Hey Kitty
by Shilpa Suraj
Genre: Young Adult Fiction

“Be kind, have courage, and always believe in a little magic.” – Cinderella. Who hasn’t read the evergreen classic love story? Over the years, we’ve seen multiple adaptations of it. But author Shilpa Suraj flips the sweet, familiar tale into a new-age novel brimming with relatability.

Hey Kitty is a young adult fiction novel centred around Katyayani Shankar (Katya to her friends). Her life takes a complete turn after the death of her mother, Amma. Soon after, her gentle and overprotective father, Uncle Kannan, falls in love with Aunty Sushma, who happens to be Misha Banerjee’s mother. Not only does Katya have to adjust to a new family while grieving her mother, but she also ends up attending the same school as her nemesis, Misha, who seems determined to make life miserable for her.

On the surface, Misha is popular, gorgeous, and sharp-tongued, but beneath that exterior, she craves love and attention. In her confused mind, Katya has stolen her mother, and now no one cares for her. She seeks validation from her toxic boyfriend, Samar, who is a textbook Casanova who offers lust and ego-stroking rather than love.

Then there’s Ashar, Katya’s bench partner – a grumpy, good-hearted nerd who constantly brushes off her attempts at friendship. Yet, strangely, Katya always manages to get her dreaded Chemistry and Mathematics problems right when sitting next to him. (Spoiler alert: they do become friends.)

This book addresses important societal issues like peer pressure, cyberbullying, and the sexualisation of young women. It also explores how the lack of open communication during family changes, such as divorce or remarriage, can lead to emotional fallout in teenagers. Characters like Misha and Katya reflect the bottled-up anger and confusion that many teens experience. The story serves as a wake-up call for parts of society still stuck in outdated norms. It reminds us that during the fragile teenage years, every adolescent needs at least one trustworthy adult to confide in so that they don’t end up seeking validation from manipulative people like Samar.

I personally loved Hey Kitty and felt a void upon reaching its final page. It’s written in a way that is relatable to every 13–16-year-old. I would recommend this book to every teenager, especially those feeling lost. It acts like an anchor, gently reminding readers that someone always cares.

Reviewed By: Paulomi Babre, 14 years old

You can get your copy of the book here.

Cover Image Source: Amazon