Chloe Anne: Force of Nature

Sent to the Humane Society when her owners had to move, Penny the cat is soon adopted and her new mom renames her Chloe Anne. Chloe loves her new mom and home, but can't help being a bit adventurous. Many of her adventures are harmless - befriending a duck for example; some are messy (it's not a good idea to explore fireplaces); but some are scary (Chloe decides to investigate how a washing machine works). Chloe doesn't mean to upset her mom, but she is a cat after all. Is it her fault that her brother and sister aren't as adventurous as she is? Told in the first person by Chloe Anne, "Chloe Anne: Force of Nature" is a delightful, very funny book. Chloe Anne belongs to author Valerie Oblah, who clearly loves and understands cats. If cats could really write and think (besides about food and sleep) they would no doubt think like Chloe Anne. Chloe Anne never means to get into mischief, it's just that there's so much to explore and the world is a pretty big place. The humor throughout the book is at times laugh out loud funny (I especially liked the parts when Chloe goes out to explore something, falls asleep in the middle of exploring, then wakes up and goes on as if uninterrupted). Anyone who has ever been owned by a cat will have experienced their cat doing at least one of the things Chloe Anne does and will now know what their cat was thinking while doing it! Cat lovers will enjoy "Chloe Anne: Force of Nature".

When I finished reading this book, the first thing I felt was that I was already missing listening to the chatty, opinionated, touching, funny, haute-couture character who is Chloe Anne and who is a cat. To say that Chloe Anne is a cat is somehow to misrepresent her. Chloe Anne (nee Penny, short for Penelope) comments on anything and everything, and it is amusing to hear what she has to say. Judge for yourself. In the following passage she describes her stay at the pound: "The first night or so was hard. All alone. Even surrounded by my fellow prisoners. I felt hopelessly alone. And let me tall you, the Humane Society will not be the path to my formal societal debut. But you already know that, don't you? There is no need to mince words here. I'd been sent to the Big House. No room with a view. Dry food in a bowl, filled once a day. And so confining. The bidet right next to the food bowl, Mon Dieu! I'd been incarcerated, locked in a cell behind bars, sentenced without a trial. And while this was no Alcatraz (Wasn't Burt compelling in that role? His Birdman kept my eyes riveted to the screen!) It seemed I was there for the long run." And so the narrative flows with cultural, societal and literary references woven into its canvas. Consider just the chapter titles: "To Sleep, Perchance to Dream," "A hiss is just a Hiss, "I Have a Dream". Sparks, hilarious and touching, are flying at the juncture of the context referred to, for example, Hamlet's supreme anguish in "To Sleep, Perchance to Dream" and that of Chloe Anne's immediate concern with a comfortable warm place where she could settle down to sleep, or doze, or nap, or slumber. An exhaustive study of the differences between these states is cleverly and thoroughly noted. The narrative and the character are bubbly, funny, full of clever surprises, and amusement. The book is tastefully designed; every detail is attended to so much so that I suspect that even the measurements of the rectangular shape of the book have been chosen to satisfy the golden ratio. I agree with Betty White (actress/author) who has read the book and said, "I feel as though I know Chloe Anne--all of her--and I love her a lot. So will you."

We cat owners are always on the lookout for books that shed light on those adorable yet alien beings that we share our lives with. Enter Chloe Anne, a real life long-hair who is quite willing to relate to us her unique perspective about almost everything. The fun part is: she's not really a one-of-a-kind kitty. She's just one of the very few who has put pen to paper, so to speak. Her thoughts and actions will probably mirror those of cats you have known. (At least: as we try to imagine them from our own human point of view.) Chloe Anne (who has blossomed after the discarding of her original name, Penny) is endowed with a curiosity as big as all outdoors. Literally. Simply by her moon-eyed photo on the cover, you can tell that she's a spirited and spunky kid who is up for the occasional adventure. Here she documents her personal life history: from a seemingly-comfortable home, to the scary shelter, and then to another home that eventually becomes a three-cat household. (And a Jewish one, at that!) Along the way, she shares with us the nuances of the world of slumber and the many variations of the eating experience. Casual observers might be under the impression that cats have boring, sedentary lives. Believe it or not, there can be some tense moments in the life of an indoor kitty. As we turn the pages, we learn of Chloe Anne's encounters with a duck, with a washing machine, and -- gasp! -- with Antonio Banderas. Suffice it to say that this little puss watches far too much TV and, as a result, bases all of her knowledge of civilization from what she hears and sees on the small screen. That fact makes her observations all the more amusing. "Chloe Anne" is the most darling cat book I've read in a while. Kudos to Valerie Oblath for not taking the cute route and crediting Chloe Anne as the author, with an "as told to" disclaimer. Readers are savvy enough to suspend their disbelief and to understand who the narrator is. ("Sneaky Pie" Brown, eat your heart out!) Read and savor this book; then pass it along (reluctantly!) to another cat owner. From that point on, you may find yourself stealing a glance at your own favorite feline and wondering if he/she is thinking Chloe Anne-like thoughts ...

"Force of Nature" tells the story of a cat named Chloe Anne. Chloe was put up for adoption when her owners had to move. In Chloe's eyes, she was devastated and in prison. When Valerie Oblath came along and rescued her, her life changed for the better, and so did Ms. Oblath's. As we read along, we learn about Chloe's escapades in her new home. It is refreshing to see that in Chloe's eyes, everything is an adventure, whether it involves being confronted by a duck or tracking fireplace ashes through the house, Chloe is having fun. She also gains two other feline family members and several human ones. "Force of Nature" is a must for cat lovers. As a matter of fact, if you are looking for the perfect gift for one, stop right here, because here it is. It also would be motivating for a reader who is in the market for a new pet. Reading about Chloe's time in captivity made me want to run out and adopt a pet. Fortunately, it is Sunday night and everything is closed, so I have more time to think this one through!

Chloe Anne Force of Nature is a must read for cat lovers. Chloe Anne is a full-bodied feline character -- both coy and comical -- and she'll charm you with her wise-cracking take on her drama-packed life as a California cat. Enjoy!