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Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter is such an enjoyable read, perfect for fantasy fans and cat lovers! I personally wouldn’t categorize it as a “cozy” fantasy (though it is marketed as such) due to the high stakes and the deaths of some side characters, but it does have the feel of a cozy fantasy with the cat shelter and warm baked goods in a cold Canadian winter. Being a Canadian myself, I was intrigued to see the story set in historic Montreal in the 1920s, especially as I have visited the city a few times.
Agnes Aubert runs a cat shelter. After her building is destroyed during a fight between magicians, she is forced to search for a new location to house her cats. She finds a strange building that seems perfect for her needs (and minimal budget). But the shop is also a secret meeting spot for magicians, as well as the notorious dark magician Havelock Renard, who lives in the basement. Agnes finds herself swept up into magic and mayhem when she meets Havelock and the magicians who associate with him, navigating their strange feats of magic as well as investigations from the police.
The story was slow to start, but Fawcett is skilled in bringing the details to life and letting us ease into the story and truly get to know the characters. I loved how the cats each have their own personalities and are characters in their own rights. Agnes is determined and confident in her element, yet she is also clumsy and bumbling at times, prone to crying when overwhelmed. This makes her such a real character and relatable: even if I am not similar to her personality-wise, I felt for her struggles and how she dealt with the overwhelm of this new magical world being thrust upon her.
The magic system itself is based on magic being captured by magicians and sequestered in objects, giving them specific powers that can be called upon at a later time by magicians or normal humans who know the spell to unlock them. I found the world of magicians underdeveloped and would certainly like it to be explored in a future installment, explaining more about the development of magic and how it is has been accepted or rejected throughout history.
I found Agnes and Havelock’s relationship lacking, but it had some sweet moments as they went from reluctant roommates to partners in saving the world from Havelock’s sister, who is trying to find an object that will allow her to travel back in time. The relationship between Agnes and her sister Elise is well developed, though, and I found their sister bond relatable and touching.
The story is in some ways predictable, especially after having read Heather Fawcett’s Emily Wilde series, with similar tropes between Agnes and Havelock as with Emily and Wendell, but there are enough unique elements to keep me interested and ready to read more if and when a sequel is released!
Rated: Mild. There is some mild language and violence and death, though no overt descriptions. The romance is light and the most that happens is a kiss.
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