2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas by Marie-Helene Bertino Review

[verymuchmeg]

For me, 2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas combines all the best things about some of my favorite books and movies: the magical takes-place-in-one-day feeling of Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, the kaleidoscope of multiple storylines shifting around and around amongst different characters of varied demographics who almost seem unrelated until the end, when you realize their lives are actually intricately interwoven like Valentine's Day, and the beautifully simple way Bertino builds sentences, paragraphs, and chapters that allow the characters to breathe their own magic into her manuscript is akin to Erin Morgenstern's writing style used in The Night Circus, my favorite book.

Just... wow.

I mean, even holding the ARC in my hands, I could tell it was going to be amazing. It has a pearlescent cover with highly stylized text. It screams, as if a trumpet tooting a high note with a straight mute, "This book is going to knock your socks off." And then? It does.

And, dragged along for the ride in the shoes of a nine-year-old crooner with a mouth like a sailor on leave, you are in for the night of your life, and hers.

I don't want to say too much. I don't want to ruin the magic for you by peeling back the curtain. I only want to tell you that it should be on your shopping list for its August release, and that you will thank me.