Herding Cats is the third book in the Sarah’s Scribbles series. Sarah’s Scribbles # 2 (Big Happy Mushy Lump) was the first book I’d reviewed last year, and I’d declared Sarah Andersen to be my hero. I loved that book and the comics were quirky and original.
However, having read both her previous works, Herding Cats seemed a tad underwhelming. I can’t quite point out to what went wrong where, but I feel like I’ve read the whole introverted, socially anxious angle before and that Sarah isn’t bringing anything new to the table (yes, she did try to make a few political statements, but they didn’t quite pack a punch). The two comics below are the only ones I truly enjoyed, the first more than the second.
The book jumps right into a comic, almost, that is to say, without warning. No headings or titles. This happened with the first couple of comics and threw me off a bit. The quirks now sound a bit mean, as though the introvert has turned into an out and out misanthrope. Like this one:
The second part of the book was structured like an essay. Sarah makes quite a few good points here about pursuing your passion as an artist and not to give up in the face of obstacles (parents, society, etc. etc.) I’m sure this would’ve worked well as a motivational speech, and I agree with whatever she says – but as an essay, not so much.
Rating: 3/5
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this comic book from Andrews McMeel Publishing/Netgalley. My review is honest and unbiased.
Rain and a Book 