Furry Faux Paw, A

“I don’t think I can save her. And I don’t think I can try anymore.”

I was really excited and interested to see furry repp in YA! Woohoo! Right away I was pulled in by the protagonist and her life with an agoraphobic hoarding mom. I love how they show the disconnect the mom has with her daughter. Too relatable. The situation is very compelling for why she’d have specifically a cat fursona. Fursonas sometimes can connect to one’s life experiences and be a coping mechanism (not all), so it’s interesting to see how the cat connects to living in a hoarder’s house. I'm not a furry so I can’t speak for furries, but as an autistic con-goer/geek, the portrayal seemed authentic and very relatable. I appreciated how authentic and positive the portrayal of fandoms was, especially when there's a lot of false and negative info out there (especially for the furry community).

Kara does a really great job conveying a con, as well as the tension one can feel being obligated to take care of those who should be taking care of them. I especially resonated with: "““It’s not your job,” he says, pointing firmly at me, “to take care of her.”/ “Someone has to,” I cry,"" and how easy it is to feel trapped in an unhealthy dynamic of taking care of someone who doesn't give back. I love the critical point about healthy relationships, and finding give/take dynamics instead of someone who only takes. It's a powerful journey of learning when and how to walk away.

I also appreciated the acknowledgement/exploration of ace identity. The growing friendship with Paige, and seeing her more complexly as the novel progressed was so compelling and relatable. I really resonated with all these characters and how well-rounded they were on the page.

TDLR; I emotionally connected and resonated with several aspects of this book, and found the story well paced narratively. Maeve's struggles are compelling, and model a valuable lesson about setting healthy boundaries while still loving others. I really loved this book. I love how it shows how healing fandoms can be, an how critical fandom communities are. I hope people who aren’t in fandoms will read this and get a better appreciation for why fandoms are critical for identity and community. Highly, highly recommended!