Nils and Beth managed to squeeze one more buddy read in for what has been an amazing year of buddy reads for them! This time they were super fortunate to receive early copies of the highly anticipated new offering from Heather Fawcett – AGNES AUBERT’S MYSTICAL CAT SHELTER!

All strays are welcome here.

From Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author Heather Fawcett comes a healing and heart-warming fantasy with magic shops, rescue cats and a second chance at love.

Agnes Aubert is very fond of making lists. These lists kept her afloat when she lost her husband two years ago. And now, as the founder of a cat rescue charity, her meticulous organization skills feel like the only thing standing between her beloved cats – His Majesty, Banshee and sweet elderly Thoreau, to name a few – and utter disaster.
But when Agnes is forced to move the charity, she soon discovers that her new shop is being used as a front; right under her feet is the lair of the decidedly disorganised – not to mention self-absorbed and infuriatingly handsome – Havelock Renard.

Havelock is everything Agnes doesn’t want in her life: chaos, mischief, and a little too much adventure. But as she gets to know him, she discovers he’s more than the dark magician of legend, and that she may be ready for a little intrigue, perhaps even romance. After all, second chances aren’t just for rescue cats. . .

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter is due for publication 17th February from Orbit Books. You can pre-order your copy on Bookshop.org

Were you immediately drawn in by the first few opening chapters? Did they meet your expectations?

Nils: After fairly recently finishing the brilliant Emily Wilde trilogy by Heather Fawcett, I was very much eager to dive into the author’s next book, especially as it was being described as a cosy read all about second chances… and cats!

Beth: I still hadn’t got round to reading the Emily Wilde trilogy, but I know so many people who love it and praise it very highly, so I was excited to start Agnes Aubert – not just to finally be reading something by this author so many people had recommended to me, but because, like Nils, I was excited for the cats! Anything with cats in it is a massive win for me.

Nils: In the first few chapters Fawcett definitely succeeded in drawing me into this story about Agnes, who runs a cat shelter to rescue and rehome strays, having to look for a new shop because her previous one was burnt down by warring mages. I loved this premise, I was intrigued that mages were rare but seen as highly dangerous and wanted to know more. I immediately sympathised with Agnes as she believed in the good of her charity even when no one else could see its worth, and I also loved the setting of Montreal, but with magic and whimsy. 

Beth you loved that it was set in Montreal too, didn’t you? 

Beth: I really did! I was so excited to be reading something set in Montreal! I thought it was a very clever setting; I read somewhere about the Ghibli adaptation of either ‘Kiki’s Delivery Service’ or ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ that their inspiration for the city was a Europe untouched by World War II, and I think that is exactly what Fawcett was able to achieve by setting it in Montreal. You have that French influence giving it a European feel. So immediately I was picturing the kind of setting from a Ghibli movie. There were plenty of other moments that put me in mind of ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ (specifically the adaptation rather than the book), so I wondered if this was a deliberate consideration.

All this to say – the opening hooked me utterly. Just like Nils, the opening chapters really drew me in and I was so intrigued by Agnes and her situation! The fact mages existed but were some kind of public menace really intrigued me too (and, again, reminded me of Howl!).

Lilith

What were your first impressions of Agnes and Havelock Renard?

Nils: When we first meet Agnes, given her character’s situation, she could easily have been whiny, she could also have been in a state of wallowing, but she wasn’t. Agnes knew she needed a new shop, somewhere large enough for all her cats, and her love for them drove her to keep on searching even after many rejections. Agnes’ personality also strongly shone through, she’s emotional and often tears up, she’s organised, punctual and the type of person to get things done. I adored that about her, all these nuances made Agnes feel real, feel relatable and made me care for her almost instantly. 

Beth: You are so right Nils, she’s incredibly nuanced and I was so impressed with this aspect of Fawcett’s writing! Agnes says quite early on how easily she cries and that immediately formed a connection for me because I am exactly the same, and I get frustrated with myself just as she does (there of course isn’t anything wrong with wearing your heart on your sleeve, but it is frustrating when you’re trying to make a point to someone and they’re pitying you because you’re crying. It’s distracting). You’re right Nils, she could have easily been a whiny character but she wasn’t, in fact it was easy to respect her quite early on as most people seem confused as to why she’s trying to help stray cats and certainly didn’t want to rent a shop to her for her to fill it with them; but as desperate as she was to put a roof over her and her cats’ heads, not to mention four walls seeing as the mages blew up one of them, she still can’t lie to prospective landlords. Her situation seems hopeless. She comes across very vulnerable, like she’s capable and hardworking but also sees the best of people so somewhat susceptible to being taken advantage of. 

Nils: Great point Beth, she’s a very vulnerable character and that immediately made us want to protect her. 

As for Havelock, well I instantly fell in love with him too! Havelock was first described as being quite the infamous wizard, an almost (mild) dark lord if you like. Ok, admittedly Havelock was a touch of a shady, grouchy mage, one who was quite self-centred to begin with but well… he made me laugh! And we all know I love a humorous character. I found Havelock possessed a certain charm—I loved his bantery dialogue with Agnes, the way they both playfully poked fun at each other’s quirks—he was just so much fun.

Beth, you felt almost the opposite to me about Havelock at first didn’t you? 

Beth: I confess it did take me a while to warm to Havelock! Before we met him, I didn’t for a second believe that he’s some dark wizard. He reminded me so much of Howl – all this talk of how he’s evil, I wasn’t buying it. But when we did meet him, I found him very selfish and inconsiderate of how his actions would affect Agnes and the cats. I think Fawcett did an incredible job of portraying him as one of those people who is so utterly fixated on their work that they cannot see the world around them. Eventually we come to learn how lonely he is, how good natured and kind he actually is; although the kind of person to be blinkered by his work, he isn’t pretentious or unpleasant with it. 

Nils: My thoughts exactly, Havelock isn’t unpleasant or even unkind and eventually he does start to think of others. 

Which of the cats did you immediately fall in love with and why?

Nils: Oh it was definitely Banshee for me! She was the most adorably blasé cat, one that didn’t really care for or even recognise threats. All she wanted was fuss and attention. She was also mute, so her silent cries and meows made me laugh. 

Beth: Well the first two cats we meet are Agnes’ own cats, His Majesty and Banshee,and I utterly loved them both. The way that Fawcett captures the multifaceted and varied personalities of cats was superb. His Majesty had elements that reminded me of my cat Juniper – they’re both very intelligent and not only like a routine but enforce it too – they rule the house, although Juniper isn’t as violent as His Majesty. Similarly, Banshee reminded me a lot of my Lilith, as she also has the intelligence of a dust bunny and is highly vocal. We come to meet many more cats later, and I just loved how Fawcett captured their spirits. Lynx was another favourite! A fierce black kitten who I just wish I could adopt, she’d fit in our household very well.

Nils: I adored Thoreau too, such a sweet elderly cat who almost every person who came to adopt  overlooked 🥺

Beth: This is something else that Fawcett represented really well, the issues surrounding cat adoption, such as the older cats who aren’t chosen, and even the belief to begin with that stray cats don’t need rescuing because they’re independent creatures who can look after themselves. The way the plot progresses it would have been easy to just allow the business of the shelter to fade into the background but instead it remains an important aspect of the story and it was lovely reading of the different kinds of people who were adopting various cats, such as the wealthy newspaper owner!

Nils: And I also loved how each cat would help or bring companionship to their new human. 

This is the second cosy novel you’ve both read featuring magical artefacts, although this time round magic is outlawed so the artefacts are essentially contraband. What did you think of Fawcett’s illegal artefacts? Did you have a favourite?

Beth: We’ll try and be careful answering this one as obviously we don’t want to give too much about the story away. But firstly, I do want to address this idea that magic is outlawed, because I found it quite refreshing. I’ve read plenty of fantasy where magic is a secret, but it’s been quite some time since I read a book where it was illegal. I say illegal, it never seemed to be enforced particularly strongly, mostly due in part to the fact that people who can do magic are very difficult to pin down and evidence doesn’t tend to stick to them. 

Nils: It was definitely great to see a book where magic was outlawed, and when looking at how destructive the mages are in this book, you can certainly see why! As Beth said it was hard to pin down where the mages were or where they would appear next but it’s also hard to contain magic, so often by the time the police arrive at the scene, the damage has already been done. 

Beth: I loved Fawcett’s magic system as a whole, this notion that magic comes from a parallel realm that has been abandoned and is now haunted by the spirits of lost magic users, and the deeper into this realm you travel the stronger the magic you bring back.

Nils: And the more the Rivenwood realm of magic affects the mage too, turning them into much darker creatures. I love when a magic system has limitations and consequences and Fawcett presents it so well here. 

 Beth: There are quite dark undertones to that but Fawcett manages to balance it with the whimsical way in which magic is then used; Havelock, tired of never being able to completely get rid of the spiders in his basement, enchants them so they light up and provide illumination to his rooms. Creepy but inarguably clever. 

I think my favourite artefact had to be the pen that writes itself though. How incredibly useful would that be! 

What was your favourite Nils?

Nils: The pen was great! I can’t actually mention my favourite artefact as it’s spoilery!

“I should have known you’d find someone to rescue, even at the end of the world”

There are two very different sibling relationships depicted throughout the book. What did you think of the contrast between both?

Nils: They were polar opposite sibling relationships, weren’t they Beth?

Beth: That’s a very good way to put it Nils!

Nils: Agnes and her sister Élise were extremely close and supportive of each other. Where Agnes was emotional, Élise could help her see past that, help her make reasonable choices and interpret Agnes’ feelings almost before she could. They had such a heartwarming and thoughtful bond.

Beth: Élise was one of my favourite characters, I loved how she’d get things done. It’s like she had a strong sense of justice, particularly towards those she cares about, so doesn’t let anything get in the way of ensuring their safety and happiness. She’s so resourceful! I just loved her bond with Agnes so much.

Nils: Now Havelock and his sister Valérie were such a fiery pair! Quite literally! There was that sibling rivalry present but to an explosive level where Valérie couldn’t stand the power and prestige that Havelock had accumulated over the years and wanted a piece of it for herself. I did however get the feeling that perhaps Valérie also just wanted to spend more time with her brother, to keep in touch more—there was a moment when Havelock mentioned that his sister wanted tea or dinner with him occasionally—but her ambitions overpowered that urge. I have to say, although their relationship was rather damaging, not to mention dangerous, it was also again a lot of fun.

Beth: These two reminded me of that kind of family argument you fall into where you’ve gone past the point of apology, and no one really wants to be fighting anymore but you don’t know how to stop it and take it all back? The petty jealousies and the assumed slights and miscommunication that all then leads to taking things a step too irrevocably far. I was the youngest of three girls and our relationships over the years were a solid combination of both Fawcett’s siblings relationships; we could be fiercely loyal to each other and would drop everything to be there for each other, but likewise at the drop of a hat we could fall out and not always understand why. Having the balance of both relationships in the story meant that Fawcett could portray sibling complexities perfectly. 

What were the major themes that stood out to you? 

Nils: Grief and learning to accept yourself for who you are were two that I felt were really well portrayed. 

Beth: Omgosh yes! Grief was handled so well!! 

Nils: Completely agree! Although this is a cosy read, there were moments that were poignant and made me tear up as Agnes reflects upon her loss but then finds herself also opening up to the possibility of falling in love again. I thought this was so well handled by Fawcett as she showed that it’s good to remember and treasure happy memories of those we have lost, but it’s also good to let new people into our lives, to move on. I was so happy for Agnes’ journey, and I loved that she got a happy ending.

Beth: Fawcett’s portrayal of Agnes’ grief was so gentle yet heart rending! Again, it’s her skill with nuance shining through, as Agnes’ vulnerability and fragility glimmer under the surface of this hardworking and driven woman. 

Nils: Havelock’s journey was more about accepting himself and letting people get closer to him. It’s clear that Havelock isn’t used to kindness or someone caring for him. He’s built up a reputation of fear and loathing (Beth: in Montreal – this is cat country! Sorry, couldn’t resist Nils) and now that’s what he’s come to accept from everyone he meets. So when Agnes does simple things such as bring him herbal tea to nurse a headache or to dress his wounds after he enters the Rivenwood realm of magic, he can’t comprehend why she wouldn’t abhor him. Havelock is also always magically altering his appearance, I think mainly so when he’s in public he’s not recognised and caught by the police, but there was a hint that perhaps he’s not comfortable with his looks either. 

There’s a lot of healing both Agnes and Havelock go through in this book and it was so beautifully played out. 

Beth: Ultimately, Agnes and Havelock represent loneliness in two very different ways – throwing yourself into a project so you don’t have time to meet new people anyway, or shutting yourself away and feeding a fearsome reputation of yourself to keep people away. The steps you take to allow others into your life, the learning to trust in others again – and then once you do, the lengths you find yourself going to in order to help them – Agnes and Havelock both ended up making quite meaningful sacrifices for each other. 

What were some of your favourite quotes?

Nils:

“Winter was no worse than a monster in a storybook: it could frighten but not harm me. For the first time, the shop felt snug rather than haunted- it helped, I supposed, that there were two floors between me and whoever lurked in the basement. If they were still there-surely they left sometimes?”

“Havelock was sitting on the counter, scowling at the cats on the other side of the room. Banshee lay comma-shaped on her back below him, paws curled in a transparent plea for affection, which Havelock was pointedly ignoring.

“Where on earth did you come from?” I demanded, both relieved and annoyed.

“I turned myself into smoke and floated up through the heat vent, as any self-respecting dark magician would.””

“”You are a hurricane, aren’t you?” he said. “I’m half convinced that if I get in your way, I’ll find myself stuffed into a crate with a number glued to my forehead.”

“Oh, no,” I said. “You’d get your own shelf.””

Beth: Why did none of you tell me about Fawcett’s writing?! 

The woman glanced up at me, narrowing her eyes. This did not seem a promising start, but I reminded myself that a face might have a natural tendency towards mildness or severity, as a clock has towards haste or tardiness, and was thus not always a reliable measure of mood

“I don’t have a face. I’m actually a handful of cobwebs mixed with moonlight, like all dark magicians.”

I scowled, suppressing an unexpected snort. “I’m being serious.”

“Are you ever anything else?”

I watched the embers breathe in the hearth, realizing that it had been some time since I’d spoken about Robin. It was an odd feeling, as if I were unearthing something that, in the time since I’d last checked on it had been covered over by a layer of moss and fallen leaes. Not gone, by no longer as stark as it once had been.

Overall thoughts

Nils: Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter invites you in for a read full of warmth, magic, hope and love. The setting of Montreal was vividly portrayed, Fawcett injected great character depth and her narrative arc was entertaining as it was full of mystery. It’s a story that features plenty of cat shenanigans, warring mages with explosive magic, banter aplenty and a gentle slow burn romance. It is a wonderful cosy read where our characters, Agnes and Havelock, whom I loved so much, go on a journey of healing as they discover that they deserve happiness.

From start to finish I was enveloped with delights, with whimsy and I did not want to leave these characters behind. A perfectly enchanting read! 

Beth: One of these days I’m going to get to this part of the review before Nils so I’m not left here wondering what else I can possibly say after that perfect summary.

It’s been some time since finishing the book that I’ve come to write my final overall thoughts, and the one foremost thought is how much I want to pick this book back up and re-read it. I miss the characters and the cats, but mostly I just miss being in Fawcett’s world, inhabiting those snowy streets with the smell of baking and magic in the air. This story has been a wondrous discovery that I know I’m going to return to and delight in again and again. There were seemingly some threads left trailing at the end and I’m left praying that Fawcett will take us back to this world. 

If you enjoy cosy heartwarming stories, but also need depth, evocative writing, and a puzzling plot to fill you up, then Agnes is most definitely what you’re looking for. 

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter is due for publication 17th February from Orbit Books. You can pre-order your copy on Bookshop.org