 |
| A must read! |
2015, 127 pages, Ebook, Review copy
Summary from Ciye's website
THE ONE-OF-A-KIND CAT BOOK is a whimsical treat for cat lovers
everywhere. Dive into its pages to meet Catalina the narcissistic movie
star, Kit the steampunk genius, and Guillaume the macaron chef. Browse
through letters, notes, and photos to learn about mystery cats from
Svalbard and the Amazon. Follow a detective as he unravels the crimes of
“Murder Kitties.”
The OOAK Cat Book is a grown-up picture book full of modern themes: a
shameless search for fame (or infamy), an obsession with true crime,
and our constant need for adventure and kawaii cats. The felines here
will guide you to places like Paris, Varanasi, Woodstock, and the Great
Barrier Ree
Nayu's thoughts
I've read Ciye's previous books including Luminaire (Young Adult, 10E/10E mermaid read) so was delighted to see Ciye's cat themed work. An
incredible insight in different types of cats with colourful pictures
and a variety of article formats eg magazine article, letters,
postcards etc. That description doesn't do the book justice, as it is amazing! The
vibrant colours used really brings out the specific nature
of each cat. I love cats, and found the unique insight fit their
heavily changeable nature.
I haven't done this yet but it's going to be fun working out
which cat is most like mine. I enjoy simply looking at the
illustrations, which are gorgeous. I'd happily buy merchandise
featuring these cats, if any is ever made. They are perfect for cat
lovers!
Find out more on Ciye's website, which currently includes a free copy of the book! You won't be disappointed, promise! Here's a trailer to convince you...
Interview with Ciye Cho
Nayu: As I was already a fan of Ciye's mermaid series, I jumped at the chance to review The One-Of-A-Kind Cat book, plus the chance to chat to Ciye about what is an incredible read.
What inspired you to produce such an incredible book about cats?
Ciye: I've always been fascinated by cats. Someone recently asked me, “Why do you think cats are such a force on the Internet?” I paused for a while, then said, “Maybe because we see so much of ourselves in them.” Admittedly, I was just ‘throwing that out there’ without much thought. But what if that’s true? What if cats are a reflection of our quirks, eccentricities, and individual traits? Hmm… maybe I’m overthinking this. But hey, who doesn’t like looking at pictures of cats?
How did you decide on which colours to use for each section?
The concept behind each piece is a big influence on my color choices. For example, I wanted tie-dye-inspired colors for the hippy cats (to channel a trippy ’60s vibe). To me, color is a great way to convey some visual whimsy.
How did you decide on each section?
Each section revolves around a unique cat (or set of cats), so the sections came naturally. In essence, the OOAK Cat Book is a kooky compilation. The 16 different sections document the lives of 33 cats. It’s not just a story about cats, or just artwork, it involves much more which makes it incredibly realistic (and amusing to read)
What made you decide to produce it like this, instead of in a different format?
I wanted to tell stories without “telling stories”. I didn’t want to start each chapter with a chunk of exposition (e.g. “Once upon a time, there was a cat named so-and-so…”). Instead, I wanted folks to read magazine articles, explore clues, and piece together adventures through letters. For example, instead of telling you that Catalina is a narcissistic diva, I thought it would be fun to show her in a magazine article. What better way to understand her than via the lens of celebrity? (By the way, you can check out Catalina on Twitter @CatalinaTheStar — last I heard, she was at the Star Wars premiere in Paris!) I also wanted to show glimpses of far-off lands, so I tried to not only flesh out cats—but also foreign lands like Varanasi and Svalbard.
Are any of the cats covered modelled on your own? (I’m guessing you have/had some)
I grew up around cats, and all of them were definitely one-of-a-kind. No two felines are truly alike, and that is a grand truth that I’ve always been aware of… Thank you for the questions, Jessica!
The One-of-a-Kind Cat Book is currently only available via www.ciyecats.com
No comments:
Post a Comment