Downton Tabby by Chris Kelly

[katekintailbc]

Downton Tabby
by Chris Kelly

I first learned of this book in March, when a friend of mine wild released a copy. I have searched for a copy since, and finally found one at a used book sale. And so began what is becomming an annual tradition: reading a book before giving it as a present for Christmas. LOL I just finished this one this morning. I loved it! I've only seen the first two seasons of Downton Abby, but that was apparently enough to make me laugh through this whole thing. It's a brilliant parody of both the show and life in an English manorhouse at the turn of the century.

The characters were purrfect: Lady Minxy Clowder (the pretty daughter), Lady Serval Clowder (the prettier daughter), Lady Etcetera Clowder (the other daughter), Lady Replacey MacCaracal (the cousin who is totally different from Lady Serval), etc.

There are tips, pictures (cats photoshopped into early 1900s clothing), historical and cultural "facts," as well as goings-on at Downton Tabby. I also loved the references to other such manors in the area, such as:
At Misselthwaite Manor, Mary Lennox nursed her cousin Colin, whose mother had died in childbirth, and who thought he couldn't walk but really he could. (The Sneak-Cat Garden)
and
At Manderley, the malicious housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, tricked the second Mrs. de Winter into wearing the same dress Rebecca once wore. (Rebeccat)

But my favorite bit was this:
And the British Isles were isles... precious stones set in a silver sea... so leaving would have meant getting wet.
Did they like being maids and butlers? Before you answer, consider everything you've ever read about English history after Robin Hood and before the Who. Your choices were:
Serving
Being served
Being killed by Jack the Ripper

This was hilarious and clever, almost as if cats were meant to have been the stars of the show the whole time.