Book Review: The Travelling Cat Chronicles By Hiro Arikawa

THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES

By: Hiro Arikawa

Translated by: Philip Gabriel

Published: October 23, 2018

Publisher: Berkley

Fiction

This bestselling novel from Japan has now made its way to the United States and is receiving much praise from readers all across the globe. The translation by Gabriel is flawless and lets the voice of Nana the cat shine.

Nana the cat narrates the story beginning with his first meeting with Satoru in the parking lot of Satoru’s apartment complex. When Nana the cat is hit by a car, Satoru takes him in. Even though Nana was quite happy being a stray, he finds that living with Satoru is a new kind of blessing that he wasn’t expecting.

Arikawa must have a secret way to read the minds of cats, because there were so many times I laughed out loud reading Nana’s thoughts about humans, television, and scenery during their journey across Japan. As a cat owner, I could imagine our cat saying the same things about our habits, the food, other animals, and our routine.

Satoru takes Nana on a journey to find a new home for him when he suddenly is no longer able to keep Nana. Since Nana doesn’t know the reason, the reader is also kept in the dark as to the reason why Nana must find a new home. On the journey, we are introduced to people from Satoru’s past and told the story of his connections to the people he visits. Nana finds himself meeting people and other animals and learning more about Satoru and his life. When the journey ends and Satoru finds a place for Nana, the real reason he has to leave him is made known. This touching story of love and devotion between a cat and his owner will warm your heart.

The book is tiny and makes for a quick read even though the chapters are longer. Each part of Satoru and Nana’s journey is a section. As they continue on to each subsequent visit, the scenery changes including traveling along the sea, staying near Mount Fuji, and the blooming cherry blossoms. Arikawa’s descriptions beautifully captured scenery that the reader was able to imagine and want to visit. Nana’s description of their van driving onto a ferry was a unique perspective from a sea-hating cat that made me laugh.

This simple story of love, friendship, devotion, and hope may not have the drama and adventure of other books, but its gentle story will leave just as much of an impact on your heart.

Hiro Arikawa is a female author, well-known and loved in Japan. She has won many awards for her writing. She has even had some of her books adapted into films.

To purchase a copy of THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES, click the photo below:

Other books you may enjoy also told from the cat’s perspective:

THE STORY OF FESTER CAT: How One Remarkable Cat Changed Two Men’s Lives

WELCOME HOME, BERNARD SOCKS

Check out this compilation of cat stories:

CAT TALES

Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to make a purchase through the above links, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.