Summary

MissJen
A pregnant calico cat abandoned in the bayou. An old hound dog chained to a slowly decaying house. The Alligator King, grown as big as a monster over the many years, and the terrible, scarred man who chases him - Gar-Face. With lyrical language, Appelt brings these characters together as events are inexorably set in motion by the birth of two kittens – Puck and Sabine. Twined through the story of how a hound dog, a calico cat and her kittens become a family are two other stories: the story of how the evil Gar-Face came to this place in the bayou and an older story yet of an ancient creature - part human, part snake - of how her family betrayed her and of how she waits for revenge. Short chapters make this a quick read, but be prepared – Gar-Face is truly evil. The Underneath is a powerful portrait of how devastating loss can be and how love can redeem and give meaning to a life.