The Dead Cat Tail Assassins

by P. Djèlí Clark

Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 208
Rating:

Synopsis:

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins are not cats.
Nor do they have tails.
But they are most assuredly dead.

Eveen the Eviscerator is skilled, discreet, professional, and here for your most pressing needs in the ancient city of Tal Abisi. Her guild is strong, her blades are sharp, and her rules are simple. Those sworn to the Matron of Assassins—resurrected, deadly, wiped of their memories—have only three unbreakable vows.

First, the contract must be just. That’s above Eveen’s pay grade.

Second, even the most powerful assassin may only kill the contracted. Eveen’s a professional. She’s never missed her mark.

The third and the simplest: once you accept a job, you must carry it out. And if you stray? A final death would be a mercy. When the Festival of the Clockwork King turns the city upside down, Eveen’s newest mission brings her face-to-face with a past she isn’t supposed to remember and a vow she can’t forget.

I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I was definitely excited by the appearance of P. Djèlí Clark’s new book on Netgalley: the  summary was tantalising, the cover looks awesome, and I was quickly intrigued by the world once I started reading. I don’t know quite why it didn’t work for me — it may be as simple as it being the wrong time, but somehow I just didn’t get properly sucked in, and the pace didn’t feel quite right.

Objectively, because I feel safest there while I can’t put my finger on what’s up, the world-building is really cool. There’s a whole bustling city of which we see glimpses, rather than a city that comes to life only for the characters to run through it; there are characters busy getting on with their lives in ways that aren’t fully explored and thus leave tantalising things to wonder about; there’s the whole concept of Eveen’s unlife, and how she ended up where she is. The ending isn’t too neat: possibilities remain, and the characters’ lives (or unlives) go on.

The climactic scenes are really cool, and I think I’d like to see more of the world, if Clark writes any other books in this setting. I don’t know why I struggled with this one, why I kept stopping and starting; if the premise entices you, I’d give it a go.

Rating: 3/5