5 stars
SO. WHOLESOME!
I absolutely loved this comics collection. A perfect book to have on hand when you need a pick-me-up or a reason to smile. I’ll admit, I’m slightly obsessed with this series. I started reading it on Webtoon and follow Tarpley on all the social media platforms. Whenever a new comic comes up, I read it even if I just read it somewhere else. They are lovely little nuggets of positivity I enjoy reading again and again. Having a compellation of the early comics in a physical book was a real treat.
Tarpley creates such a wonderful menagerie of characters. The comics are simple, but each character has their own distinct personality and troubles to work through. The amount of support and care at Cat’s Cafe is so lovely and an inspiration to make it a reality in the real world whenever possible. Many hard topics are touched on with characteristic hope, support, and positivity. There is a big focus on mental health including negative thoughts, insecurity, depression, anxiety, and stress. The comics provide supportive messages and recognition of those feelings.
Small detail, but I do love that there isn’t a huge focus on gender in the comics. Character names are derived from their species. Once in a while, pronouns are used, but for the most part it’s pretty ambiguous. I appreciate that Tarpley didn’t just slap a bow on an animal to make it female. Not emphasizing gender allows the reader to focus on the actual character and see themselves more easily in whatever that character is experiencing.
Such a fantastic read. I love the universe Tarpley has created. Already looking forward to the next compellation.