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Cat's Meow: A Novel [Paperback]

Melissa de la Cruz (Author), Kim DeMarco (Illustrator)
3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

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Book Description

Publication Date: 27 Aug 2001
Cat McAllister grew up as a Hollywood child star, spent her adolescence modeling in Japan, and now, as she celebrates her twenty-fifth birthday for the fourth time, she lives for velvet ropes, Moet & Chandon, gold-leaf invitations, and other fashionista prizes. But on her way up the social ladder, making her way past the who's who and the what's what, Cat finds herself stuck in that seventh circle of celebrity hell.

What's worse, her funds are running dry.

What's a girl to do?

Marry rich. And so the ruckus begins, taking us from China for a baby adoption, to Paris for the couture shows, to the "it" world of Gotham. And that's just the hors d'oeuvres.

Punctuated with Kim DeMarco's illustrations, "Cat's Meow" is a spectacularly witty novel about a young woman looking for love, clothes, and what will make her truly happy in life.

Product details

  • Paperback: 219 pages
  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster (27 Aug 2001)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0743205049
  • ISBN-13: 978-0743205047
  • Product Dimensions: 13.2 x 1.2 x 20.4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 3,828,282 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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More About the Author

› Visit Amazon's Melissa de la Cruz Page
Melissa de la Cruz
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Product Description

Review

Simon Doonan author of "Confessions of a Window Dresser" and creative director, Barneys Melissa de la Cruz is the Jackie Collins of the "Moomba" generation -- she's on a collision course with pulp stardom.
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My name is Cat McAllister. Read the first page
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars A main character that irritates like claws on a blackboard 12 Jan 2003
By Joseph Haschka HALL OF FAME TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
In CAT'S MEOW by Melissa de la Cruz, the main character, a New Yorker named Cat McAllister, lives according to a spendthrift modus operandi overlaid with a bratty, self-centered shallowness and monumental snootiness. (If you've seen the American TV series NEWHART of the 1980s, recall the spoiled and vain Stephanie Vanderkellen role played marvelously by Julia Duffy. Cat is another Stephanie, and then some.)

Cat is a former Hollywood child star, now almost forgotten, who lives solely on the trust fund set up by her deceased Dad. Without gainful employment, she spends her time and inherited money in ceaseless and ultimately futile efforts to be trendy, fashionable, and seen with the Big Apple's Beautiful People, and be noticed by high society columnists. Cat's best friend is a sex-changed male now calling herself India. Her nemesis is another social climber, former friend Teeny Van der Hominie, who effortlessly manages to be everything that Cat aspires to be but isn't. Cat's goal is to marry Prince Stephan of Westonia, reputedly the heir to some little known central European pocket state, who will rescue her from penury and social obscurity.

I can't deny that CAT'S MEOW is amusing. It occasionally is, and for that reason I reluctantly toss it three barely flickering stars. However, McAllister is positively annoying. Since de la Cruz is heavily involved with the New York fashion "scene", I gather that her novel was written to be a satire. However, that doesn't mean the author can't or shouldn't make her primary character at least nominally likeable. Instead, Cat comes across as gratingly insufferable. If I was unfortunate enough to know such a woman in real life, I'd immediately relegate her in my mind to the useless margin of humanity. As for the book itself, I found myself at the end hurrying to finish so I could get on to something more substantive and worthwhile.

At one point Cat is forced to look for a real job. Without any qualifications whatsoever, she brazenly applies with Conde Nast publications for a fashion editor position.

"I took the famous Conde Nast elevators and prepared myself for the infamous elevator stare down between competing editrixes, but only found myself next to a slovenly maintenance man. I gave him a hard glare nevertheless. Overalls are so over."

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Amazon.com: 4.2 out of 5 stars  28 reviews
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Oh, to be famous... 1 Sep 2001
By Dianna Johnston - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
I have just finished reading this fabulous novel, and let me tell you, Cat's Meow is just plain fun! While it is certainly no literary achievement of great strides, Melissa de la Cruz's book has nevertheless provided me with the opportunity to see how "the other half" lives and has done so in a tongue-in-cheek, sitcom-comedy sort of way.

Cat McAllister, former child star and teen model, is about to celebrate her 4th annual 25th birthday when she suddenly realizes she's quickly becoming a has-been. Other celebrities her age have graduated to bigger and better things while Cat has remained in what she refers to as the "seventh circle of celebrity hell." Plus, as much as Cat enjoys buying the latest designer clothes, accessories, and tickets to the latest charity-of-the-week soiree, it's no surprise her credit is suffering and trust fund depleted. So armed with her best friend, successfully transformed transvestite India Beresford-Givens, Cat embarks on a mission to marry rich -- Stephan of Westonia (a Prince no less) is the perfect target.

Shallow, vain, and ridiculous, Cat's Meow had me howling. Full of spoiled-brat humor, celebrity-studded parties, name-dropping, and designer clothes, this book is one not to be missed. It's like being invited to all the fun stuff without having to pay! A fabulous and frolicking joy ride in the life of a New York socialite, her Sri Lankin au pair and transvestite friend, in a world where money, clothes and being popular is always in style. Très magnifique!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars You MUST Read This Book 20 July 2001
By Cat Call - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Do yourself a favor and read Cat's Meow. Melissa de la Cruz's quick-witted and irreverent humor had me in stitches the entire time. Fashion victims and victims of fashion victims alike will get a kick out of this. I know my next visit to Barney's will be with eyes wide open.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars glamour, debt and the art of living in excess in nyc 22 July 2001
By jennie-d - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
I lift my cosmopolitan and toast cat mcallister -- she's brigid jones meets carrie bradshaw meets cher from clueless ... all the right accessories with some dysfunctional charm keeping it real. If you can admit to yourself that everyone tries to be chic and only a few truly succeed, then you too will find this literary treasure mad funny and painfully true to life !
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