The Catsitters by James Wolcott.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars.

Johnny Downs, the protagonist in James Wolcott’s The Catsitters, has been compared to a male equivalent of Bridget Jones. I’m not sure I fully agree with that, as Downs is much cooler than Jones, and far less scatty. However, the novel certainly explores the roller-coaster of relationships and dating from a male perspective, so perhaps there is something in the comparison.

The Catsitters opens as the main character returns from a weekend trip visiting family to discover his catsitter, who is actually his girlfriend, has not been properly looking after Slinky the cat while he was away. When he tries to call her office he is told she is out at a client lunch, so after dinner he decides to walk to her apartment. Most readers will be able to guess what happens next, and sure enough, Johnny Downs is soon back on the dating scene.

The book was enjoyable, and the characters were all well shaped and likeable. I was convinced I knew the direction the plot was going to take, but in the end it didn’t, which was both a surprise and a disappointment at the same time. About two thirds of the way through, the story stopped being one about relationships and dating, and instead became more of a tale about Downs breaking into a new career as a playwright. I did finish it, but the novel as a whole seemed a little disjointed, as if split into two parts that were only loosely connected.

I was left wondering if the original draft perhaps ended the way I thought it was going to, which would have been very predictable, and that Wolcott’s agent/editor suggested a plot change which he went on to apply, but not so seamlessly that the stiches are invisible.

Would I still recommend The Catsitters? Yes, I would. I think it’s an interesting insight into relationships from the point of view of a man, and there are nowhere near as many books about men in this genre as there are ones written from the usual woman’s perspective. It’s also a very entertaining read, with strong characters and some great lines that made me laugh out loud.

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