Overwritten and surreal. I did not care for these stories at all and was unable to complete this collection.

this... simply wasn't my cup of tea. i didn't care about the stories in between, even though the starting one was a banger. i felt so bored throughout reading it because it was pretty poetic writing, yes, but there didn't seem to be much depth to it - or at least not the kind i could readily Feel or connect to.

I couldn't really get into this past the first story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

Reviewing this for my Mslexia column, What's New In Short Stories, issue 106. Thank you for the arc.

"A Song for Wildcats" is a collection of short stories by Caitling Galway that explores themes of mental health, grief, perseverance, and resilience. The stories often have a dreamlike quality. While the writing is vivid and the concepts are unique, I occasionally struggled to connect with or stay engaged throughout the book as a whole. Thank you to Dundurn Press and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy (ARC).

Caitlin Galway certainly has skill as a writer. Her prose is phenomenal, and any fan of detailed, poetic writing styles will enjoy the experience of reading her stories.

If you are a fan of realistically written queer characters, complex familial dynamics, and people who feel like real people just doing their best amidst the chaos of life, this is worth a read. The discussion on interpersonal relationships in many forms throughout the work was very well done.

Despite her talent, this is only a 3 star for me. While the first story and the final two stories were excellent, the middle dragged, and I found myself fighting the urge to skim. I will also say I am a fan of collections with slightly shorter stories than the average page length of those in this collection, so that may have played a factor.

Thank you to Caitlin Galway, Dundurn Press, Rare Machines, and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the first story and the last story so much but the ones they sandwiched fell flat for me a little. I would have liked to have seen those two stories fleshed out a little more. Maybe there’s an audience for them, just wasn’t for me.

I just adored the intimate writing style of these short stories. The language was so rich and immersive and I really got a sense of the characters even in a relatively short space of time.

The titular story and The Lyrebird’s Bell (the first and last) were my favourites and I would have loved to spend more time with these characters. The only one that didn’t do much for me personally was the second story, Heatstroke.

If I gave half stars, this would be a 4.5!

A Song for Wildcats by Caitlin Galway is a wide ranging collection of stories that are poignant and resonant.

3.5 stars
I loveeeeed the first short story and the last, but the ones in between fell short for me. The writing in all of the stories was beautiful and had an air of something haunting simmering beneath the surface. I almost wish the last story was a novella, there was so much to unpack with Betsy and her story. A mixed bag but some gorgeous prose.

I think the writing was beautiful in the book. It was hard for me to get into it and stay engaged but I think the writing is still beautiful and there is an audience out there for the book just not for me