Marilyn Edwards has written four delightful books in the series about her cats: The Cats of Moon Cottage, More Cat Tales from Moon Cottage, The Cats on Hutton Roof and The Coach House Cats.
These have now been produced in two volumes by Hodder and Stoughton the publishers. When I began reading the first volume which is about the Cats of Moon Cottage and More Cat Tales from Moon Cottage, I couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t wait to read volume two which is about the Cats on Hutton Roof and The Coach House Cats and once again, I was not disappointed.
Marilyn’s observations on her cats are second to none and feline behaviour is examined, fretted over, and resolved in her close regard for her cats. It’s not only her minute attention to detail which makes her books so popular, it’s the wonderful descriptive passages telling the reader about the life that surrounds Marilyn, her husband and their beloved cats, Fannie, Titus, Pushkin and Gilly. I was enthralled as I entered Moon Cottage with the descriptions of all the plants and wildlife that were in the fields and gardens close by.
Later I howled like a baby when Otto, the mother of Fannie and Titus, was so cruelly knocked over and killed and I really felt Marilyn’s pain and sorrow as she wrote about it; the fact that it broke the family’s hearts and Septi, the older cat who loved Otto and missed her dreadfully.
Marilyn has a fantastic way of describing not only her feelings but in observing Septi, Fannie and Titus she was able to portray in simple reality, the fact that animals DO mourn and grieve over the loss of one of their own family members.
Books 3 and 4 tell of the family’s move to a different part of the country and all that it entailed and of the gorgeous Cumbrian countryside which surrounded them; the sheep, cows, and other fascinating wildlife – even bees don’t escape Marilyn’s keen eye for detail. Fannie’s close relationship with her sister Titus comes under scrutiny, and her longed for pregnancy having been mated with a top stud in Lancashire. Somehow, Mother Nature knows best and poor Fannie suffers with a disappointing phantom pregnancy and it is after this that Marilyn decides to have all the cats neutered and spayed.
Marilyn’s books are a real treasure to read and I really enjoyed them and felt bereft when I’d finished them. I hoped I could read more about the adventures of the Coach House Cats but sadly that is not to be for the foreseeable future.
All the books have been illustrated by the wonderful artist, Peter Warner, who sadly passed away in September 2007, followed shortly after by his beautiful cat, Blue.
Marilyn’s books are available in hardback and paperback from
The ISBN for Volume 2 is: 978-0-340-95453-9
You can contact Marilyn direct at her website address, and you can buy the original hardback copies direct from her and she will do a special dedication for you
www.thecatsofmooncottage.co.uk
To read the interview with Marilyn, please click here:
The Very Best Toy for Cats
"Of all the [cat] toys available, none is better designed than the owner himself. A large multipurpose plaything, its parts can be made to move in almost any direction. It comes completely assembled, and it makes a noise when you jump on it."
Stephen Baker
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