This was a strange but fun novel about an undead assassin named Eveen, who is a member of the Dead Cat Tail Assassins, a group of people who have contracted their bodies to the Assassin Goddess following their deaths. Eveen has super strength and healing powers, but her existence is bound to some very exacting rules: she can’t remember her previous life, she can’t kill except under a contract, and every contract must be completed. Unfortunately, Eveen has just been assigned to a contract she can’t carry out, and she only has one night before the goddess will come for her.

In a lot of ways, this book wasn’t as dark as a lot of fantasy novel; it has an irreverent tone even towards murder. It opens with people celebrating a Festival that honors their gods’ origin story, which involves a Clockwork King, a Pirate Queen. There’s snarky banter and dressing up in costumes. It was an entertaining read, although at about 200 pages, it did feel lacking in character development and the world and its mythology was confusing at times. Quite a lot was left unexplained, which kept the story moving but ultimately felt a little unsatisfying.

In this world, the undead and the living interact and are even friends. Eveen isn’t a slave exactly, as she and one of her companions even discuss how to drum up business. The main downsides to her life are that she has no memories and no family. She essentially has no knowledge of who she is.

For me this was most interesting aspect of the book. Eveen has no idea why she sold her body into a century of bondage as an assassin. What kind of person does that, and under what circumstances? She doesn’t mind killing, because the goddess and her manager must determine that each contract is “just” before it is given to her. And she’s clearly good at what she does (her nickname is The Eviscerator).

Overall, I enjoyed the story. I definitely saw the plot twist coming (though not how it was resolved), and I wasn’t crazy about the very end of the book. If you’re looking for a fun, fast-moving fantasy with a sense of humor, you’ll enjoy this book. If you’re looking for thorough world-building and character development, this book will feel a little lacking.

Note: I received an advanced review copy of this novel from NetGalley and publisher Tor Books. It published August 6, 2024.

3.5 rounded up. This was a largely enjoyable, quick read. The world building and characters in this book were so well developed despite this book being very short. The plot started to feel somewhat repetitive as each chapter in the middle contained a fairly similar action/fight sequences. While I can understand the stylistic choice to use dialect to make the goddesses seem ancient or otherworldly, it was very difficult to read and took me out of the action in the climax of the story.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

this was unique and weird at the same time, in a good way! The Dead Cat Tail Assassins are professional assassins who were dead but also alive and has conscious mind but didn't remember one bit about their past live the moment they serve the Matron of Assassins. But when Eveen got her recent mission, she recognized her target and couldn't carry out what she's supposed to do (kill the target). turns out, that target is her past self who's plucked from the past.

it was really fast paced, full of action, mixed with light humor. quite gruesome since we're dealing with assassins. but it was interesting.

This was a quick fast read for me. It was filled with lavish world building in which I wanted to read more Tal Abisi. The characters were very well refined and rare. This was a short novel and I wish it were longer. The author could have expanded on many things in the novel but didn’t.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was a great book overall. I think I had an issue with the pacing a little bit but I love P. Djeli Clark and I also love seeing more and more fantasy books by POC authors coming out!

NOTE: i could read P. Djèlí Clark's shopping list and be raving about the storytelling and the world building.
This means that I am a fan and I will try my best to write a very objective review.
That said this novella is fast paced, a lot of fun, and some food for thought. I couldn't help thinking about Pratchett's Assassin Guild even if these Assassins are resurrected.
I loved this story, the twists, the surprises, the world building and the excellent storytelling.
As it was like eat an Amuse-bouche (a single bite dish served at the beginning of a formal dinner) I cannot help wondering if we are going to travel again to this world soon.
I would be very happy and can't wait to read the next novel by this beloved author.
Have fun, read it
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

"There were lots of rules to being an assassin. Three were deemed unbreakable."

Eveen is an undead assassin sworn to the goddess Aeril. She’s a professional who never misses her mark, or at least she is until she meets a girl who gives Eveen the impossible: a memory. The only problem is that Eveen has been hired to kill her, and now she’s on a race against time to find a way out of the contract before dawn, when Eveen’s failure will bring Aeril’s wrath down upon them all.

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins had a really interesting plot and I liked the world-building a lot. The characters were also very fun. That being said, I’m glad this was a novella because I don’t think I would have enjoyed this in a longer format. This just wasn’t for me. There was clearly much thought put into the details of this story, such as the clothing and the personalities, but that did very little for me. I grew tired of detailed descriptions of what everyone was wearing and quickly saw that detailed personalities did not necessarily equivocate to a character that seemed alive (or, well, undead). Also, I just personally hate when accents are written out into the story. It makes it very difficult for me to discern what’s being actually said, and the whole scene with the goddesses just became very unpleasant for me.

None of this is to say that this was not a good story. I had a fun time with it; I just don’t think it was for me.

My thanks to NetGalley and Tor for generously providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

<b>4/5 stars</b>
<b>includes:</b> badass women, cool world-building, a fun twist
<b>TW:</b> violence, some gore.

One thing P. Djeli Clark is going to do is write a bad ass FMC with style.

I absolutely loved this fantasy novella. I don’t know how he does it but this author can write a short story that packs a punch, is fun and doesn’t leave you dissatisfied. The fact that he can pack so much in a short story without it feeling rushed is amazing.

I loved our FMC Eveen. She’s funny, great at what she does and while she is a dead assassin she still maintains her humanity. The world building was vivid, the magic and technology in this world was easy to understand. i can picture the fight scenes in my head and while they are gory, i still found myself laughing out loud. I had a great time with this story and highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor for the eARC.

For a story on the shorter side than I usually read, the author created a beautifully vibrant world that I would not mind visiting again. The story pacing was fast, I didn’t tire of reading it, and I didn’t want to put this one down. I enjoyed the interesting take on the “undead”, very refreshing versus the usual mindless zombies/thralls that you get in a story. I guessed a couple of the plot twists in this one but not quite to the craftiness that Clark wove Eveen’s story. Eveen, her fellow assassins, and the handful of side characters we do get are full of life and come from varied walks of life.

"Only she wished she could dream. The way the living described it, sounded intriguing. Maybe her dreams would be of her past life. Or even of the dreams she once had—dreams of dreams."

Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this gifted copy. I enjoyed this one and the writing style immensely. I mean to visit Clark’s backlog of books when I can. The only thing that was difficult for me was reading how the goddesses spoke – but it’s a me thing, not a book issue. I highly recommend this book to fantasy lovers who like assassins, alternates, and deadly snarky FMC’s with a good heart. Rounded from 4.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

3.5/5 stars

The story itself, this was my favorite of the 3 books I've read from P. Djeli Clark but I can't say I loved it, but I did enjoy it. The world and the characters were fascinating and I felt like the main characters had a good amount of development - but by the end, it felt like the the story just got wrapped up with "whoops, magic and portals and that's why this works!"....it wasn't super satisfying and felt very rushed and chaotic.

I think my issue with Djeli's writing is consistent in this regard - fantastic worldbuilding and fascinating characters and unique plot concepts....but the execution always feels like absolute chaos and like I'm thrown in the middle without enough information to fully feel like I have gotten my feet under me.

That said I do think this is a good book (if not a great one) and I suspect it will be popular - I do still recommend it to those that enjoy morally grey and dark characters/plot!

Not cats and they don't have tails, but I did have one heck of a good time reading this book. It is different than my normal genres but it was an enjoyable ride!

This was sooooo good. It took me by surprise of who Eveen was going to be after. But the way the author wrote this flowed so well. My favorite character of course was Sky she was so funny and charismatic.
I loved how this end up ending but was sadden at the same time to see them part.
Thanks to NetGalley for this amazing Arc

I loved this! I read this mostly on audio, but did spend some time also reading the galley. This is my first venture into P. Djèlí Clark's writing, and I now think I've been seriously missing out. This is a zombie assassin, time jumping, mystery/heist story with rich world-building and hilarious dialogue. It's incredible that so much can fit in a rather limited number of pages! And even more incredible that this is a standalone??

DNF at 50%
Very descriptive and beautifully so... but I couldn't quite connect with the characters and so I was left a little bored. I felt like the characters were more a vehicle for the world building rather independent agencies telling their story. Didn't enjoy the audio narrator at all - specifically the way she voiced one of the characters extremely high pitched and whiny like a child.

This was my first P. Djèli Clark book and it will NOT be my last. Absolutely fell in love with this world, this story and this MC. Eveen is a badass whose reputation precedes her, as a resurrected assassin serving the Goddess of Death (and chefs/cooks - sharp things, basically!). Undead for the last seven years, she receives a new mark but can't, for the first time, complete it... because something's off here and there's no way she's ignoring her instincts. Now, breaking a contract with the Goddess of Death is never a good idea, so she has a tiny window to figure it out before all hell breaks loose and not only she, but her target and her guild will have to pay the price.

The story is fast paced, the world is immersive and Eveen's wit is acerbic and gratifying. There are so many memorable characters here, a number of whom I'd love a backstory on or, dare I wish it, just give us more books in this world. I can't imagine ever getting enough of Eveen or Sky, or The Dead Cat Tail Assassins even. Except Valesh. Valesh can go straight to hell.

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins is a fantastic novella that delivers a fast-paced and thrilling read, packed with humor and action. Despite its shorter length, the book offers a surprising depth of lore and well-developed characters. The main character stands out as strong, funny, and smart, leading the story through a series of wild twists and turns. The side characters are delightfully eccentric, adding to the story's charm, and the strange, intriguing magic system enhances the overall experience. A quick yet immersive read, this book is an excellent choice.

The first time I tried to read this I bounced off it, but I think I just wasn't in the right mood for it. Because the second time I absolutely devoured it.

The worldbuilding in this is fantastic. There are so many intricate and strange details that are described just enough for me to be able to picture them clearly, while still treated as commonplace by Eveen, our POV character. It really felt like a whole fleshed-out world. There was the shimmer, the university, the sky bison, the festival and story behind it, the assassin goddess... It all felt so real

I did not see a single twist coming. After the fact I could see all the hints that laid the groundwork for them, but I never put the clues together ahead of time. Which makes for a very satisfying reading experience.

Eveen was such a good character. She was incredibly sympathetic and easy to root for. All of the characters were excellent, really. They were so unique and felt so real. The writing all around was just top notch.

The audiobook performance was excellent. The narrator brought all the characters to life with easily distinguishable voices and performed the story instead of just reading it.

Highly recommend.

*Thanks to tordotcom and Recorded Books for providing an early copy for review.

Enjoyed this book from P Djeli Clark. Never disappoints. Great characters, great story, great pacing. Hopefully this will be a series, continuing the story of the Dead Cat Assassins.

Think John Wick meets Acolyte. It's the best way to describe what's happening in this secret society where the gods/goddesses can send out hits on people. Clark's ability to have a salient theme that is part of the mystery. The reading experience is putting the pieces together to find out what it is. In this book it was power. Those in power even if they are meant to maintain order can abuse power to their advantage. Overall, I enjoyed this book. I thought it was too short and in some areas needed more room to acclimate the reader.

So if Clark rewrote the phone book - I would read it. His writing is incredible and I tend to love his shorter format stuff. At 224 pages, this one was a bit longer than Ring Shout (my favorite from this author,) but it was perfect and I loved the world building.

While I wouldn’t want to live in Tal Abisi where this story takes place, it was a fun place to visit alongside Eveen as she navigated a ~tricky~ assassin contract. I got Discworld vibes while exploring the inner workings of this city and meeting some of its eccentric residents. I think this book would appeal to a wide array of fantasy lovers.

TDCTA is chock full of adventure and action, with the combat scenes being really vivid and fun to read. The mystery in this one also helped to fuel the pace and I crushed through this one in a day and a half. I had some minor issues with this one but overall loved it!!

I would recommend this book for fans of combat, fantasy, Discworld, adventure, and CATS!

**Thank you to NetGalley and TorDotCom Pub for the eARC of this epic title!**