I’m an emotional wreck! I’ve just finished reading Hiro Arikawa’s The Travelling Cat Chronicles, a Japanese novel published in 2012 (the English version in 2017). It’s the story of a stray cat taken in by a young man named Satoru. Together, through the changing seasons of Japan, they travel in a van, visiting friends from different times in Satoru’s life.
Written in deceptively simple prose which is elegant and quiet, this is a book about friendship, wisdom, the love shared by animal and human. Love is shown to be its own reward – both Satoru and Nana gain so much from their five years together and, in their travels, seeing Mt Fuji, the ocean, fields of flowers, they also give so much to their friends. We get the voice of Nana the cat, and also the human point of view, beautifully blended.
Hiro Arikawa, born in 1972, lives in Tokyo and she has clearly been owned by a cat because she writes with such knowledge of feline ways. Her novel has been a surprise international hit and was released as a film in 2018 (not available in Australia, sadly). She followed up The Travelling Cat Chronicles with a book of cat stories, The Goodbye Cat.
I thought everything about this book was beautiful – the writing, the cover, the stylised endpapers, the plot and the characters. Perhaps it was too soon after the death of my wonderful Dad, but I was left with tears pouring down my cheeks and a huge lump in my throat. It was sooooo moving. If you do decide to read it, make sure you have the tissues handy.
Have you ever taken in a stray cat and been rewarded with love?
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Tell me what you think! Leave a comment.
Margaret Debenham
We had a rescue cat – a black moggie – for 17 years. His name was Alexander, as he was under the impression he ruled the world. He was very loving – and his behavious was often more doggish that cattish. He would wait on the front verandah when I went to get my coffee in the morning, and walk up the lane to greet me when he saw me returning. (This might have been because he knew he was also about to get his morning coffee – Cafe au Lait sans Cafe!) It’s still upsetting to think of his death. And I hate animal deaths in books – I try to avoid them.
Sabine
I read this when it came out in 2019 and absolutely adored it. It’s worth every tear there were many. I also highly recommend A Cat, A Man, and Two Women by Junichiro Tanizaki
Helen
When I was eight, I read Charlottes Web. I was devastated when Charlotte died.
Helen
Helen Jakobi
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy – beautifully illustrated too.
Virginia Duigan
I have never forgotten the devastating death of the horse Ginger, in Anna Sewell’s classic Black Beauty. I read it when I was eight, and would guarantee that no child who read it would ever in their life perform an act of animal cruelty. It also helped to inculcate a lifelong empathy for exploited animals and their suffering at the hands of humans.
Susannah Fullerton
Yes, it was heartbreaking, wasn’t it. And definitely a good lesson for children about avoiding cruelty to animals.
Glennis Clark
This is the most beautiful book and as you said very emotional. I highly recommend the book to all animal lovers who can comprehend an animal’s unique personality.