I really wanted to love this one as I have been on a bit of a middle grade adventure kick lately but unfortunately it didn’t live up to expectations. I requested it on the premise of the cats but the whole thing fell a little flat for me but I’m not the target audience just an adult that loves middle grade

4 Stars
One Liner: A slow start but a worthy read

The town of Starspill had been in Fog for over 140 years, ever since the Wolf ate the Sun. But why are the cats now intent on making Zac steal one of the three Embers of the Sun from the Museum? What will the cats gain from it? Why did they steal Zac's old Map to make him do the job?
The story comes in the third-person POV (Zac’s).

My Thoughts:
This is more of a tween book than MG fiction but it is clean (despite the darkness).
The premise and the cover made me request a copy right away. It has fantasy, cats, atmosphere, and kids who need to be brave. What’s not to like?
The book has a slow start which makes sense we need some would-building and meet the characters. Right away, we can see cats will have a major role in the plot (yay!).
The concept is terrific – a city named Starspill that has been enveloped by the Fog for centuries, ever since the Wolf ate the Sun. The residents get light from star-powered lamps made by Startsmiths (Zac’s family) or candles (Alys’s family).
Zac and Alys should be around thirteen (I don’t remember reading their ages). While the boy is an introvert, Alys is a firebrand (the kind who will hit first and talk later). They make an interesting team.
The atmosphere gets full marks from me. I love how real the Fog feels as if it seeps out of the pages and envelopes the reader.
The main characters are well done but the side ones don’t get the same attention. This is a common concern in MG fiction. I’m still not sure what to think about Martha’s character. It seems to change as required for the story.
The cats in the book can talk. Jinx is a little black kitten with high aspirations and self-confidence a thousand times its size!
The stakes get higher as the story progresses. There’s enough danger and adventure for kids to stay hooked and turn the pages. However, I felt the conclusion in the climax needed a little more explanation. (Also, I needed more about the green star).
The ending is satisfactory and heartwarming. The book is a standalone but it could very well become a series with the same setting and more adventures.
The pacing is uneven but somehow works for the plot. As we get to the last quarter, it really ups the momentum. Yet, it doesn’t feel rushed or messy. There’s tension, danger, action, courage, and empathy. Loved that little moment in the climax which showed Zac’s character. Beautiful!

To summarize, Starspill is a delightful middle-grade (and younger YA) fantasy with an atmospheric setting and an adventure of a lifetime. I wish it had some illustrations too!
Thank you, NetGalley and Firefly Press, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

It doesn't matter the age, but in my opinion a good children's book will fill anyone's heart.

I let myself be guided by the cover of this story and look how wonderful I found it.

A super atmospheric story where you feel like you are going through the fog at every step and where you can feel the mystique of those stories they tell in the village.

I loved Zac and Alys, they are curious and adventurous kids that make you have a great time, but without a doubt my favorite character was Jinx, a talking kitty that accompanies these kids. She got me with the talking cats.

It was a great story, the quest to bring light back to the village because years ago it was devoured by a wolf, the stars being used as a source of energy and light, chatty and nosy kittens and the dense fog that envelops all the villagers.

I wasn't expecting much and was super satisfied.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with such a beautiful ARC.

Atmospheric fantasy writing at its best with great characters and huge peril. The plot keeps you guessing but all comes together brilliantly. We loved Jinx particularly.

Starspill is a beautifully written tale of adventure, legend , mystery , magic and cats!

It took my daughter a little while to get pulled into this story and I read some of the opening chapters with her. Both the writing style and the world building impressed me., at 30-40 pages in she was hooked and wouldn’t wait for me to continue reading and she raced through the rest of the book independently.

She really liked the main characters Zac and Alys and enjoyed reading their exploits and she said the book got better and better as it went on.

Loved this book right from the very first page. A truly spellbinding story, perfect for key stage 2 children. I cannot wait to read this with a class. A fantastic, epic tale of friendship, bravery, fear, tension and so much more.

I could almost feel the Fog as I was reading, such a clever story within a story. I was all in with Zac, Alys, Aurelian and Jinx on their quest. I adored the world Catherine Fisher described and I do hope we hear from her characters again. But if not, a perfect standalone novel.

I’ve always been enchanted and enthralled by Catherine Fisher’s worlds, but none like this. The fog shrouded, starlit town of Starspill seeped into my thoughts whenever I put the book down. The writing can be so wonderfully evocative and sensory, and it’s gloriously atmospheric – as magical as it is mysterious, from setting to characters. It feels like there’s something around every corner just waiting to reveal itself. Possibility is tantalisingly tangible.

It feels like a storybook world at times. Stars used as sources of light. The gathering of townsfolk to listen to a history that feels more myth than real. But Starspill doesn’t shy from thrilling with threat either. The spectre of the Wolf lives on in more than just the perpetual darkness of the world and there’s the ever-present slither of the knowing fog. The cats are both adorable and scheming. They’re both excellent facets of the book and work so well together to bring it to life and give it depth.

Zac is a great protagonist, considerate and dreamful and brave. But the entire cast is fantastic. His friendship with Alys feels lived in and she makes for a great compliment to him with her astuteness and ability to charge ahead. Aurelian’s wisdom and Jinx’s ambitious round the group out perfectly. And I love Jinx. What a sweet wee schemer.

I did begin to worry once the second Ember came into play and I noticed how many pages were left. But I should have had more faith in Fisher. It comes together wonderfully and Zac’s moment of consideration made me quite emotional. My one criticism is that while threats that are so terribly powerful makes for great tension and thrills but it forces certain constraints on the way the end plays out. I wish it hadn’t been taken quite so out of hand.

To end on a more positive note, I love the little sub-headings under each chapter. They build anticipation so well and add to that sense of magic that I love so dearly.

Starspill is a hugely atmospheric adventure pulling readers into a world where the wolf has eaten the moon. A blanket of fog takes on a life of its own, completely covering the town, while magical talking cats set Zac and Alys off on the most amazing quest. Readers will love this unique new fantasy.

Starspill is the wonderful story of two brave children, Zac and Alys, and Jinx the intrepid kitten as they embark on a daring quest to bring sunlight back to a land that's been shrouded in fog for over a hundred years since the wolf ate the sun. I loved the fantasy setting and atmosphere of this story, from the mysterious, semi-sentient fog that obscures everything and stars falling from the sky to be turned into lamps to the devious cult of the Wolf and the talking, meddlesome town cats. This story was a genuine delight full of cosy moments, thrilling action and adventure, plenty of twists and turns but with such a warm centre of friendship and camaraderie. Starspill is the first story by Catherine Fisher I've read, but it was such a treat that I'll be looking for her other books too.

This was a gripping read and I can already think of a group of KS2 children who will devour this. It's filled with cats, intrigue, mystery and decisions for Zac - who can and should he trust? I loved the backstory behind the disappearance of the sun.

Loved it. Truly magical and mysterious. And finally a true standalone!!! The worldbuilding is rich and fascinating with a whole lore... and talking cats ! I may still have a question at the end, but I do feel satisfied with the ending. I had a great pleasure and entertaining time following Zac and his friends in his quest!

!It took me a few chapters to get into this book, but once in, I was completely hooked and found it hard to put down! This book has everything from drama, mystery, excitement, and emotion, storytelling at its best! The characters have been cleverly thought about complimenting each other well.
I hope there will be plenty of new adventures for Zac and Alys to go on with the bookseller Aurelian and, of course, Jinx!

I love the premise of this story - the wolf has literally swallowed the sun, barring three scraps or embers which a cat saves by scattering them across the world. Thanks to this action, cats have entrance to every house in Starspill. Zac isn't so keen when they turn up to blackmail him into stealing one of the embers of the sun, which happens to be in Starspill. He enlists the help of best friend Alys to break into the museum but that is just the start of their adventures.

There is a lovely fairy tale/mythological aspect to this story, a villain with seven shadows (how creepy is that!), a gigantic and magical map, a mysterious bookshop keeper and very demanding talking cats. I like Jac and his interest in story telling. The family dynamics with his brother, Gryff, and sister-in-law are well done. I love they have a shop to sell lamps powered by star power, and that there are occasional Star Gathers, when Gryff leaves Starspill to find fallen stars.

One of my favourite elements in the story is the fog.. I really like how the fog is portrayed, blanketing the town and creeping into people's homes, crawling into cupboards and hidden places. Some even say it has a mind...

Starspill is a great fantasy, imaginative and different to many fantasies for this age group. If you like middle grade fantasy, highly recommend you check this one out.

This book was well liked by the children who thought that it was very interesting and exciting. They liked it because it was not like anything they had read before and it had lots of cats in it (apparently that adds to the story if theres lots of cats / animals in it !). Well liked by the demographic audience.

The wolf has eaten the sun plunging Starspill into a fog filled darkness. The cats are bereft, they want to see their sun back in the sky. Zac wants only to be left in peace to listen to stories and to dream. But the cats have stolen something precious from him. To get it back, Zac and his friends are sent on a thrilling adventure that ends in a battle of light over dark.. As hungrily as the wolf devoured the sun, I consumed Starspill. The characters, the world, the magic and Fisher's masterful way of telling a story are wonderful. Starspill is a terrific read and I one I can highly recommend.

Overall this is a truly excellent book, incredibly exciting and with a wonderful setting, lore and storyline.
My only problem is that very little happened in the first half, and it didn't grab me much until about halfway through when suddenly everything started coming together, and the story got incredibly fast paced in very exciting. I found myself not that bothered reading the first half, it was good, I wanted to find out what happened but wasn't hooked. But the second half! Wow! Could not put the book down and was completely in awe. Honestly it was so so good!
I could have read a whole series based on this storyline and lore. I almost wish it had been a series so there would be more of it!
At one point I thought maybe it would be a series because there felt like a lot still to happen and my kindle was saying I had only 10.minutes worth of reading left. But although the ending was incredibly fast paced, it didn't feel rushed in the slightest. It actually worked brilliantly to it's advantage as I was desperate to know how they would, presumably, save the day, in such a short space of time.

So I highly recommend this book. Just give it a chance to warm up, and you will love it too!

Magical, whimsical and dark at the same time, and full of cats?! I loved it. This is such an engaging and fun adventure!

It is a very interesting premise about the sun being eaten up by Wolf and the city having to rely on fallen stars for light. The idea of the sun being eaten by Wolf reminds me of the Chinese myth about solar eclipse which says that a Heaven's Dog ( a wolf actually) eating up the sun, causing solar eclipse. The idea of a city engulfed in a fog reminds me of a movie from quite a few years ago.

The adventure is fun to read. I also love how the cats are depicted in this story.

The sun’s been eaten by a wolf, a mysterious fog has encompassed the earth, cats can talk, but can they be trusted, and there’s one boy who can save them all…

Starspill by Catherine Fisher is a release from Firefly Press coming 14th January 2025.

Zac is a starsmith, the latest in a long line of the family trade. Ever since the wolf ate the sun and the fog consumed their town, the starsmiths gather fallen stars to be used as sources as light for those in town. Pulled from school to learn the trade, Zac lives for the stories and legends he hears from the local storyteller and, one night, after a visit from tens of cats, known as the Catclave, he discovers they may be more than just stories.

The cats want him to steal one of the three remaining embers of the sun, the crumbs the wolf couldn’t consume. Normally, Zac wouldn’t consider such a thing, but they’ve stolen something precious to him – a remnant of a map of the world from before the sun was eaten. Armed with the knowledge that the cats have his back, and his best friend Alys by his side, Zac breaks into the museum and steals the fragment of the sun.

However, the town of Starspill has a new resident, a mysterious bookseller called Aurelian, who doesn’t believe the cats can be trusted. They arrange a trade with the cats, but Aurelian’s magic means they manage to leave with both the ember and the map fragment. Only then does Aurelian complete his personal quest to complete his map of the world’s labyrinth, a magical maze of doorways connecting the world out of plain sight.

Fuelled by this knowledge, Zac, Alys, Aurelian and future King of the Cats, Jinx, set off to retrieve the remaining two embers of the sun. However, with the Wolf Order, the shapeshifting fog and the peeved off cats on their tail, Zac and the group faces the trials and tribulations of defeating the wolf and restoring the sun. Can they do it, or will the world be forever thrust into darkness?

First off, I want to give incredible commendations to Catherine Fisher for the originality of the concept of Starspill. A wolf eating the sun and what would happen afterwards? Genius! I was captivated on sight of the description, and even through to the end I thought it was imaginative. There will be some science-minded individuals who will be the type to argue that without the sun life couldn’t continue, but to those people I kindly ask that they go and find an imagination because this book is FUN!

Aurelian really is a tremendous character, arguably my favourite in the novel. There’s a section of the book where he discusses his past, the world he remembers, and even the mystery of how old Aurelian is, all of which made me wish there’s a book centred on him in the future, because he had me captivated. They way he was a conduit between the children, cats, and adults of the novel, all whilst providing the physical magic, was exceptionally amusing, and I could read about him for days.

There are a couple small sections of the book where there’s the temptation to fall out of the mindset of the character. For instance, there are couple of “Zac knew”, “Zac felts” that were told rather than shown that I think could’ve benefitted from being shown to us the reader as opposed to telling us, however with these being few and far between, by the next paragraph you’re right back in the story and the enjoyment so I wouldn’t say this is a massive concern.

The ending, plotwise, is phenomenal and is everything that I wished would happen throughout reading Starspill. However, I don’t know if this has been edited too much or it’s a stylistic choice, but it read rather rushed. On the final page, there were key plot points wrapped up in single lines of dialogue that I, personally, would’ve liked to have seen expanded upon, but again it’s the ending I think a lot of readers will want. Therefore, I believe a lot of readers, especially young reader, will be able to overlook this.

Starspill is a magnificent adventure to kick start 2025 with for the middle grade audience. This world is thoroughly thought out, the idea is new and inventive, and most importantly, I cannot use the word FUN enough to describe this book. Catherine Fisher has delivered one of the first must-reads of 2025.

This was dark and scary at times and I loved it. There are stars, magic and cats. So many cats. Some are good and some aren't!
Zac and Alys end up on an adventure that will change their lives and the lives of the people of Starspill. They're keen and driven, but they need to work out who they can trust and who they can't (cats included!). They face many challenges but with hard work and some help from others, they manage to solve problems and find answers.
A fabulous read, full of adventure and fun.