I received a copy of this from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I needed this novella to be a novel. I thought the world had so much potential, and after loving Clark's full length novel previously, I do think his worldbuilding is better when he has room to expand. I was very intrigued by the carnival and the society that he created, however, I do feel like there was too much time spent of mundane details that retracted from the actual plot. Again, if this were full length, the world expansion would have been much more appreciated.

The characters were also just middle of the road. The main character, Eveen, is an undead assassin. Super cool, very unique, and I was immediately interested when I read that. However, she was also supposed to be middle aged, or at least that's how she was described, but she seemed so childish. The way she talked made her younger self feel much mature. I had a hard time caring about these characters because we didn't spend enough time seeing who they are outside of just being undead. I do realize that them being undead wipes their memory, but all of the characters felt very similar because of it.

The plot itself was very well done. I flew through this as it was both short and fast-paced. I just wish that it was a novel. I've rad his novella before with Ring Shout, and that didn't seem to suffer from the same issues I found in this one. I loved the writing style, I just needed more of it.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for allowing me to read this early!

I was instantly drawn to this book by the title and the cover and the synopsis sealed the deal, I HAD to read this book! I have only ready one other book from Clark’s backlog and am happy to say this doesn’t disappoint! My only real complaint is that it wasn’t longer! The world that Clark builds is so unique and the story that comes of it takes you on an unexpected adventure. The characters, world building and plot are extremely well thought out and keeps the readers interest and attention. I highly recommend this!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ebook ARC. Y‘all this fantasy novella was such a fun read and made me an instant fan of P. Djèlí Clark. This author‘s been on my (ridiculously long) TBR for ages and I’m so happy I finally got my hands on one of his books. P. Djèlí Clark did not disappoint!

Eveen is an assassin, a member of the Dead Cat Tail Assassins guild in the ancient city of Tal Abisi. No they’re not cats, but they are dead, resurrected with no memories of their past and the sole purpose to swear allegiance to the goddess Aeril and carry out her deadly contracts. Eveen’s a snarky BAMF and she’s so good at her job that she’s known as the Eviscerator. But her latest contract will send her on a collision course with her past, which she’s not supposed to remember at all.

I don’t want to give away any spoilers but for the first 85% of this book I was completely hooked. This novella has it all, witty banter, BAMF female assassins, a diverse cast, magic, gods, action and thrilling escapes. I loved Eveen and almost all of the side characters as well. The backdrop of the Festival of the Clockwork King brought in more steampunk elements and made the book even more fantastic. The setting and the magic system def made me want to come back to this world and had me hoping that there‘s going to be a sequel or that P. Djèlí Clark already has another novella set in this world. It was a fast read and exactly what I wanted.

I had a couple small issues with the ending. Without giving anything away, this is a novella, so its understandable we didn’t have all the answers. Still, I wish we’d gotten the answer to one of my burning questions (I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel). There is also a scene where I had difficulty understanding one of the character’s dialogue. I found the dialect distracting and it was a pretty intense scene, so it really slowed down the pacing. Other than that, the book was brilliant and I would highly recommend it!!

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins.

That title was enough to make me want to read this book. This was such a fun read set in a fantasy world with magic and steampunk vibes.

Our main character Eveen, is a member of the Dead Cat Tail assassins and when she goes to complete her next job, finds that she cannot. What comes next is a fun adventure that had me hooked from start to finish.

The characters in this book were great- we meet deadly assassins, necromancers. This is a short read, less than 300 pages and honestly I wish it was longer. It was just such a fun adventure filled with humor and beautiful descriptions. I don't know how the author did it but I felt like I wanted to eat this dish with crispy ants.

I would recommend to any one that enjoys a magical fun filled mystery/adventure.!

Thank you to Netgalley for this e-Arc!

3.5.
I have really enjoyed P Djeli Clark’s other books and I think this had a super unique premise. The writing was good and I liked the main character a lot. My issue was that because it as a novella it wasn’t fleshed out enough for my liking personally. I would’ve liked it if it another 100 pages longer I think. The world building could’ve been a bit fuller and we could’ve got better pacing.
I do recommend this if you are a fan of the authors other works or like novellas.

P. Djèlí Clark brings stunning world building and fantasy that has you craving more. A fast-paced novella sending you on a whirlwind adventure. There is so much personality in every aspect of the story, beginning to end.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the arc. I could not put this down. I loved reading TDCTA. The concept immediately intrigued me, the world building is phenomenal, and the characters so compelling. I want to read more stories set in this world. Though this novella is short, the world, the magic, the plot, and the characters will stay with me for a long time. I loved the plot, it was really fun. I also really want to visit this world, especially during the Festival. I want to explore the whole place. The stories, the legends, the magic system, the guilds, the gods and goddesses, every thing was made to intrigue me. I did not plan on staying up to read this, I just wanted to read a few pages before bed, but that was my mistake, because now I want to read everything P Djeli Clark rights. Normally I don't like novellas because they always feel lacking, but this was perfect. It was short, fast, and so intriguing and captivating. Love Eveen so much, and Sky, and Fennis, and Baseema. The prose was also so pretty and perfect. I really hope there are more stories set in this world. This is probably the best world building I have ever come across in my life. I need more stories here.

3.5 stars

The world building in this novella was so lush, I truly felt transported to Tal Abisi. There was so much lore and history packed into such a short amount of pages. I also really enjoyed Eveen and Sky as characters. I think they were well developed and entertaining to read about. The overall idea was also super unique and I really enjoyed the whole dead assassin thing. I did struggle a lot with the pacing. The first half of the book was essentially Eveen being chased around, then that would stop, then they’d be chased around again. It got a little repetitive. The second half of the book was a lot slower paced and it took me quite awhile to get through 224 pages. Pacing aside, I did really enjoy this one!

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins instantly caught me with its’ intriguing premise, mysterious edge and surprising humor. This is a captivating and page-turning novella and I enjoyed every page. There are such small, wonderful moments tucked into the assassination action of this story that made it so well rounded and enjoyable.

I hope that the author builds on this world, and there’s definitely room for it! I finished this desperately wanting more of Eveen, Sky, Baseema and Fennis. Most of all, I really want to know how Eveen became a Dead Cat Tail!

I really enjoyed this fantasy story. It kind of reminded me of The Dollhouse series on television, except these characters are dead. They both get their memories wiped away. Sometimes, the characters in The Dollhouse series also were hired assassins. I thought the author did a really good job. I want to thank the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for giving me an e-copy of this book, in return for an honest review.

I received this book as an eARC for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

The Dead Cat Tail Assasins are not cats, but they are dead, and they are assassins. I found this story fascinating! It is truly impressive that a uniwue world and story was able to be told in just over 200 pages.

Eveen is a hired assassin, who is dead, and must complete whatever contract that is given to her. The story starts with Eveen getting a contract and as she goes to do her job, the face of the girl stops her. Sky, the girl who Eveen just cannot kill, has some mystery of her own. The book follows as Eveen and Sky work together to figure out what has occurred to get them to this moment and if there is a way for both of them to make it out of the mess they have gotten themselves in. The magic in this story was unique and the resolution was breathtaking! It took me a while to get to the point where I understood the magic and felt like I knew what was going on, but once I got it, I GOT IT. And then everything I thought I knew was turned upside down!

It's a quick read but definitely a wild ride!

I usually love P. Djeli Clark’s works but this one was unfortunately not my favorite. Loved the premise, the characters had so much potential but what really didn’t connect for me was the world. I couldn’t quite get my finger on it so it fell a bit flat.

Undead Assassins. Alternate timelines. Death Goddesses. If any of those things sound appealing to you, then The Dead Cat Tail Assasins by P. Djeli Clark is the book. It focuses on our main character Eveen, who is an undead assassin. When she sent a contract, she discovered there was more to this mark than she imagined. It is a fast-paced novel infused with magic, loyalty, and high stakes. p. Djeli Clark is an author whose worldbuilding is stellar. And highly recommend their works to anyone who is into fantasy and mixes steampunk.

Would you agree to be resurrected years later after death in exchange for being a contracted assassin? I often find myself asking this question. Jk but I did receive this ARC which is set to release August 6. This was such a short, fun, quick read. Assassins and gods? Count me in. It almost gave me zombieland vibes with some humor and the rules on how to make it through life as an assassin reminded me of the rules on how to make it through a zombie apocalypse. The cast is diverse, the setting was interesting and I would say probably my favorite part was the descriptions of food. It probably made me snack more than I should’ve. This is categorized on GR as adult but I would say it read more along the lines of YA. The plot seems to move on rather quickly which I prefer. However, I can’t quite explain it but it wasn’t hitting the ‘great’ mark for me. Maybe it would’ve hit a little better if it was longer? I’m not sure.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tordotcom for providing this ARC for review

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC!

I am always amazed at how much P. Djèlí Clark can manage to pack into a short amount of pages, and this novella is no exception. Filled with lots of action, humor, and intense worldbuilding, I think this novella will be plenty entertaining for many readers. I found the concept behind the assassins themselves to be interesting, and the characters to be fun. Overall, this would be a great world to return to!

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark is death-defyingly fun. It was thrilling and hilarious and earned more than a few chuckles from me. It’s a standalone fantasy with a deadly mystery that truly makes the most of its short page count. I encourage you to sign here to enter Clark’s enticing world and shadow Eveen the Eviscerator for the night.

Eveen is one of Tal Abisi’s deadliest assassins, and it’s not because she’s dead. Resurrected and sworn to the Matron of Assassins, Eveen carries out her contracts with masterful precision. There are consequences for not killing or “shipping” the target, and Eveen doesn’t want to get on the Matron’s bad side. But when Eveen’s past gets involved with her next ship, her blade falters, and a chaotic adventure ensues.

If the title of this book is throwing you off, don’t worry, it’s supposed to. The Dead Cat Tail Assassins opens with confused banter about the guild’s strange name, and it immediately sets a fun, irreverent tone for the rest of the story. Eveen is the conduit for most of this, approaching work and absurd situations with deadpan (heh) humor and nonchalant honesty. Her line of work is grim, but Eveen doesn’t take it too seriously and easily finds a way to make light of everything. She made me laugh out loud several times and treated everything like it was an inconvenient game, even though the world is actually going to shit around her.

Assassins is a neat and tidy fantasy standalone. I’m in awe of how easily Clark can build a world and establish characters quickly and skillfully. This book has one of the strongest openings I’ve read in a while, simply for how efficiently it sets up the story. Eveen’s story begins alongside her foil and colleague, Fennis, which gives us a satisfying and intriguing download of the assassin. This served the story well because not one second is wasted and the adventure begins with a clear idea of who our protagonist is. Everything flowed so easily from character introductions to worldbuilding to the plot progressing through a fabulous mystery. It was effortless and entertaining from start to finish.

The tone of Assassins is fun and engaging, but it does present more somber ideas if you want to look past Eveen’s lively personality. She is as dazzling as the two blades she carries, but her second chance at life is lackluster. Everything is muted—food, sex, pain—and she has no idea who she was before signing her contract. Can you really know who you are now if you lack context of who you were? There are no memories, relationships, feelings, or experiences from her life before to give any sort of clue as to who she is or was. Eveen was brought back to life as a fully-formed person without knowing any of the things that shaped her. While I felt the weight of that gaping hole in her life, it was also beautiful to see who she became despite not knowing. Eveen is not some undead imitation of life, but a real person with her own desires, and we see this through the will she displays. The emptiness that courts Eveen gives the story weight and makes the moments of levity shine. The plot of Assassins could have easily been all fun and games, but Clark strategically adds a reflective moment or brutally honest dialogue to humanize the situation and give depth to the characters.

I am confident that you will have a great time with The Dead Cat Tail Assassins. It has a little bit of magic, mystery, and science, all swirling in a race against death. Who said a book had to have over 900 pages to be worthwhile? This one will spark enjoyment and make you laugh in no time at all.

Rating: The Dead Cat Tail Assassins - 9.0/10
-Brandee

P. Djèlí Clark has quickly made his name known in the fantasy genre and I adored his steampunk Cairo world. In the Dead Cat Assassins, we follow Eveen, a literally dead assassin with no recollection of her previous life, serving out a contract as an assassin. After an assigned job, certain memories begin returning to her and it’s a race against time to figure out why. While the Dead Cat Assassins was entertaining and the quirks of the many assassins we come across fun to read, I found the worldbuilding quick flat compared to Cairo. The time-travel aspect at the very beginning definitely threw me for a loop, but by the end I was kind of rolling with it. Probably the strongest aspect of this novella was the action and fight scenes. Clark has a deft hand with painting action and describing a scene in a way that’s fun and easy to follow as a reader. Overall I rate this book a 4/5.

Review will go live on my blog on 5 July 2024

A funny, engaging story full of endearing characters, quick wit, and some vividly gruesome undead assassins.
I loved so much of this! It was a quick read and held my attention the whole time. P. Djèlí Clark knows how to write a well-paced story that is packed full of humor and memorable characters. This is a great one to pick up if you are looking for a fast-paced, well-plotted fantasy standalone!

"The Dead Cat Tail Assassins" is a thrilling ride through a magical world filled with intrigue and adventure. P. Djèlí Clark weaves a captivating tale that keeps you hooked from start to finish. With vibrant characters and a unique setting, this book is a must-read for fantasy lovers everywhere!

While this wasn’t my favorite P. Djèli Clark, it’s fun and incredibly rich and vibrant for how short it is. The characters were delightful. The last third of this book just didn’t nail the landing for me.