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4.36 AVERAGE
4.36 AVERAGE
This book was beautiful and reminded me that life is short, and that we should take a moment to think about the legacy we are leaving behind. Highly recommend.
emotional
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A solid, dependable book. Maybe even 3.75. I liked it better towards the end.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I found this books disappointing but this opinion is coloured by the awful narration. If you are going to be voicing a story set in Japan, at least know how to pronounce names, places and common foods.
The narrative was mostly told from the point of view of the cat, but it went on side quests. About half the narrative is backstory on the main character's experiences as an adolescent, and the friends that he made along the way... so it was telling things the cat would have known nothing about... and that slippy narrative style was a little irritating to me.
I do like that the cat's eye view stuff wasn't heavily anthropomorphised. I feel that the nature of the cat was fairly well respected... and I completely failed in my mission to find "a cosy book where nobody dies".
The narrative was mostly told from the point of view of the cat, but it went on side quests. About half the narrative is backstory on the main character's experiences as an adolescent, and the friends that he made along the way... so it was telling things the cat would have known nothing about... and that slippy narrative style was a little irritating to me.
I do like that the cat's eye view stuff wasn't heavily anthropomorphised. I feel that the nature of the cat was fairly well respected... and I completely failed in my mission to find "a cosy book where nobody dies".
emotional
funny
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I received access to an advance galley through the Penguin First to Read program.
Five years ago, Satoru helped rehabilitate Nana after the cat was hit by a car. Things have been good, but now unavoidable circumstances mean that Satoru can no longer keep a cat. Climbing into a silver van, the man and his cat road-trip across Japan, visiting old friends in the hopes that one of them can provide Nana with a new home.
The story alternates between present-day observations from Nana (whose cattish voice is brilliant), and third-person flashbacks to Satoru’s childhood that provide the background for his relationship with whoever they happen to be visiting. Frankly, I liked the cat’s voice far better. Satoru is a perfect human, kind to everyone and relentlessly self-sacrificing. The expository elements went from mildly-interesting to irritating within the first ‘travelling’ chapter, and Nana’s down-to-earth narrative could only help so much.
As for the broader plot elements... there are only so many “completely unavoidable circumstances” that force a cat-lover to let go of their beloved companion, so the twist halfway through the book isn’t all that twisty.
Did I cry? Oh yeah. But it was the sort of crying that comes from someone bludgeoning all the soft parts of your heart. No gently-plucked heartstrings here! The emotional bits have all the subtlety of brick to the face. The positive notes (including nearly everything about Satoru’s self-sacrificing character) take a flying leap over the border between ‘sweet’ and ‘saccharine.’ I still haven’t washed the cloying taste out of my mouth.
But hey, I did cry. I guess that means it succeeded on some level.
Unfortunately, I can’t say if this is an issue with translation or source material. I will point out that this isn’t to be released until October, so the final product may be better. As is? Recommended only for the emotionally masochistic.
Five years ago, Satoru helped rehabilitate Nana after the cat was hit by a car. Things have been good, but now unavoidable circumstances mean that Satoru can no longer keep a cat. Climbing into a silver van, the man and his cat road-trip across Japan, visiting old friends in the hopes that one of them can provide Nana with a new home.
The story alternates between present-day observations from Nana (whose cattish voice is brilliant), and third-person flashbacks to Satoru’s childhood that provide the background for his relationship with whoever they happen to be visiting. Frankly, I liked the cat’s voice far better. Satoru is a perfect human, kind to everyone and relentlessly self-sacrificing. The expository elements went from mildly-interesting to irritating within the first ‘travelling’ chapter, and Nana’s down-to-earth narrative could only help so much.
As for the broader plot elements... there are only so many “completely unavoidable circumstances” that force a cat-lover to let go of their beloved companion, so the twist halfway through the book isn’t all that twisty.
Did I cry? Oh yeah. But it was the sort of crying that comes from someone bludgeoning all the soft parts of your heart. No gently-plucked heartstrings here! The emotional bits have all the subtlety of brick to the face. The positive notes (including nearly everything about Satoru’s self-sacrificing character) take a flying leap over the border between ‘sweet’ and ‘saccharine.’ I still haven’t washed the cloying taste out of my mouth.
But hey, I did cry. I guess that means it succeeded on some level.
Unfortunately, I can’t say if this is an issue with translation or source material. I will point out that this isn’t to be released until October, so the final product may be better. As is? Recommended only for the emotionally masochistic.