The Katzenbody Problem

Lori A. Dunn is an ESL teacher and editor of the Toronto women’s
magazine Feminie.

The Katzenbody Problem is the unexpectedly bizarre narrative of Rachel,
a woman who “lives in a hovel and steals tuna to feed her two huge
cats.” Insisting she is dying, Rachel would like to do herself in but
can’t quite bring herself to do it—at least not until she finds a
home for the cats and a means of disposing of her body. Throughout her
suicide procrastination, her life is riddled with a myriad of
irritations, including hallucinations, calls from creditors, visits from
her devoted would-be suitor, Kevin, and visits from extraterrestrials.

Baernstein’s brief but wacky novel is intriguing, as her style is
full of omens and off-kilter images. This sarcastic story of a woman in
a bad mood ranges from dark humor to social commentary, and should
appeal to the most morbid of readers.