Cat Person by Kristen Roupenian: a review

I was given this book as a gift last year, and I thoroughly enjoyed it when I read it the first time around. I feel like this is the sort of book that needs to be read more than once. There’s so much to it in less than 100 pages, and there’s no way to see it all in the first read. It might only be short, but there’s so much to it, and it’s a story that too many people can understand.

            Cat Person by Kristen Roupenian follows Margot and her time with a guy she meets called Robert. They meet, exchange numbers, and it all seems good until their date, where it all begins to fall apart. Robert turns out to be very different to the guy she gave her number to.to be very different to the guy she gave her number to.

            This review might be better read by those of you who have read the book, because, for me, this second read is more about trying to pick up on things the first time. I suppose this is more like a running commentary on plot points than a review of any techniques used.

            Robert is off from the start. He isn’t perceptive to any of Margot’s advances, and I know that this can happen to anyone, but it all comes together in the end. Margot even points out that she has to “work to impress him”, and if she fails to respond immediately to a message, then he’s off with her; he only gives short answers and won’t do anything to actually further the conversation. These are early red flags for the sort of person that Robert turns out to be. Margot doesn’t see these red flags, because they are easy to miss.

            I’m not entirely sure how to put my thoughts into words here, but I’ll try my best, and I’ll give you this quote to help out:

“When Margot returned to camps, she was eager to see Robert again, but he turned out to be surprisingly hard to pin down. Sorry, busy week at work, he replied. I promise I will c u soon. Margot didn’t like this; it felt as if the dynamic had shifted out of her favour, and when eventually he did ask her to go to a movie she agreed right away.”

Robert isn’t excited and eager for seeing Margot. He always has a reason for not seeing her on her terms, however she has no issues seeing him on his terms. This shows him that he’s the one in control.

            He only steps up to date quality material when Margot is crying. It’s far easier to sneak into someone’s life when they’re in a low moment. Making someone feel better is obviously not a bad act unless it’s done with bad intentions. Cheering someone up for your own gain is a bad act and a really big red flag.

            No matter if you think you might be being impolite, if you do not want sex, you do not have to have it. Say no. It doesn’t matter if it’s on a date, a one-night stand or you’re in a relationship, you can always back out. If you are uncomfortable with what’s happening at any point, say something. It does not matter what stage you’re at with your partner, you do not have to continue. You’re not being impolite. You’re looking after yourself. This doesn’t just apply to sex. Look after yourself, trust your instinct, and speak up about your discomfort.

            “He’s a nice guy”. https://www.reddit.com/r/niceguys/ Yes, he is.

            This book is fantastic, and even better on the second read. The red flags are seen even earlier on. This book is absolutely one that I recommend. It’s fantastically written, and is a brutally brilliant commentary on the dark side of the dating scene. Find a copy of this if you can, because it’s superb. Also, Roupenian’s short story collection You Know You Want This is out, so I’ll certainly try to find a copy of that.