"The Wrong Cat" by Lorna Crozier | Book Review

The Wrong Cat by Lorna Crozier

In honour of April being National Poetry Month, I thought I'd come to you today with a review of a book of poems!

I was initially drawn to this because of its title (I'm definitely a cat lady), and once I read the description, which told of sad, irreverent poetry and lyrical lines, I knew I needed to read it.

"Lyrical" really is a great word to describe Lorna Crozier's poems in this collection. Whether you like to read poetry in your head, or you're like me and you prefer reading it out loud, it's a pleasure to read the beautifully flowing words.

Nature (human and otherwise) seems to be a common theme in this collection. There are many poems involving animals, whether they be about them or from their perspective. Crozier also writes about relationships and the emotions that come with different kinds and stages of relationships.

She manages to create a real sense of character in such a short space, from the lovers who have grown apart but never really left each other in "A Common Life", to a scene where angels - and even God himself - marvel at the joy a dog brings them in "Tobias's Dog and the Angel".

One series in particular struck a chord in me, and that is the series where animals describe their perspectives on mankind: "Owl's Take on Man", "Deer's Take on Man" (and more). I find it so interesting to look at a situation from a different perspective; it was delightful to read such a take, and also quite sad to think about the way we treat some animals.

These poems are written in such a way that they evoke emotions: sometimes sadness, sometimes compassion, sometimes curiosity. If you like sad poems and thinking about nature of all kinds, this collection is for you.


The Wrong Cat is now available in paperback (see Chapters/Indigo and Amazon) and eBook (Amazon Kindle and Kobo) formats.

*This book was sent to me by Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.
1. Photo by nikkitheknack. 2. Photo courtesy Random House Canada.