Mimi and her aunt Mamone are cultured English tea drinking, music loving cats, who dress like fine ladies. Mimi loves ballet and goes to class with a Russian lady, Mrs. Reedley, who longs for the old Soviet times. Going to her class' little review, Mimi loses her way and ends up on the stage of the Opera House. Later, she and Aunt Mamone encounter The Faun from Afternoon of a Faun and follow him on an adventure that involves the ancient Greek gods Pan and Dionysus. They are transformed into gods themselves and back again. They learn that the world of the theater has its perils, and that addiction can strike anyone. The book is full of dry, droll and slapstick humor, with a just a touch of social criticism.