Title: Catalina and the Duke of Lombard
Author: Patricia Derrick
Publisher: Page Turner Press and Media
ISBN: 978-1-63871-027-1
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 116
Reviewed by: Suzanne Gattis
Hollywood Book Reviews
A story packed full of crime, adventure, luxury and friendships, this novel by Patricia Derrick is an interesting young-adult read. The characters of Catalina and the Duke of Lombard might not be the ones you expect, but that just adds more to the story. Following the life of one cat, Catalina, the story takes us through the world of “haves” and “have nots.” It leads you to ask in the end if there is really that much difference?
One of the most powerful lessons of this book is on friendship. Sometimes in life we build surprising friendships with those other that we might never expect. Like the bond in the story between a rat and a cat. You can have a true friendship with those that may not be like you and that is amazing lesson that more in the world need to understand. Having an incredibly good friend makes life worth living and needs to be cherished.
The theme of those who “have” and those who do not runs throughout this book as well. It is easy to see why there seems to be so little in common between to the two. But when it comes down to it, there is not so much of a divide as you might think. All the characters in the book have the same things they stand for, like friendships and fears. That the “have nots” are so willing to help the ones who have, without being asked or required to do so, is part of what make this story so great. And through these acts, Catalina, at least, begins to understand these little these differences do not really matter.
The character development in this book is great. I am able to visualize the characters in my head with the ample descriptions that are given them, from physical looks to their personalities. Not all the characters have had an easy go of it the last few years, and I feel I can sense the sadness when I think about them. I found this overall to be a cute, well-written read.