If you're in the mood for a fun, action packed, story with undead (but not zombie-like) assassins, this one's for you.

Novellas are always tricky for me to review because I always want MORE 😅 but for such a quick read, P. Djèli Clark accomplished a lot in a limited amount of pages: immersive world building, showing how the rich exploit the marginalized, and nuggets of commentary on a messed up society.

I do wish I was more attached to the characters but I tend to love character-driven stories so that checks out.

I highly recommend this as an action-packed palate cleanser between heavier reads.

P. Djélí Clark is one of my favorite authors and The Dead Cat Tail Assassins did not disappoint! I can tell he had fun writing this novella, because I had fun reading it. Clark is insanely talented at creating memorable characters and stories full of vivid imagery.

The premise of this story is interesting, and there were definitely unique parts that I enjoyed. However, I came away from reading this with just the description of “okay”. Because of the shortness of it, some of the world building and development was compromised in favor of moving the book along.

I enjoyed the unexpected sci-fi elements and the witty humor that was included in something that could’ve been written in a very “dark” and serious way. However, the dichotomy threw me off some of the time because the lightheartedness of a few of the moments made me forget there were supposed to be real stakes. It was a serious book that almost read as cozy, and I’m unsure how I like that. All that to say, it’s getting a 3 from me.

I’m very interested in reading more from this author. Even though this wasn’t the best thing I’ve ever read, as I said before, the premise and some of the writing choices were unique and refreshing in a way that intrigues me enough to read more from them. Thank you NetGalley for this arc!

This was so, so good!! I haven't had the chance to read any of P. Djèlí Clark's previous works, but I am so excited to do so after reading this!

This novella was short and sweet - it was action-packed and funny with lovable characters and an incredibly interesting world (please, please Phenderson write more in this setting!!). The story kept me on my toes and took me on an adventure in only 200 pages! I would absolutely recommend this to any high fantasy lover in need of a quick but throughly enjoyable read.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I love this author so much. I'd read anything he writes. So this is very biased as a review. This isn't my favourite I have read by him, which doesn't mean anything because it's still a 5 star read. I had a lot of fun with this one and the alt worlds. My only fear, like Master of Djinn, is that I will be denied more of the world, the gods, side characters, etc. PLEASE.

4⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Dead Cat Tails Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark is a well-written novella with an action-packed plot, funny characters, assassins, mythical creatures, magic, clockwork giants and power-hungry kings, powerful goddesses, and an unfurling mystery.

I loved how this novella was able to balance seriousness with humor. The life-or-death situation they're in feels dire and the plot was full of action, yet the characters still had depth to them and their banter added a bit of lightheartedness to the ominous atmosphere.

I especially enjoyed Eveen as a character. Seeing her go through the psychological process of grappling with the memory loss of her past life while also being confronted with Sky, all the while trying to figure out who she is now with every new piece of information she learns.

With that said, certain aspects of the ending were a bit silly and ridiculous, particularly with how Eveen interacted with the goddesses, but I had a good time with it anyway.

Highly recommend listening to this on audio.

[Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book!]

Thank you NetGalley and TorDotCom for the EARC.

Some Spoliers*

This was an amazingly thought out novella. Even with such a short story the characters were well thought out and had some amazing growth! The mystery of how Sky got there and where she is truly from had a great twist of being a diffrent dimension/world parallel to Eveen's ending with summoning both of their respective goddesses to save themselves! This was my first book by P. Djèli Clark and am now an automatic buy fan! Hope there is more to come from this world!

I've enjoyed Clark's novellas and was excited to read this. It was fun, fast paced, and I finished it in one straight shot. Now, I need to go back and read Master of Djinn.

This would have fared better had I read this before I read the most recent release, because it does not compare but I do see some of the same quirky writing habits.

I loved the fact that we are reading from the POV of an older senior citizen woman as older women are not often represented in literature, I love the attempt to do something different and I think Clark managed to pull it off quite perfectly, tho at times I was not sure if the point was to differentiate between youthful MC's and senior MCs because they felt very similar, but that might have been the intention all along, to show that there is no difference between the two and that older women are. still lively.

Either way, Clark has shown himself to be an excellent writer of strong female leads, and for that he gets 4 stars because the characters really propel this story forward, the character work is excellent and while the pacing might be a lil off, wishy washy, this felt at times like it was a short story padded tp become a novella, but Clark's writing is so great that it makes it a fun reading experience regardless/

This is a short and sweet story that is very much not sweet. An undead assassin, a very unique targeted hit, and a time-sensitive problem involving space and time are all components that make this a unique science fiction novella. Without spoiling too much of the story, I love that each female character shines independently and the ending wraps up everything in a splendid way.

P. Djèlí Clark’s The Dead Cat Tail Assassins is a stunning addition to his repertoire, blending his signature vivid world-building with a gripping noir mystery. Set in a bustling, steampunk-inspired city infused with magic, the novella introduces a morally complex assassin navigating the darker corners of society. The main character's in this novella are full of depth. The tale is full of energy and the pace moves quickly. Though a novella, this feels like a fully developed novel--Djélí Clark’s evocative prose immerses readers in a richly textured world that brims with life, danger, and intrigue--the story remains as engaging as it is unsettling.

As someone who has read and loved this author's previous works, including A Master of Djinn and Ring Shout, I found this novella to be another excellent showcase of his ability to weave social commentary seamlessly into speculative fiction. Beneath the thrills lies a poignant exploration of power, justice, and the blurred lines of morality. This is a tightly crafted narrative that leaves a lasting impression. A solid 4.5-star read, The Dead Cat Tail Assassins reaffirms Clark’s place as a masterful storyteller in the genre.

4.5
I truly enjoyed this story!
For this being a novella I was very surprised by how much could get packed into a little over 200 pages. We got an interesting plot with great and funny characters. Magic, mystery, time jumping, assassins, anything you could think of!
The writing was very beautiful, but at times it could be too much. I didn’t mind it at all though I can see how people wouldn’t like it.
The only thing that was disappointing was the fact that the story was only 200 pages and nothing more! I’m early waiting to read this author’s other books now.

𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: The Dead Cat Tail Assassins
𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Cats, Murder and Godlings
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: P. Djèlí Clark
𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿: @tordotcom
𝗙𝗮𝘃 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿: Eveen
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Easy
𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲: Novel
𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Fantasy with sci-fi & Caribbean elements
5/𝟱

🌵𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁
~ time travel
~ big sister/younger sister vibes
~ evolving mystery
~ highly amusing & skillful assassins
~ honour among assassins
~ found family, friendships and loyalty
~ Aeril the goddess speakinggg 🥰

Eveen is having a relatively unassuming festival (bacchanal) night - just had a meal, just found a contract and is on her way to do a likkle k1ll1n & get paid - THAT IS until the impossible happens, she gets a memory as she looks at her target’s face… a face, that is hers. Deciding to break an unbreakable vow, the two must break fingers, jaws & spines in an effort to discover who set her up to kill herself… & how she can avoid the unthinkable. It’s a good thing she is the eviscerator.

✨𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱.

I love this book so much! I am super inspired by the stories within the stories (especially the sons being forged) & Aeril, who simply MUST be cosplayed. I love how we got to see most of the city in a night & met highly distinctive, and entertaining characters of this city. It read like what could easily be a series! LOVED IT!

🌵𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗵
~ nada

♡🌵 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲 ;)

This book is a captivating and immersive read that hooks you from the first page. The writing is beautifully crafted, with vivid descriptions and strong character development that makes the story come alive. The plot is well-paced, balancing moments of tension with quieter, reflective scenes that allow the characters to grow. The themes explored are deep and thought-provoking, resonating long after the final page. Whether it's the emotional depth, the twists and turns of the plot, or the unforgettable characters, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys rich, engaging stories. Highly recommended.

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins was a great read. I loved the character development and the writing was propulsive.

This is my first book by this author and I enjoyed every page. I laughed, giggled and had a blast with my time reading this book. I’m disappointed that I have not read more by this author, but holy moly amazing fun and the writing was so great.

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this as much as I’ve enjoyed the rest of Clark’s writings. It’s felt a bit too compressed and there was less room for the world building that’s he so good at to be fully fleshed out

I have loved all of Clark's books that I have read and this was no exception. The dark undertones and rebel peon taking on the system was weirdly comforting during the 2024 election hellscape. Pick it up and take a break where the bad guys come tumbling down!

Once again, Clark builds a magical fantastical world with so many elements. Eveen is an undead assassin, NOT a zombie, who gets contracted orders that she must obey. One’s she calls “shipping”. Until her last order, where she comes face to face with her past and feels a memory has returned. When becoming an assassin it is agreed that you will have all memories wiped and anyone that knows you will have a spell cast that makes them not recognize you. She then meets her next job, Sky, who goes on a journey with her to send her back to the time she came from.
I liked the colorful city in the middle of carnival, similar to Mardi Gras. The characters were amazing an I liked the mixture of modern day verbiage and the city from an older time. Eveen is tough, snarky and crass, which makes her character so lovable. There is a mixture of magic and enchantment, patriarchs and matrons of the undead assassins guild. And then there is “shimmer fever”.

P. Djèlí Clark truly is the master of world building. Every time I start one of his books I'm quickly absorbed into whatever setting he's created. His ability to give a sense of the world, the lore, and the characters without info dumping needs to be studied.

This story starts with our undead assassin, Eveen, receiving instructions for her next contracted killing. Quickly, we see that she's full of personality and very good at her job. Once she finds her target though she realizes that this will not be an easy "shipping".

What follows is a layered adventure dealing with magic, mortality, politics, and food so lovingly described that it made my stomach rumble.

My only tiny hang up was some of the modern slang which took me out of the story a little each time. But then again, so many books not based in the here and now are guilty of this so it's an easy hang up to ignore.

Thank you to NetGalley & Tor Publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.