Kirkus Review

Thoughtful, asthmatic cat Nightpelt is banned--along with most of his elders--from living with the rest of the feral cat tribe Shadowclan--and soon becomes the de facto leader of the exiles. Jolley and Barry have produced another amazing graphic novel. Warriors fans and new readers alike will enjoy following Nightpelt's musings and actions as he helps his group figure out how to survive the upcoming Leaf-bare, or winter, and worries over the behavior of Brokenstar--Shadowclan's new, bullying leader--whom he ultimately has a personal face-off with. In both the text and clean, dramatic, full-color art, the balance between typical cat behavior and the transparently human thoughts, emotions, and even ideologies expressed by the clan cats is exquisitely portrayed. One small example lies in how the storyline integrates the tale of a depressed mother cat, grieving her dead kitten, whose eventual healing is represented by her return to stalking small mammals and contributing their corpses to the community's food supply. More pointed is the reprehensible idea of kittens as child warriors. While experiencing the exciting plot's twists and turns, readers will simultaneously ponder larger questions about violence, power, codes of law, community values, metaphysics, and individuals finding their niches. Despite the deep and serious themes, humor abounds--especially in the frequent wordplay that translates common human expressions into feline terms. The satisfying ending hints of further drama. Starclan willing, this series will continue. (Graphic fantasy. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.