Sandi Ward’s shrewdly observed, funny, and wonderfully touching novel tells of a fractured family, a teenage boy, and a remarkable cat whose loyalty knows no bounds . . . A boy and his cat. It’s an unconventional friendship, perhaps, but for Charlie and Lily, it works beautifully. It was Charlie who chose Lily from among all the cats in the shelter. He didn’t frown, the way other humans did, … way other humans did, when he saw her injured back leg, the legacy of a cruel previous owner. Instead, Charlie insisted on rescuing her. Now Lily wants to do the same for Charlie.
She’s the only one who’s seen the bruises on Charlie’s body. If she knew who was hurting him, she’d scratch their eyes out. But she can’t fix this by herself. Lily needs to get the rest of the family to focus on Charlie—not easy when they’re wrapped up in their own problems. Charlie’s mother kicked his father out weeks ago and has a new boyfriend who seems charming, but is still a stranger. Oldest son Kevin misses his father desperately. Victoria, Charlie’s sister, also has someone new in her life, and Lily is decidedly suspicious. Even Charlie’s father, who Lily loves dearly, is behaving strangely.
Lily knows what it’s like to feel helpless. But she also knows that you don’t always have to be the biggest or the strongest to fight fiercely for the ones you love . . .
Praise for Sandi Ward’s The Astonishing Thing
“A beautiful and touching look into the intricacies of marriage and family life, all seen through the loving and unique perspective of the family pet.”
—Modern Cat
“The Astonishing Thing feels like a bit of a miracle and we all could use a miracle.”
—Holly Chamberlin, author of The Summer Nanny
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Something Worth Saving is a story of family dynamics told from the unique perspective of the family cat. Lily was an abused kitten who was adopted by the family. Charlie, the 14 year old boy and youngest of the three children is having problems with being bullied at school. Lily sees the bruises on his body, but she can’t do anything about it. Charlie won’t tell anyone about the bruises. She just tries to comfort him when he is sad or hurt.
Dad became addicted to narcotic pain pills when he was injured and Mom asked him to leave the home. He tries to stay involved with his children from a distance.
Victoria is the middle child. She tries to act tough, but she loves her brothers and worries about Charlie.
Kevin is the oldest and he tries to be the father figure in his dad’s absence.
I can’t say much more without giving away too much of the story. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a warm family drama. If you are a cat lover…even better!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.
Favorite Quotes:
No creature should be mistreated. I did not deserve it, and neither does Charlie… I recall how humiliating it was to be too small to fight back. It makes my eyes sting and nose quiver when I think about it. Believe me, if I knew who was hurting Charlie, I would scratch his eyes out.
He is amused by how excited she is to realize this, that he’s never kissed a girl. And the look that he gives forces me to see it, to understand what she likes about him. I don’t want her to like him. He’s a thief and a sneak and a manipulative human. However. What I see is this… The look he gives her is guarded, but it’s also: Warm. Inclusive. A little naughty. As if they have a secret together.
Their first kiss. And I am witness to it. When they part, Victoria is all glorious smiles. Triumphant. Aidan, to me, looks a bit dazed. I think I am witnessing him slowly coming into his own as a young man. He must also be realizing his weaknesses. He is going to have to submit to Victoria’s whims if he wants to keep her as his mate.
I feel a little squeeze of satisfaction in my heart. I do love to see humans happy. Even bad creatures deserve love… How am I so easily swayed? The humans confound me.
There is something worth saving in this family – a love that connects all of us and binds us together… Like raindrops plunking onto the river, causing overlapping circles of waves, each member of our family impacts the next. If only Gretel and I could talk! I won’t give up yet.
My Review:
Something Worth Saving was simply stellar and one of the most insightful, thoughtfully written and poignant books I have ever read. The writing quality was exceptional and captivating and possessed that tantalizing allure that continually rattled around my cranium even when forced to put my book down. Written from the first person perspective of Lily, the ever watchful and beloved family cat, I was immediately pulled in by Ms. Ward’s hypnotic and powerful word voodoo, and obsessively remained within Lily’s well-crafted and intriguing vortex. My thoughts were consumed with the characters, and even as I performed my obligatory adulting, I continued to contemplate and visualize the sweet and concerned tabby as she guarded over her beloved humans and pondered her confusing observations. She loved her family deeply, even the dog, yet she felt a fierce and possessive loyalty toward Charlie, the youngest family member and the one who personally had selected her from the shelter. Their bond was instant and infinite; Charlie was her sweet and gentle boy.
Lily was on high alert as lately, Charlie was often upset, and more disturbingly, bruised. Someone was hurting Charlie and no one else had noticed. Lily understood his feelings all too well as Lily herself had been an unfortunate victim of abuse as a kitten, suffering a damaged leg and forever odd walk. While a loving family with three teenaged children, the family unit was unraveling while no one in that household actually communicated about anything of substance for fear of bringing about the final crack that tore everything asunder. The entire family was in mild to moderate distress, each with their own unique turmoil and reluctance to voice their apprehension and discomfort with the causes and effects of the recent parental separation. In addition, each member was also working through significant milestones, transitions, and coming of age and sexual identity issues. The storylines were relevant, topical, and well paced while the narrative was fascinating, emotive, and heart-squeezing. I am enamored with this jaw-droppingly talented author and besotted with her tale and the adorable Lily, who will undoubtedly continue to inhabit my gray matter for some time.
Something Worth Saving covertly, cleverly, perceptively, and earnestly tells the story of a family unit facing drama on all fronts. Intriguing and thought provoking!
Sandi Ward’s elegant writing and deft, unconventional narration masterfully weave together in this sensitive and nuanced tale of a fractured family. Lily, the family cat, is an endearing, observant narrator whose perspective cuts to the core, showing the truth through rich, delicately wrought details, which are often fresh and textural. At times heartwarming, at times bittersweet, Something Worth Saving is a delight to savor reading.
Powerful and smartly written, Ward explores the intricate workings of family life with a compassionate touch and unflinching honesty. You’ll root for the characters in this memorable novel long after you’ve turned the last page.
I think this is a story that all parents should read!
It is told by Lily, the family cat who knows secrets within her pack that nobody else is aware of.
It is a book about love, loss, abuse, dependency and the impacts on an entire family.
If only Lily could tell all! If only she could make all of it go away!
Her mission is to get help for each person that she loves! She will find a way to get her message to her people and the help needed to prevent further hurt in her family.
It’s definitely a wonderful book and well worth the time to read Lily’s story.
This is an enjoyable tale told from a cat’s point of view.
Lily was an abused kitten who was turned over to a shelter with her siblings. She was the last kitten adopted because she was flawed. She had a broken leg that didn’t heal properly and she was left with a limp. So, she knows what it’s like not to be perfect. She adopted by a family that she has come to love and will do anything to protect. She especially wants to help Charlie, the youngest son, after she discovers bruises on him. Lily does her best to find out who is hurting her favorite boy. She also shows great concern for the rest of the family. I can’t go too much further with the details because it would give away too much of the story. But, it is a well told tale of a broken family and a cat that is willing to do anything she can to bring them happiness again.
Even though this story is told from a cat’s perspective, I do not feel it is appropriate for younger readers because of certain subject matters. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves cats, women’s fiction or is looking for a good heartfelt story.
Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book early in exchange for an honest review.
An adorable cat has stolen my heart and the story was enjoyable. As for the realistic box that I checked…I will keep my eyes and ears open for a cat that can communicate for me too.
Loved it! Very different!
I really enjoyed this book. I wasn’t sure I would care about the family members, but I ended up rooting for all of them and felt that the situations were realistic. I would encourage you to read this book.
If you are a cat lover this is a must read. Loved reading a book from the cat’s perspective and it was a good story as well.
I love Something Worth Saving. The story is told by the family cat. Things turn out well, but it gets a bit upsetting at times. The cat is wonderful.
Cat lovers will so enjoy this book even if others don’t!
Written from the pet cat’s view, this is a story of a family with several problems affecting each member and how the problems resolve. It had teary moments and laughs and was a pretty good book that dealt with several real life problems for the family and other people who interact with them
Once you accept the cat being the narrator it is a very compelling story. Finding out the youngest sons abuser is something out of today’s headline stories.
I absolutely loved this book! This entire story is written from the viewpoint of the family cat, Lil. She is smart and observant and deeply loves her family, especially Charlie, who picked her at an animal shelter despite her damaged leg. Lil’s family has been going through some serious difficulties with the parents of the household, Kate and Jeremy, separating when Jeremy’s drinking gets out of control. Kate suffers but does her best to keep things going for her three children, Kevin, Victoria and Charlie. In addition there is their dog Gretl, a former police dog, who is just as concerned with all the tension and drama taking place in the house. This was such a great story and as an animal lover, I was especially drawn to it. This was beautifully written and I couldn’t be more emphatic about recommending this book.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a review copy. This is my honest opinion.
What a fabulous, moving, heart-stirring novel! I don’t remember whose blog I read about it on, but I am so glad I did! This novel grabs cat lovers by the heartstrings and holds on through the end. The Anderson family challenges are brought to color and life through the heart of Lily, who is Charlie’s best friend and soul mate. Charlie is now 14 years old, and many changes are going on in his family. He adopted Lily, injured leg and all, because as we see throughout this beautiful tale, everyone is something worth saving.
Lily now sees something that is disturbing, moreso than Dad being asked to leave the house by Mom a few weeks ago. One of the days Charlie leaves school early, she sees that he has more bruises on his side, not for the first time. She is very worried and determines to go to any lengths to find out who is hurting him. She knows how it feels to be bullied and harmed, and doesn’t want that for her favorite person.
Lily’s telling of the drama she sees unfold in the family home is amazing. She studies the people around her closely and does her best to understand them. Understanding and observing, she shows us, are keys to improving relationships and caring about people. I can recognize some of the behaviors in my own cats, and would like to think that they are as concerned about me as I am about them! There are times of fear and times of joy, especially as new stressors enter the family and while Lily tries to discover who is hurting Charlie. Because we know that bullies rarely go away on their own, they often only get worse.
The dynamics of the many broken or wounded people in this novel somehow works together for a very satisfying whole. There are many surprises throughout, especially when seeing some of the characters for who they really are rather than the layers of facade presented to the world. Many changes are in store for this family, changes that Lily can lead the way in showing how to accept and live with. Her wisdom is lovingly realistic even though at times would hurt a human heart. For example, she is matter-of-fact about how her life will be shorter than those of her loved ones, which is hard for we cat mamas to accept.
The resolutions that take place at the end open a whole new world for the Andersons and their friends. I was satisfied with most of the changes, and only Lily’s perspective could help me with one of them. Because life isn’t static, changes are a fact, and that particular change is only temporary. This is one story that I would love to see a follow-up to! Lily also demonstrates her love of nature by how she describes her outdoor experiences. She describes the change of seasons beautifully by scents, sights, colors, and sounds. I highly recommend this novel to those who know a close relationship with a feline and appreciate the challenges of a fully-dysfunctional family trying to heal. This is a novel that one will go back to re-read, perhaps a little more slowly, to reconsider some of Lily’s wisdom and lessons.
Book is written from the family cat’s perspective. Well written, flows smoothly, likable characters.
Lily is Charlie’s cat, and she’s intensely loyal to him. She narrates the story from her point of view, and in general, you believe it’s really a cat telling the story. It’s set somewhere between Boston and Gloucester, I think; the parents are separated and the father is living in Ipswich. This kind of detail is important to me, since I love books that are set in the Boston area. She sees bruises on Charlie, comes to the conclusion that he’s being bullied, and she’s going to make sure that it stops.
Lily’s ability to accomplish what she wants is believable – she growls and hisses and sometimes claws at a person she dislikes. The characters were all believable, even Ginger the dog. I enjoyed this book.
I don’t know what I expected about a cat telling the story but it didn’t really work.