Book Review: 'For He Can Creep' by Siobhan Carroll

Cover art by Red Nose Studio

A short story about a cat, a poet and the devil.

'For He Can Creep' by Siobhan Carroll is a darkly comic tale that's a tribute to Christopher Smart's poem 'Jubliate Agno', who was committed to an asylum, with only his cat Jeoffry for company.

In this story, Jeoffry protects his human, a poet, and some of the other inmates from the demons that haunt the asylum. But when the devil himself visits with an offer to tempt Jeoffry away from his human, so the devil can corrupt the poet to intice the end of days, he has to put aside his self-importance and team up with a small group of cats, including a kitten by the name of Nighthunter Moppet, to save his human.

It's a wonderfully imaginative tale, told from the perspective of Jeoffry, and seems to capture the nature of cats perfectly! It's dark, creepy and with plenty of humour woven in to keep it from becoming too dark. A story with a few twists and turns and a sprinkle of the supernatural to keep you engaged throughout the short read. Highly recommended. Especially if you like cats.

Available to read for free from the Tor.com website.