Reserved for the Cat

Nina, a ballet dancer in paris knows one thing for sure, if she doesn't snag herself a rich old 'patron' she'll starve. When a fellow ballerina sees Nina as a rival, she makes sure that Nina is dispelled from the company crushing Nina's dreams. Now she is stuck in paris with no job, no food and a

Show More

cat. The cat, she finds, can talk and he suggests a plan to help Nina get back on a stage. she takes another ballerina's name and travels to England unbeknownst that evil will soon find her.

Based on Puss In Boots, Lackey weaves a magical tale set in the turn of the century England. I enjoyed the book even though the plot was predictable. But it was a nice read and a good continuation of the Elemental Master Series

Show Less

Ninette Dupond has lost her tenuous position with the Paris Opera Ballet, and is facing starvation, prostitution, or worse, in her tiny garret apartment, when an odd thing happens -- her cat speaks to her. Unsure if she's suffering from hunger-caused delusions, or just going mad, she decides to

Show More

follow the cat's advice, pack her bags, and see where trust will take her. After all, what has she to lose? So begins a journey across Paris, the Channel, and on to London to become a star -- that is, if the cat's wiles and her own talents can keep her alive and out of the clutches of an evil stalker.

Lackey's fifth entry in the Elemental Masters series, this is lovely in parts, but could do with less use of "little ballerinas," a phrase which grew tired very quickly. Ninette's character is real enough at times, but for much of the book she seems almost an afterthought. The historical background is laid down with a heavy hand, and the conclusion is somewhat abrupt. Of course, if you are familiar with Puss in Boots, the ending is not a surprise, and by then, Ninette's actions aren't either. This is a solid book, and from another author I probably wouldn't have been disappointed, but I've come to expect more from Lackey.

Show Less

One of the BEST fantasy books I have read in years

The 5th entry in the Elemental Masters series. A cat—once an Elemental Master himself-tries to prevent his daughter—a laid off ballerina---avoid a life of prostitution. He persuades Ninette to adopt another identity, gets her to England and hired by some fellow Elementals. She becomes a uses

Show More

all her occult powers to try and destroy Ninette. Ninette is a plucky heroine who has aroused the interest of at least one of the Elemen

Show Less

A recent entry in her Elemental Masters series. I didn't enjoy it as much as the others I have read but it was still pretty good. These don't really have to be read in order though some will prefer to do it that way.

Fun, as usual. I can't tell which fairy tale this is - Puss in Boots? I need to go read that and check. Funny, some are obvious, some very obscure (to me). I like both the cat and the girl - though I believed his explanation of what he was until he was forced to correct it...

Second reading - I

Show More

liked it better this time. Knowing the basic shape of the story, I had more attention to pay to the characters, all (well, most, anyway) of whom are quite rich. Still quite good, not one of my favorites of the Elemental Masters let alone of Lackey's books, but good. And more links to other EM stories - the mental magics (hmmm, some elemental magics talk about a Fifth Element of Spirit...), communities of mages, etc. Definitely rewarded the second read.

Show Less

Puss in Boots changed to the ballet world of the end of the 19th century.

Non-specific spoilers below.

While parts of the book were entertaining and a few of the characters endearing, one big thing kept this book at a "3" rather than a "4" or a "5."

For me, Ms. Lackey is over-fond of the villain who takes over someone else's body/life. In thirty seconds, I can think of

Show More

ten of her books that have the same theme, and I'm sure there are plenty more.

With that said, it's mostly a fun read, and the horrific parts are sufficiently shuddersome without being stomach-turning. It was a nice way to while away a snowy Saturday.

Show Less

This one actually managed to redeem itself purely because I couldn't pick out the fairy tale it was based on. (Apparently Puss in Boots? Which I have never actually encountered, for some reason.) Usually that device utterly spoils the plot for me (insofar as these books have a plot.) Anyway, it

Show More

worked for me as a reasonably fun adventure in a somewhat chronologically vague chunk of Victorian England.

There is a definite pattern of the villains coming up with careful and diabolical plots that just fizzle out entirely, and that robs the books of a lot of their weight. In this one, the villain sets a clever trap that would have had huge moral and emotional consequences for the protagonists... but one of them figures it out literally offscreen. And that's the end of that!

And there's a little gender-ickiness fillip in the epilogue that nearly made me lose my supper. Unexpected and exceedingly unwelcome.

Show Less

This is my first Mercedes Lackey novel. I checked out her website and am amazed at the number of books she has written. Since this is my first reading one of her books, I cannot really compare it to her other works.

I did like the book. The story was not really held together well by the the

Show More

characters but I did like the whole elemental magic part. I'm not sure if the characters were carried over from previous works or if they were solely created for this book. No one stood out as particularly deep or endearing with the exception of the villainness. You knew where she stood in her vengeance against the protagonist. She was well rounded and complete in who she was and what her ultimate goal would be. I appreciate an author who can create a character that evokes a strong response in me. The other characters were just there. Ms. Lackey even brings a last minute character in the form of a water mage who is given a bit part then disappears.

I did like her descriptions of the life of a ballet dancer (or any dancer) of that era. She was clear and concise on the many sacrifices women had to make to survive.

Ms. Lackey casted enough of a web that I am interested in her other series and will pursue them, particularly the elemental series.

Show Less

one of the weakest of the elemental mages books, it is still entertaining.

This is the fifth book in the Elemental Masters series and veers away from the upper class Elemental Masters of the earlier books. It stars a young French ballet dancer named Ninette Dupond who had been raised by her washerwoman/artists' model mother after her English father disappeared. Ninette's

Show More

mother didn't see any future for her pretty, talented daughter except to attract the attention of a wealthy man who would keep her.

Ninette thought that finding said wealthy man would be her future until she filled in for the star one matinee and danced too well. Her fine reviews made the star jealous and led to Ninette losing her job. With only days left before the rent came due on her apartment and no other job offers, Ninette is disposed to listen when a cat comes to her window and speaks into her mind.

The cat has a plan to get Ninette to Blackpool, England, where she could work in the theater owned by an Elemental Master. The plan requires that she pretend to be the Russian survivor of a shipwreck named Nina Tchereslavsky which will give her an edge up both with the impresario and with the public in Blackpool.

Unfortunately, the real Nina Tchereslavsky who is actually an evil Earth elemental hears about Ninette and is determined to have her revenge on the girl who has stolen her name. It will be up to her cat, her new friends from the theater, and her own strength and courage to win the day.

This was an engaging story with just enough magic to add luster. The setting of Blackpool in 1910 was well-developed. Ninette was an engaging character whose strong work ethic and kindness made her a favorite of all who met her. The narration by Mirabai Galashan was also excellent.

Show Less