CATS IN CONCORD

Doreen Tovey keeps cats in a remote cottage in Somerset England. It seems that this is number 14 in a series written about the keeping of Siamese cats, observations of the characters of village life, and humorous retellings of encounters between the two. The story starts out promisingly enough with the arrival of a new kitten on the scene and desciptions of his antics. While it’s all very reminiscent of the works of James Herriot, unfortunately not much happens after that, and by the second tape, we’re treated to two whole sides (over an hour’s worth) on cat spaying: how, when, and why. This is too much as the stories aren't even particularly funny. Too bad, it seems a perfect opportunity for storytelling, especially for cat lovers. Diana Bishop does a fine job with the reading, despite the lack of engaging material. She has a comfortable, cozy voice that’s enjoyable to hear. D.G. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 02]