Impeccable Petunia by Katie Christine – a #BookReview

Title: Impeccable Petunia: Part II The Two Tails by Katie Christine

Genre: Fantasy, Animal Tales, Mothers and Children’s Fiction

• ISBN-10:1719822859
• ISBN-13:978-1719822855
• ASIN:B07HFCL9RG

Print Length: 145 pages

Publication Date: September 8, 2018

Source: Direct Author Request

Title Link: Impeccable Petunia

Book Blurb:

As The Two Tails opens, the flock confronts a spiral of death and disappearance. Ensnared by a rapacious raccoon and desperate for a way out, Petunia, the backyard chicken, must throw herself at the mercy of the dark, open road with little more than gumption, a pair of useless wings, and a dubious companion as her guide.

My Review:

Let me begin by explaining that this is a two-part story with Impeccable Petunia: Part I, Claws, Paws, Feathers, and Jaws being novella size, part II more than double that. The request from the author and the blurb had me intrigued–the protagonist is a chicken??!–and it was illustrated. I really liked the covers and it didn’t sound like it was that long, perfect for me to fit in between some of the longer books I was scheduling. I had intended to skim through Part I so I’d be knowledgeable about Part II, but it didn’t happen and would probably have served up a better appreciation for Part II.

Petunia is not your average chicken for sure! Since I raised chickens (both Rhode Island Reds and Black Barred), I have an affinity for our feathered fowl. Huge difference between those two breeds, both serving the purpose of meat and (brown) eggs. Unfortunately, chickens have personalities and it’s all too easy to name them–i.e., Petunia. But I have no knowledge of Orpington’s, Arauncana’s, or Wyandottes, although they all appear to be easy-going backyard chickens. They do, however, need protection from predators.

In this installment, Petunia has apparently been taken inside the human’s house to recover from a predator assault where she’d just like to stay. The narrative introduces many support characters, including cats, a raccoon, and a dog. But it is Max the cat that Petunia determines she must rescue after he is taken away. While she is away, the pecking order disintegrates, and factions split. Samantha has long wanted to take control of the coop and she is pushing her agenda right up until the foxes (absent the cat) begin coming around to raid the coop.

The gossip, bickering, back-biting (tee hee), and rivalries push and pull until Winchester the raccoon makes a deal to help defend the chicken yard. Amazing how well-fleshed the persona of these individual chickens, let alone the sneaky, low-down agenda of the raccoon. The author did an amazing job of anthropomorphizing the characters so that even facial expressions, wing nuances, or tail flickers were easily pictured. The author obviously knows chickens and other domestic animals.

While I marveled at the imagination and creativity that went into the well-developed storyline, I was not able to really get into the pecking order squabble with the hens, the constant fear in which they lived, fighting to keep from being carried off in the jaws of a fox. The tale turns dark, sad, heavy. Petunia returns and the conclusion resolves most issues but remains a tension-filled setting. Petunia returns to tend her garden, Winchester to his prize–but not for long. There are illustrations, but viewed on my cell phone were small, dark, and difficult to see.

I received this ebook download from the author in return for a review and these are my honest opinions. I do not feel it is a children’s story with an almost noir feeling, more an adult tale and I’m sure there is an appropriate target for the book. Recommended for anthropomorphic fantasy-loving readers. You won’t believe the world of chickens!

Rosepoint Publishing:  Three point Five of Five Stars

The Author: [Katie Christine] From a young age Katie’s parents instilled in her a love of animals and art. She has many fond childhood memories of long summer afternoons spent curled up in a quiet corner of the local library. She lives outside Seattle, Washington with her husband/illustrator, Jonathan Edward, their Super-Sheltie, Niles and cats, Frankenstein and Penelope.

Katie Christine holds degrees from UCLA and USC, enjoys the outdoors, gardening, reading, and discovering new music.

©2019 V Williams