Cooper’s many fans learned bits and pieces about the rest of her feline family.

Interest remained strong, so she began writing down stories that centered just on one or the other of her felines to give them each a chance in the spotlight.  Vashti and Scarlett were already in the household when Homer arrived, but their appearances in Homer’s Odyssey were fairly brief.  Here we learn about their own quirks—Vashti was the “Picasso of pee,” for example. Cooper’s writing is entertaining, personal, and quite often hilarious, as when she is bedridden for a few days and her cats decide to try to entice her to move, preferably in the direction of their food bowls.  

Cat lovers will nod in recognition at many of the feline antics, or do more than nod:  Cooper is often sent tales of her readers’ companion animals.  I think any animal lover will quickly identify with the way Cooper sees her cats:  not just as animals, but as sentient beings with strong personalities.

Not to sound too picky, but I just like the way Cooper writes.  Her sentences are extremely well composed, not short and choppy in the way some animal stories are told; it's  as if the writer is afraid that readers can’t understand anything more complex.  Her vocabulary is also excellent.  It’s not that she’s showing off, but that she avoids repeating the same words so nicely that you don’t even realize she’s doing it.

I’ll confess I did slide over some parts in the book because as with most animal lovers I hate to read about the death of one that I’ve come to know and love. Again, Cooper deals with the subject compassionately, refusing to make the reader wallow in her grief, but ending on an up note inasmuch as possible.

Let me quickly add that there are still living cats at the end, so don’t expect a three hanky experience unless you count laughing until you cry.

Meygan reviewed Homer’s Odyssey in 2014 and you can read her review here; I reviewed it in 2009 and my review is here.

I also reviewed Cooper’s novel Love Saves the Day, a charming story which I think is underrated.

Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper

Homer’s Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned About Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat by Gwen Cooper*

Reviewed by Meygan

*Not to be mistaken for the epic Greek poem, although I did feel incredibly smug when people admired the way I read “The Odyssey” for fun.  

According to the ASPCA, there are ninety million cats residing in approximately thirty-eight million homes in the United States. That is ninety million novels that could have been written, published, and possibly become a bestseller. So what makes Cooper’s story about her frisky solid black cat, Homer, any different? Well, first of all, Homer is blind. What’s so special about a blind cat? you ask yourself. That’s when Cooper’s humor and vivid details come in to piece together the story.  

Cooper wasn’t looking to adopt a third cat when her veterinarian called her about a two-week old kitten that had lost his sight due to an infection. Cooper questioned, just like most of us cat people do, How many cats can I have until people start thinking I am crazy? But as soon as she saw Homer, she fell in love. And by the second chapter, I had fallen madly in love with Homer as well. (I do need to mention that I DO love every kitten and cat that I encounter. So much, in fact, that I believe my husband is currently writing a contract with a lawyer stating that under no circumstances am I allowed to bring home anything else that has a mouth to feed. I wish I were kidding.) Homer is lively to say the least, especially for a cat that sees nothing but darkness. But Homer quickly learns his whereabouts to the many homes he is introduced to. (He especially becomes acquainted with the words, “No, Homer!”) The first chapters are mostly about the many adventures of Homer and his two “sisters”, Vashti and Scarlett. If I had to title these chapters, I would name them Homer and the Case of the Buzzing Fly; Homer Learns Not to Jump So High; Homer and the Case of the Burglar; Homer, Vashti, and Scarlet and the “Something Stinks, Who Done It?” Mystery. 

Although I loved hearing about Homer, Vashti, and Scarlett, I have mixed feelings about the ending of the book. Don’t get me wrong—I know that Cooper had to talk about herself every once in a while to lead readers to Homer’s next extravaganza, but I was disappointed in the ending. The first twenty chapters or so were superb. Cooper writes with such honesty with a hint of humor that will captivate readers. Then the narrative takes to turn. 

Throughout the book, Cooper plays with the idea of meeting Mr. Right, falling in love, and living happily ever after. She expresses the fear that this might never happen. Cooper is sweet and hilarious and someone that readers will want to find true love. Well, that day finally came for Cooper, and I couldn’t have been more disappointed in her choice. 

Do I think Cooper “used” her blind cat to gain attention for this novel? No, honestly, I do not. At least, I don’t think that was her intention. I do not want to give away any major spoilers, but Homer’s disposition changes towards the end and although I realize he is no longer the spunky kitten he was once, I believe the major change is because of Cooper’s love interest. There were parts of the book towards the end that made me so upset that I felt like ripping the book in half. However, the copy I was reading belonged to the library; needless to say, Cooper’s book was unharmed. I guess in the end I wanted more cats and less Gwen Cooper. Was that too much to ask for? 

Please don’t let my review of the ending deter you from reading the book. Cooper is an admirable writer. She’s witty, gets to the point, uses great sentence structure and vocabulary choice, and will probably make you want to adopt a cat after finishing Homer’s Odyssey. (No more cats, I repeat my husband’s words.) 

Unlike Old Yeller *spoiler alert*, Homer’s Odyssey ends on a happy note with

Odyssey of the Heart

Homer’s Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I learned about Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat by Gwen Cooper (636.8 COO Main)

Reviewed by Jeanne

I need to confess something up front: I am very reluctant to read a real life story about an animal in which the animal dies at the end. I’m sorry, but I don’t like to get emotionally invested and then bawl my eyes out. I did read the wonderful Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World (636.8 MYR Main & Avoca, SSB 636.8 MYR Main) but mostly because I knew about Dewey while he was still alive. I had even bought Dewey’s postcards and the video “Puss in Books,” but reading the book was more difficult because I knew how it was going to end.

So it was with an easy heart that I picked up Homer’s Odyssey and discovered a delightful new feline hero because I knew Homer is still alive and purring.

Gwen Cooper was a newly single girl with two cats when Patty, a local veterinarian, called to ask if she would like to adopt a third cat. No. Definitely not. Not only was she currently living in a bedroom in a friend’s house, but she knew that a single woman with three cats was in “crazy cat lady” territory. No way.

The vet was persistent. This kitten was special. He was only four weeks old, an orphan with a severe eye infection. He’d been brought in by good Samaritans who felt the kindest thing would be to put him down. The kitten was sweet, scrappy, and other than the eye infection, healthy. Patty had decided to take a chance, remove the infected eyes, and find him a home. That was where Gwen came in.

Reluctantly, Gwen agreed to take a look, just for courtesy’s sake. She’d stop by, give Patty the bad news that two cats were enough for her, and leave with a clear conscience. But when the tiny scrap of fur with the plastic cone tried to climb her sweater to rub his face against hers, she was lost. Over the kitten’s purrs she found herself saying, “Wrap him up, I’m taking him home.”

Named Homer after the blind Greek poet who wrote The Odyssey, the kitten turned out to be an adventurer with a zest for life. Gwen’s two resident cats, Scarlett and Vashti, were unsettled and bewildered by the newcomer, but Homer never let that stand in the way of having a good time. Gwen was amazed at Homer’s fearlessness, his boundless love and most of all, his joyful nature.

Life with Homer has been an adventure indeed. The bond between Gwen and Homer has survived numerous changes in households; a cross country move; a burglar; the attack on the Twin Towers, when Gwen was unable to get back to her apartment to retrieve the cats; and even a new romantic relationship for Gwen.

I went into this book hoping it would be entertaining. It most certainly is that, but it’s also a non-preachy lesson in bravery, love and acceptance. It’s heartwarming but not in a sugary way; there are places when I laughed out loud, startling my own cats, and places when I cried. Most of all, I felt uplifted and inspired by Homer. Remember “Our Town”? In the final act, Emily the ghost asks the Stage Manager if anyone ever really lives in the moment, ever really appreciates what it is to be alive. The Stage Manager replies, “The saints and poets, maybe—they do some.”

I’d add Homer to that list.

Homer’s Odyssey is well written and a joy to read. Cooper did a wonderful job of selecting quotations from the “The Odyssey” to incorporate as chapter headings, illustrating some of the things this Homer encounters. I was sorry to see the book end.

The good news is that I can keep up with Homer, Scarlett, Vashti and Gwen through Gwen’s blog at www.gwencooper.com. There are also more photos of Homer and the rest of the family.

Highly recommended!