Having followed Knisley on social media for a while, I've long enjoyed her comics about cats, especially the early ones about the aging cat Linney. If this book had only been a collection of Linney comics that would have been okay with me. But she's taken it beyond that simple construct. She's woven a narrative and reflection about the nature of owning cats into the collection. With the last section a more melancholy reflection on aging and loss, this is a charming and heart-felt story of cats and family.

This book was so wholesome. I am a big Lucy Knisley fan and this book did not disappoint. I love her humour and her style of art. Highly recommend this one!

Cat owners will enjoy this book. It accurately details how our cat can rule our household....and our lives...and how we wouldn't want it any other way.

Woe chronicles the last few years of the orange fluff ball known as Linney. Fans of Lucy Knisley already knew Linney from her social media posts featuring some of these comics. This title brings them together in one, nice hardbound edition. Stories of cats are always in high demand and I think Linney's personality really shows in this work. I was a fan when she first started posting these comics. It's almost easy to read (until you get to the end, which Knisley warns you about and I already knew from social media) so the humor quickly changes to serious. Overall, a lovely collection of comics, but be sure to have tissues ready.

I love Lucy Knisley, and I've seen this format of binding up webcomics into books before, but I'm not sure what the age range for this book is. It is especially difficult because Lucy is known in the adult and middle-grade space, but I think this is technically YA?

This is a sweet ode to a beloved, unforgettable cat. More a collection of comics than a graphic novel, the art is also not as finished as what is usually featured in Knisley's work. Regardless, this is a wonderful read for animal lovers, particularly for those who have loved and lost a very special pet.

I"m a sucker for anything with a cat on the cover and "Woe" didn't disappoint! The artist was able to portray antics that I think any cat owner can relate to. My cat certainly also acts like they are being starved while there is perfectly good food still in the bowl! This is the sort of book that does well for impulse purchases after placed near the registers.

Linney was Knisley's cat for over ten years, and was amusing and frustrating in turn, as many pets are. Knisley posted cartoons detailing Linney's foibles on Instagram as a way of remembering her, knowing that as her pet aged, there would eventually come a time when she would have to say goodbye. We see Linney be picky about food, shed strategically, monopolize spaces, demand to be petted but then require being left alone, have visits from a dog, and interact with Knisley's small child. Eventually, we see Linney loose weight, have to go on special kidney food (this is never a good sign), and eventually pass away.

This isn't quite a graphic novel; it's got a squarer format (like a social media post) and less dialog, but tells a story just the same. It is beautifully done, like all of Knisley's work, but is also very sad, since Linney's last moments are with the vet. Having just lost my dog, this was definitely heart wrenching.

Middle school and high school libraries with lots of cat fans or fans of Knisley's work will definitely want to purchase this, and I see a lot of copies being sold as as consolation gifts when a beloved pet passes away. I just wish that Knisley was a dog person, but I guess dog people have Matt Nelson's Thoughts of Dog, which has some similarities, although Woe is mainly from Knisley's perspective.

4.5 Stars
One Liner: Adorable!
Linney the House Cat started as a series of webcomics. This graphic novel is a collection of several illustrations that detail the life of a housecat from the cat’s POV.
I enjoy reading about cats and their antics. When a friend (Rosh) rated it 5 stars, I knew I had to read this one. After all, how can I resist a book that showcases a cat’s personality?
The author/ illustration adopted Linney when Her Highness was older (around four years). This meant Linney came with her exclusive attitude and took every opportunity to remind her silly hoomans about it.
The author’s love and understanding are evident in every illustration. She knows her cat even if Linney would never admit it.
This isn’t a story as such. It is a series of scenes arranged in a sequence to make sense. Linney’s voice is purrfect! She knows hoomans are mere slaves, hooman kittens are ewww, and dogs are even more ewww. Linney loves to take revenge and plots various ways to get even when hoomans don’t do what she wants.
The tone is light, funny, quirky, and super cute. The illustrations are rough sketches (I love the explanation for why Linney has such a vague visual representation) which seamlessly suit the narrative style. The dialogues and thoughts are in speech bubbles with ‘feelings’ and other stuff mentioned as plain text. The layout is simple and uncluttered.
While there is sad news, the reader is prepared for it in advance. The whole thing is handled with care. After all, the author’s pain would have been so much more than what we feel when reading it! But don’t worry. The book makes you smile with its ending.
To summarize, Woe: A Housecat's Story is a beautiful, hilarious, and bittersweet graphic novel about a fluffy orange cat with a huge personality. Though this is marked YA, it can pretty much be read by anyone (kiddos included).
My thanks to NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Random House Graphic, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Reading about the experiences and feelings of Linney the cat was so entertaining. We all know that cats feel elitist, but the author's take on it was hilarious. Her writing about how Linney being so dramatic just added to its hilarity. It was a quick read. Well worth your time.

Linney the cat’s personality really comes through the text and illustrations. I found myself quoting parts of the witty dialogue out loud to my husband. My favorite was “extremely no” referring to a big dog seeking to be friends.

I dare any catlover to read this book and not fall in love with Linney, Lucy Knisley's beloved and former cat. The many panels inside are so true to life. Some of my favorites were the nighttime antics of Linney and her attempts to keep a visiting dog from being her friend. The dog is not deterred in the least. So determined! While some might be critical of the lack of detail in Linney's form, no one can deny that the personality is all there. Happy Publication Day to this loving tribute to Linney.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. And an extra shout out to my GR friend Rosh for bringing this pawsome and purr-fect read to my attention.

THIS was just what I needed [its been a heavy week for a Monday]!

A hilarious look at what life is like with a cat [I swear at times I thought I was reading about our own cat, who was snooty and aloof, yet snuggly, and loved water from a glass; she's been gone 4 years now and I swear I still see her in the house ], and if you've EVER owned a cat, this graphic novel will 100% resonate with you.

Hilarious, honest, heartbreaking, and full of love, this was an excellent way to start both the day and summer!!

Very well done!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Lucy Knisley, and Random House Childrens/Random House Graphic for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Linney reminds me so much of my cats and their personalities.
Wanting attention but not wanting attention.
Wondering why their food dish is empty and staring at it.
Getting into mischief throughout the story.
There is a sad part in the book. But it's all a part of life.
I enjoyed this read. Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read it.

Full disclosure: I'm not a cat person. (Mostly by force--I'm horribly allergic.)

So I probably don't relate to many of these comics like cat-owners would--I think I'm missing some of the nudge-nudge-wink-wink moments that cat lovers share. There are lots of cute moments, many laugh-inducing situations, and lots of tear-jerker frames, as well. I particularly liked seeing how each family member interacted with Linney in a different way.

I was able to relate to much of the fear and grief of having an aging pet as someone who has been through the same thing with a dog--so that was one section I definitely felt a connection to.

Woe: A Housecat’s Story of Despair is the collection in a single book of Lucy Knisley’s comics about her beloved family cat, Linney. In the advance reading copy, the drawing styles randomly vary from more simplistic to more refined, which implies that this compilation arranged the comics in an order that facilitates Linney’s story in a narrative arc. There are many depictions of Linney’s daily cat-ish behavior that will make other cat owners smile in recognition. Ms. Knisley’s love for Linney shines through and the comics do convey the unique relationship Linney has with each family member. This book would likely be most enjoyed by fans of Lucy Knisley who have been following Linney over the years. Independent of that prior relationship with the author’s work and when viewed as a stand-alone graphic novel about a cat, the book does not particularly stand-out.

An adorable and touching ode to the love we have for our pets, Woe is a wonderful but heart-wrenching look at how much of an impact they have on our lives, even though theirs are much too short. Woe does not flinch away from hard feelings, instead inviting us to understand and embrace them.

I love this author and this one did not disappoint. It was funny and touching and sad. Linney is a great cat.

Will be a huge hit with veteran Lucy Knisley fans as well as any cat-lovers. Knisley always infuses her slice-of-life comics with deeper philosophical and emotional themes, and WOE is no exception.

This collection of comics is so sweet, though it's not my favorite from Lucy Knisley. There are definitely a couple of people who will receive this book as a gift when it comes out in July, though, and it did absolutely make me cry (not in a bad way). Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the digital ARC.