Here Kitty Kitty

By Jardine Libaire

Book Overview

An intoxicating, stunning story of self-destruction and redemption set against the vibrantly painted underworld of New York City, from the critically acclaimed author of White Fur.

Lee, hedonistic yet earnest, is on the cusp of a breakdown. Her wild nights out and her management shifts at a Tribeca restaurant are fueled by cocaine and pink champagne, and her glamorous lifestyle is financed by wealthy older men who shower her with gifts. Once an aspiring painter, she can't remember the last time she touched a canvas. Her old friend Belinda, a reformed party girl, has grown up and distanced herself from both Lee and the reckless lifestyle they once shared. Kai, the man she thought was her soulmate, has left her for Paris, and she is in treacherous territory with her sugar daddy, Yves. When she receives an eviction notice from her landlord, Lee is forced to acknowledge that her life is unraveling at the seams and consider the possibility that there might be meaning in life beyond what can be found in the arms of strange men and the effects of reality-altering substances.

Despite her tough exterior, Lee is a vulnerable young woman trying to numb her inner turmoil with sex, drugs, and alcohol. Hypnotic descriptions of her romantic exploits and drunken nights are interspersed with nostalgic memories of her late mother, a stark contrast that alludes to an enduring innocence beneath the chaotic exterior. When Lee finds a seemingly genuine connection in Kelly, the new bartender at her restaurant who is grieving from a loss of his own, she strives to stand on her own and free herself from the grip of her debt and vices.

With her signature hypnotizing, elegant prose, Libaire delves deep into Lee's intimate, toxic relationship with the city nightlife and her own identity.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0525574492
• ISBN13: 9780525574491
• Release Date: June 2018
• Publisher: Hogarth Press
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.1" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Stunning!!

As I read Libaire's first novel "Here Kitty Kitty" I found myself consumed and intoxicated by the beauty of words once again. The author also invited me to explore a deeper understanding of individual fulfillment by introducing me to "Lee's" complex and challenging world in New York City. As the book intensified, I found myself deeply moved by the character's actions and since putting the book down, a piece of Lee still remains with me. With its intelligent writing and hypnotizing story, "Here Kitty Kitty" is truly a book to read and reread over and over again.

Excellent work

I picked this book up after hearing about it from many of my friends and I was definitely not disappointed. I was intrigued by Lee's character and her inability to make the correct decisions for herself - reminds me of many of my NYC friends. In addition, the prose is absolutely beautiful, especially for a chic lit novel.

Lyrical Brooklyn

Lee sparkles (and fizzles) and reminds you that you will never be half as interesting or dynamic as she is-like those beautiful girls you knew in high school, who inhabit your classes but not your world. When Lee falls and learns how to live on her own, she does it with such New York panache, you are almost jealous of her small, grimy apartment, her empty wallet, and her detoxification. Author Jardine Libaire made the wise choice to keep Lee's story small. Lee is self-centered even during her recovery, and a larger story would have betrayed the narcissism that makes you love and hate her. And, after all, the choice to live your life sharply is only ever the day to day business of recognizing your small world. I didn't need Lee to be influenced by the love of a mysterious man, nevertheless, I understood the author's choice. Jardine Libaire's prose is so lyrical, it's practically poetry. The book is a love letter to New York, its landscape, its debauchery, and its insufferable and beautiful people.

Striking, Beautiful

This is a truly absorbing debut, in equal parts potent and bewitching. Libaire reads the filigree of New York City like someone who has intimately traced its edges and mapped each inviting curl. The best parts of the book, though, are maybe the more quiet episodes: the pure and clinging elegance of Libaire's prose comes out when she's writing about wet fields, cats, and wildflowers. The tremolo of the city relaxes into small private moments; summer is languid and heady, glimmering with wine and fireflies.I can't say enough about this author's talent. Libaire writes with a plangent, poignant thunder that would stun but for the subtle dexterity of her voice. This is a book to be read and then reread, held close.

Beautiful & Gritty

If you are looking for some typical "fluffy" romance dribble, look elsewhere. This novel takes the reader through both the grimey muck and the sunny joys of life and love in the city. At some points you want to smack the main character (Lee), other times you feel genuine sympathy, and at other moments you want to go party with her; quite a rollercoaster of a read.While it is no Tao-te Ching, the author provides plenty of depth in character development and vivid imagery; a quick, poetic read. Well worth the $, I'd say.