256 pages
English language
Published Jan. 24, 2018 by Transworld Publishers Limited.
Abandoned at 30%. The cat parts are too cutesy for me; the kid parts too unengaging, the adult parts too lifeless. I’m sure this is a fine book.
the last 50 pages made me both cry and laugh in public
I read and was moved. Superbly fluid style, beautiful imagery, and a very relatable love story.
Our silver van was like a magic carriage. Every time I got into it, it carried me to a place I'd never been before. At the moment, we were without a doubt the greatest travelers in the world. And I was the world's greatest travelling cat.
I don't really know how to write this review. Anything I say about it beyond the superficial summary you can find here or on the book's back cover would spoil things that I think shouldn't be spoiled. Nana's no-nonsense view of the world, so typical for a cat, was really the best vehicle for a story of closure like this. Their Japan-hopping tour of Satoru's friends was extremely satisfying from a storytelling perspective; each friend had just a little more to add to Satoru's personality and past that made me want to keep reading in a way that a book hasn't in a long …
Our silver van was like a magic carriage. Every time I got into it, it carried me to a place I'd never been before. At the moment, we were without a doubt the greatest travelers in the world. And I was the world's greatest travelling cat.
I don't really know how to write this review. Anything I say about it beyond the superficial summary you can find here or on the book's back cover would spoil things that I think shouldn't be spoiled. Nana's no-nonsense view of the world, so typical for a cat, was really the best vehicle for a story of closure like this. Their Japan-hopping tour of Satoru's friends was extremely satisfying from a storytelling perspective; each friend had just a little more to add to Satoru's personality and past that made me want to keep reading in a way that a book hasn't in a long time.
Funny, bittersweet, sad, this book hit all the right notes for me. Books don't make me cry ever, and this one did. An easy add to my favorite physical books shelf where space is at a premium.
Beautiful book.
I'm not sure why I picked up The Travelling Cat Chronicles, it's not my usual thing and I'm not even a cat person, but I have been wanting to read more translated work, so there is that. I found it a charming and moving tale about saying goodbye, partly narrated by a cat.
Nana is a stray, sleeping on the streets (or on top of Satoru's silver van) when he is involved in a road accident. Kind Satoru takes him in and tends him back to health. When given the choice, Nana decided not to go back to his old life, despite his fierce independence. Fast forward an undisclosed number of years, and Satoru is seeking a new home for his beloved cat. He's not able to take him where he is going.
Nana's voice is typical cat, he's a bit sarcastic and doesn't suffer fools gladly. He doesn't seem …
I'm not sure why I picked up The Travelling Cat Chronicles, it's not my usual thing and I'm not even a cat person, but I have been wanting to read more translated work, so there is that. I found it a charming and moving tale about saying goodbye, partly narrated by a cat.
Nana is a stray, sleeping on the streets (or on top of Satoru's silver van) when he is involved in a road accident. Kind Satoru takes him in and tends him back to health. When given the choice, Nana decided not to go back to his old life, despite his fierce independence. Fast forward an undisclosed number of years, and Satoru is seeking a new home for his beloved cat. He's not able to take him where he is going.
Nana's voice is typical cat, he's a bit sarcastic and doesn't suffer fools gladly. He doesn't seem impressed by the people Satoru's considering for his new home. Part road trip, the story goes from one old friend to another, each time coming to the conclusion that it's not quite right for Nana. It's almost as if neither human or cat want to part.
The non-cat-narration tells the stories of how Sartoru got to know each person, their childhood history. This tales also shed light on the person Sartoru is today, and unfailingly kind and lovely individual, loved by all who knew him. It's not hard to guess what is happening but it's all about the interactions, and the smart arse cat.
