by Stacey Yu
First published 2026
Katie floats aimlessly through New York City after college. Her wealthy boyfriend James makes all the decisions while she fails to land a job or find purpose. Her mother won't speak to her. Her roommate has abandoned their apartment. Then James takes her to his family's coastal retreat, where she meets Silver, his childhood cat. Katie watches Silver sleep through entire days, knock things over, and demand attention. Everyone still feeds Silver and cleans up after him. Katie wants that same freedom from responsibility. She begins following Silver everywhere, studying his every move. Her fixation on the cat starts destroying her connection with James. Other relationships crumble too. Through her bond with Silver, Katie confronts hard truths about her passive existence. She realizes she has been letting everyone else steer her life while she drifts along. Now she faces a choice between continuing as a passenger in her own story or grabbing control of where she goes next.
Genres: fiction, romance, literary-fiction, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: New York City, Seaside House
Period: Post-College
304 pages · Hardcover · Random House