I read an ARC. This book left me in tears and had me giving my cat extra snuggles. I'd seen many of these comics on social media before and knew that Linney the cat was no longer alive, but it still hit. This book will do well with animal lovers who know the joys and frustrations of living with a cat. The art is so lively and full of personality. I can't wait to share this with others!

I received an electronic ARC from Random House Graphic through NetGalley.
Linney will capture your heart. Knisley shares cartoons she has created to share their cat's life. Readers will feel they are there also as they see the world from Linney's perspective. The humor comes through clearly for readers of all ages. Sadly, Linney is an older cat so readers see the end of her life as well. I appreciate the last few pages sharing about getting her from the shelter as a cat not a kitten. There are certainly sad moments but that makes the book more real as it lets readers see all of the emotions involved when owning pets.

This was such a hysterical, touching, relatable read! Anyone who has loved a pet - and watched as they slowed down, entered their (or never left) their grumpy phase - your heart will burst and break. Long-time fans of Knisley will recognize Linney from many previous comics. She is not the first pet that I have never met and yet have shed real tears about, and she won't be my last. Even though the ending hurts, the entire story is so, well, human, you just have to read it to see. Highly recommend to all animal lovers.

Woe is the ultimate cat lovers book of comics!

Author Lucy Knisley perfectly captures the grace, aloofness, drama, and sometimes affection you receive from being a cat owner!

Hilarious and heartbreaking, these comics will remind you why cats are such a treasure! (even when they barf on the new carpet)

Absolutely adorable, I love Lucy Knisley. She describes how cats actually are perfectly and her art style is so nice to look at.

This book follows an elderly orange house cat named Linney and her family (two adult humans and a preschooler). The book has a cozy feel that any animal lover or pet owner can relate to, especially Linney's quirks (causing chaos) and "woes" (being vocal). The book feels fast-paced because each story is only a few pages long. There are no chapters, but each story has a different color scheme from the one before it.
I would recommended this book to anyone who loves cozy, slice of life cat stories, but it should be noted that this wonderfully silly elderly cat does not live forever.

Woe: A Housecat's Story of Despair is absolutely hysterical and relatable to anyone who has been around cats in their life. I found myself laughing out loud at many of the scenes and constantly thinking "Your cat does that too?!" I enjoyed Woe from start to finish and hope to see future installments from Lucy Knisley.

Perfect for cat owners/lovers and fans of humorous graphic novels such as Hyperbole and a Half.

Thank you so much to Random House Children's | Random House Graphic and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Woe is an ode to Lucy Knisley's beloved cat, Linney. With humor and love, Linney tells us how terrible it is to be the greatest, most patient cat ever. Her humans were just so lucky to know her.

This was such a sweet compilation of Linney’s comics: a heartwarming compilation of a grumpy orange cat and her humans. This graphic novel would be perfect for cat lovers, adults and children alike! Definitely a must-buy for our library, as the charming art, funny scenes and bittersweet end will appeal to our varied patrons.

This is a cute, heartfelt homage to the author's *extremely* dramatic cat. Although the characters are simply drawn, they are expressive and distinct from each other. I particularly enjoyed the interactions between the curmudgeonly Lemmie and an overzealous and excitable dog.

I have enjoyed Lucy Knisley's web comics in the past. I enjoy her humor and perspectives on parenting I'm not sure why this would be categorized under Teens YA. This would probably be more relatable to cat owners. It didn't bridge the gap for me though.

Join Linney, an old and sassy cat, as she takes her human on hilarious adventures around the house. Linney is convinced that her life is woeful because she can't have everything she wants. But is it true? You'll have to read "Woe" to find out and laugh along with Linney's mischievous tricks.

Are you a cat owner or, let's be honest, a cat servant? If so, you'll love these hilarious adventures that will have you laughing out loud! From the moment your feline friend demands attention to the times when they suddenly lose interest, this book captures all the relatable moments that come with being a cat's loyal servant.

I had the pleasure of getting my hands on an advanced copy, and let me tell you, it's a real page-turner! The illustrations of Linney are adorable, especially the way they capture the mischievous nature of cats.

So, if you're a cat lover like me, don't hesitate to pick up this book and join in on the laughs!

Pub Date: 02 Jul 2024

Happy Reading, Laly ❤️ 📚 🐈 🐈‍⬛

Thank you, @netgalley @rhkidsgraphic for the complimentary ARC, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I've been looking forward to this book since it was announced. What a glorious tribute to a beloved cat. I knew I was going to cry reading this, just as I did when the original comics of Linney's passing were posted. It brought back memories of my sweet old man who passed away a few years ago, down to the bad dental hygiene and mysterious early years. Recommended for anyone who has ever loved a cat but particularly anyone who has loved a particular and demanding feline without question.

Woe: A Housecat's Story of Despair should come with a warning. It starts off with some lovely cat comics about the typical joys and irritations of living with a cat. The cat, Linney is depicted with a unique personality. Her family is the book's creator, her husband and son. Each react to Linney in their own way. Sounds perfect for animal lovers and particularly cat lovers everywhere, right? It is actually. But by the time you realize that these lovely comics are a memorial for Linney you are already hooked and can't help but read through the panels depicting her last days, shedding tears as you go., This books is wonderful read and a testament to the impression our pets can leave on our hearts, but it is not simply a collection of "funnies." My only complaint is that I did not feel ready for the more serious side of the story. It could be better represented on the jacket or in the intro,

Knisley's book is everything I hoped it would be! As a cat lady, this was delightful and felt as good as lap snuggle from your favorite feline. Fun and sweet!

Many of us were privileged to meet Linney, the apricot puff cloud, she of the very strong opinions, through Lucy's previous graphic novels and webcomics. But if you're meeting Linney for the first time, you'll be swept right in with a curl of her tail; Linney is a truly legendary cat, and Lucy has captured her well. This book collects and adds to the Linney stories seen in Lucy's webcomics, documenting Linney's many opinions in old age. It also contains some of my most favorite sequences, detailing the natural prey of the indoor cat (I'll let you read it to find out what Linney hunts). It's a delightful but bittersweet book as Linney's life winds down, but I think even those who have recently lost a pet will find comfort in this sometimes-hilarious, always-loving story. It's a delightful tribute.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for my free earc in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are all my own.

I am definitely a cat person. I connected so closely with Linney and the stories in the comics. Cats are notoriously humorous and get into so many things. I love the journey through the different stories of how Linney connected with the family, and how healing it was for everyone to have Linney. Definitely a cute close to the heart story to read!

This is a very funny book full of comics all about Linney the cat and the antics she gets up to. My two year old really enjoyed all of the illustrations.

It was so hard for me to hold it together reading this graphic novel about Linney the cat. I had never heard of this author or her cat comics before but a cat owns me so I wanted to see if there was behavioral overlap. Spoiler - there is, cats are weird.

Lucy gives Linney a wonderful voice in these comics, very 'cat' but also very woe is me... aka cat-like as well. I appreciated her candor around the age of Linney and chronicling the times they shared but also how she left the world. It was refreshing... but very sad. You may leave this one in tears, but it will give you a lot of great laughs beforehand.

This collection is a great example of remembering the good times you have with loved ones. I think all pet owners would get a laugh out of this book, and if you love/have cats, you will certainly relate to a lot of it as well.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one.
Review will go live in June on the Blog.

Lucy Knisley never disappoints. From children to adults, she is able to connect with whomever her audience may be. I've read a lot of her works, from picture book, to middle grade graphic novels all the way to her adult works. Woe: A Housecat's Story of Despair may just be my favorite. I don't even have a cat but I have lots of friends who share lots of stories about their cats. Woe sums up a typical housecat's days in such funny, relatable way and manages to showcase why we love our pets so much, even when we find some of their habits irritable.