Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
I really wanted to love this, and there were definitely some charming aspects that hit me in the feels as a cat mom myself... but to me the translation was really clunky when it came to the narrative, story structure and the human's dialogue. It felt awkward to read-- childish even-- and I felt super disconnected from the characters. I liked that all of the characters' short stories had overlapping elements, with the cats connecting many of them together in ways they weren't aware of. Despite the interconnected story line, it's definitely more slice-of-life without a true underlying plot. The moments that were clearly written to be profound fell flat and read like word salad.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Bacaan ringan tapi cukup filosofis, menceritakan kehidupan beberapa tokoh yang hidup di lingkungan yang sama lalu bertemu dengan kucing liar yang akhirnya menemani hidup mereka yang cukup sepi.
Seperti yang kita tahu, memelihara kucing bisa mengobati sedikit rasa sepi dalam hidup dan bisa membuat kita lebih hidup karena ada yang menemani dan bisa diajak mengobrol, walaupun tidak bisa menjawab dengan bahasa manusia. Namun, walaupun tingkahnya agak menyebalkan, kucing cukup pengertian dengan kondisi pemiliknya dan cukup membantu saat kita sedang tidak baik-baik saja.
Buku ini dibagi menjadi tiga bagian yang menceritakan tiap tokoh dan masalahnya. Tokoh pertama dan ketidakpercayaan diri atas kemampuan sosial dan komunikasinya. Tokoh kedua, atas cita-citanya menjadi pelukis handal dan hidup dari sana. Tokoh ketiga, hidup di masa tua, lelah mengurus orang lain, kesepian kecuali ditemani anjingnya yang pada akhirnya meninggalkannya juga.
Di bagian terakhir, aku cukup emosional menyimak kepergian Jon, anjing dari tokoh ketiga. Anjing yang bijaksana dan banyak tahu ini pun menghilang dari rumah majikan maupun lingkungan. Tidak ada lagi yang menjaga dan menemani pemilik rumah. Tidak ada lagi yang akan menengahi perebutan wilayah antara kucing liar di sana. Tidak ada lagi tempat bertanya atau berdiskusi hal-hal yang belum diketahui para kucing liar.
Buku ini cukup menyenangkan dan menyegarkanku (karena memang lagi mau membaca buku yang tidak terlalu serius dan menghibur), terutama karena berhubungan dan berfokus pada kucing.
Seperti yang kita tahu, memelihara kucing bisa mengobati sedikit rasa sepi dalam hidup dan bisa membuat kita lebih hidup karena ada yang menemani dan bisa diajak mengobrol, walaupun tidak bisa menjawab dengan bahasa manusia. Namun, walaupun tingkahnya agak menyebalkan, kucing cukup pengertian dengan kondisi pemiliknya dan cukup membantu saat kita sedang tidak baik-baik saja.
Buku ini dibagi menjadi tiga bagian yang menceritakan tiap tokoh dan masalahnya. Tokoh pertama dan ketidakpercayaan diri atas kemampuan sosial dan komunikasinya. Tokoh kedua, atas cita-citanya menjadi pelukis handal dan hidup dari sana. Tokoh ketiga, hidup di masa tua, lelah mengurus orang lain, kesepian kecuali ditemani anjingnya yang pada akhirnya meninggalkannya juga.
Di bagian terakhir, aku cukup emosional menyimak kepergian Jon, anjing dari tokoh ketiga. Anjing yang bijaksana dan banyak tahu ini pun menghilang dari rumah majikan maupun lingkungan. Tidak ada lagi yang menjaga dan menemani pemilik rumah. Tidak ada lagi yang akan menengahi perebutan wilayah antara kucing liar di sana. Tidak ada lagi tempat bertanya atau berdiskusi hal-hal yang belum diketahui para kucing liar.
Buku ini cukup menyenangkan dan menyegarkanku (karena memang lagi mau membaca buku yang tidak terlalu serius dan menghibur), terutama karena berhubungan dan berfokus pada kucing.
3 out of 5 stars
a super quick and enjoyable read!! so wholesome but i wasn’t entirely enthralled with the storytelling. nonetheless it was so unique and heartwarming to read.
a super quick and enjoyable read!! so wholesome but i wasn’t entirely enthralled with the storytelling. nonetheless it was so unique and heartwarming to read.
Novela ligera sobre los destinos entrelazados de cuatro gatos y cuatro mujeres. Se queda en la superficie de las cosas, sin ahondar en los conflictos de los personajes ni explotar el mundo de los felinos. Correcta y funcional, sin más.
Cat lovers, this one’s for you. If you’ve ever been lonely, it’s for you, too.
She and Her Cat is a series of four interrelated short stories, all featuring women and their feline loves. Sometimes the cats narrate; sometimes the opposite. It’s a quick read that will totally warm your heart. The first story is about Chobi, rescued by Miyu, just when he needed her most. He’s so in love with Miyu and is there by her side through all of the ups and downs of her life. Chobi reminded me so much of my Dickens. Reading his story was a gift. The whole book is a gift.
It’s written stream of consciousness style, which allows the reader space to insert their own emotions. I loved that because, as someone who has adopted and loved cats, this very much felt like “my” book. Cats are wise, and every day, mine teach me something new about love and companionship.
A gentle grouping of stories with beautiful artwork; gorgeous.
She and Her Cat is a series of four interrelated short stories, all featuring women and their feline loves. Sometimes the cats narrate; sometimes the opposite. It’s a quick read that will totally warm your heart. The first story is about Chobi, rescued by Miyu, just when he needed her most. He’s so in love with Miyu and is there by her side through all of the ups and downs of her life. Chobi reminded me so much of my Dickens. Reading his story was a gift. The whole book is a gift.
It’s written stream of consciousness style, which allows the reader space to insert their own emotions. I loved that because, as someone who has adopted and loved cats, this very much felt like “my” book. Cats are wise, and every day, mine teach me something new about love and companionship.
A gentle grouping of stories with beautiful artwork; gorgeous.
Rating: 3.4 (I don't think I would put it on the 4 star)
I fairly enjoyed this (Read it in PT and not Eng which did made it a longer read than it probably would have been lol), I will say partiality the reason I can't give the 4 stars is because I felt there should have been more with the characters, I found myself not caring much for the side characters because of the lack of time we spent with them.
I did however really enjoy how all the stories are connected in some way or the other, being the second Japanese translated novel I read I wonder if this is a more common thing in stories like these.
*Trigger warnings*: One of the characters almost gets SA-ed in Part 2 + Talks of Depression in Part 3
Part 1- Miyu and Chobi
Ok so off the bat this was my least favorite story of the 4. Again, I feel the way the book was translated might have helped the weirdness for me, but the weird almost romanticized voyeuristic way Chobi describes his owner made me a bit uncomfortable.
John well is a character that I did not enjoy in Part 1, he felt awfully like that old drunk man that gave you questionable advice vibes of “wisdom”, not a fan simply.
Miyu is a very likable character. I enjoyed her whole story and whole conflict between her situationship with Nobu and Tamaki. I feel like the lack of communication was what doomed them from the start. Tamaki SHOULD have told Miyu about her feelings for Nobu after presenting the two than simply expect Miyu to just KNOW and then get mad that HER lack of communication ended where it ended. I enjoyed Miyu simply, not much to say (loved when she gave advice to Reina in part 2).
Chobi well I can’t say I enjoy him as much, I feel he get a bit better as the story goes on simply wishing for Miyu’s happiness more than anything, but again the way he describes her was just uncomfortable in many ways.
Part 2- Reina and Mimi
OK SO I will STRAIGHT OFF the bat say I enjoyed Reina as a character HOWEVER she also gave me TERRIBLE flashbacks to people in my art course in High School. Just her whole almost superiority thing is just too common.
To go into more depth into my thought on Reina, I did not really enjoy the way they “humbled” her, it gave me the ick how she needed to almost be assaulted. I DESPISED that. I feel like it was quite poorly written thought I felt her REACTION to the event was very real, all the feelings she felt, but again I hated that was what “she needed” to get humble and see that talent really doesn’t mean anything if you don’t know how to cultivate it. (Plus, the whole talent in art is a topic that has been debated over and over and most artists DESPISE it because it takes away the years of work and technique artists have to put in to learn).
I did like however how her “less talented” friend Masato ended up actually achieving something not because of “talent” but because he worked and actually did try instead of crying over teachers telling you how you need to put the work in. Plus showing her commitment issues reflected even with if she would take in Mimi or not and the hesitation before she said sc*w it, was pretty good. (Might have gotten a bit personal with Reina lol, despite the negative things I said I did enjoy her)
Mimi is by far MY FAVORITE, I love her spunk and her personality, how she is scared of being abandoned and when she finally started living with Reina was such a comfy feeling as she is very sweet and happy despite her circumstances, I feel like they didn’t do that great of job showing her hard-of-earing problems until almost the end. I will say I did not like her romantic storylines. Her random fascination with Chobi was quite random and her actual partner was even MORE random as we barely got to know him before he died, we didn’t know if he actually liked Mimi or not and that I felt was quite important to know, even if it was from stories from Cookie.
Part 3- Aoi and Cookie
Oh, this one HURT. Seeing two friends that had been there for each other for so long falling apart.
Aoi is a hermit or what in Japan is known as hikikomori, her feelings of guilt over the loss of her friend Mari felt quite real to me, seeing how they grew from two little girls (Mari being somewhat of a sickly child), loving manga and creating their own stories to see them have an opportunity to create a manga on their own together as they wished for Mari having what seemed to have writer’s block and struggling meaning they lost that opportunity, Aoi screaming at her from frustration and then hearing that her friend had died from a Heart Attack, which most likely was caused from the stress of their fight. Aoi stopped creating and hiding in her room, suffering on her own with the feeling of guilt until she eventually as her closure when her friend’s bracelet breaks (a bracelet that said once it broke it meant the wish of the wearer would come true) and she able to step outside after who knows many years.
Cookie on the other hand is Mimi’s daughter, a sweet kitten that wants to play and being able to jump as high as the roofs. She was adopted by Aoi’s mother seemingly to become almost an emotional support pet for her, to help her recover from her depression and she was just a very cute kitten. She was very sweet, and it was adorable when she was trying to speak to Aoi and ask her to let her see her mom.
Part 4- Shino and Kuro
I really enjoyed this one. Like REALLY enjoyed it. I am not an old lady or anything but being the one that was always expected to give away her time and things for others I also related to that aspect of Shino’s character. Plus, I also helped a lot in my late teens when my grandmother had become very sick and needed help, so I guess it reminded me of that time. I would try to rush from school to come home to make sure she was ok, as my cousin was staying with us to help her until he wasn’t but that’s near or there.
Shino again felt very relatable in that aspect, maybe its because I am not an older person, but I can’t imagine my dog disappearing and not looking for them? Maybe she just knew it was his time but again I feel like its partially because again these stories aren’t very long. The way she got so used to taking care of people from her father and mother-in-law, her husband just dipping (which wow bro- she sacrifices her life for your parents you just leave with no explanation). To her taking in her exhausted and overwhelmed nephew Ryota and Kuro describing how she felt more alive, most likely because she had been alone for so long but that is what I thought, it could have just been she had gone used to taking care of people that felt strange NOT doing so.
Ryota surprisingly does get something despite being a side character, which is almost a first and his story seems to be a big criticism of the pressure of adulthood and ho win Japan you have to work so hard to the point of death and him just getting to overwhelmed and seeking help from someone that was a safe space (sure as hell wasn’t his father). Being able to learn how to adult with his aunt slowly and after feeling better helping her around the house and moving on from the stress he had endured with his previous job. Plus, the possible romance between him and Miyu was quite cute and I liked it.
Kuro was quite a fun character, he seems to struggle with understanding a lot in the emotional department and was quite “wild” by cat definitions, he was close to the old dog John and had a friendly rivalry with him and they that close that he promised to look after Shino BECAUSE of John, since he never wanted to get close to humans, wanted to be free and wild. The way he warmed up to Shino was quite sweet and heartwarming, plus he was very animated, and I loved how he would smack Ryota to get himself together, his “come on bro, get yourself together” thing.
John… well what to say about him, I liked him a bit in the last chapter, he felt wiser in this chapter than in the first where he gave again QUESTIONABLE advice to Chobi, and again his relationship with Kuro was adorable, they were close and, in a way, he did help Kuro and Shino become happier. Not much more to say honestly.
Epilogue and overall thoughts
So, in the epilogue we see the characters and their current lives.
Miyu is still working on the art school and teased a possible relationship with Ryota that seemed to have moved in with his aunt.
Reina went back to Art school and even reconnected with her friend Masato (Mimi still being a menace), where we learn that Reina and Aoi ended up becoming friends (because of plot that happened with Cookie running to meet with her mother, introducing Reina and Aoi in the way), where we learn that Aoi is now not only going outside (we see this a bit in part 4) BUT also creating manga.
While Shino is living with her nephew and Kuro that doesn’t want to admit that he enjoys being pampered by her.
Again, I really liked this book, however the lack of fleshing out of the side characters and the fact the stories were short and felt they were missing stuff PLUS what was really poorly written with Reina to “humble” her I can’t give it a 4/5 stars.
It wasn’t a bad book, but I feel there could have been more, fleshing characters like Nobu, Mimi’s partner and her relationship, seen more of Mari even if it was in Aois memory.
I fairly enjoyed this (Read it in PT and not Eng which did made it a longer read than it probably would have been lol), I will say partiality the reason I can't give the 4 stars is because I felt there should have been more with the characters, I found myself not caring much for the side characters because of the lack of time we spent with them.
I did however really enjoy how all the stories are connected in some way or the other, being the second Japanese translated novel I read I wonder if this is a more common thing in stories like these.
*Trigger warnings*: One of the characters almost gets SA-ed in Part 2 + Talks of Depression in Part 3
Part 1- Miyu and Chobi
Ok so off the bat this was my least favorite story of the 4. Again, I feel the way the book was translated might have helped the weirdness for me, but the weird almost romanticized voyeuristic way Chobi describes his owner made me a bit uncomfortable.
John well is a character that I did not enjoy in Part 1, he felt awfully like that old drunk man that gave you questionable advice vibes of “wisdom”, not a fan simply.
Miyu is a very likable character. I enjoyed her whole story and whole conflict between her situationship with Nobu and Tamaki. I feel like the lack of communication was what doomed them from the start. Tamaki SHOULD have told Miyu about her feelings for Nobu after presenting the two than simply expect Miyu to just KNOW and then get mad that HER lack of communication ended where it ended. I enjoyed Miyu simply, not much to say (loved when she gave advice to Reina in part 2).
Chobi well I can’t say I enjoy him as much, I feel he get a bit better as the story goes on simply wishing for Miyu’s happiness more than anything, but again the way he describes her was just uncomfortable in many ways.
Part 2- Reina and Mimi
OK SO I will STRAIGHT OFF the bat say I enjoyed Reina as a character HOWEVER she also gave me TERRIBLE flashbacks to people in my art course in High School. Just her whole almost superiority thing is just too common.
To go into more depth into my thought on Reina, I did not really enjoy the way they “humbled” her, it gave me the ick how she needed to almost be assaulted. I DESPISED that. I feel like it was quite poorly written thought I felt her REACTION to the event was very real, all the feelings she felt, but again I hated that was what “she needed” to get humble and see that talent really doesn’t mean anything if you don’t know how to cultivate it. (Plus, the whole talent in art is a topic that has been debated over and over and most artists DESPISE it because it takes away the years of work and technique artists have to put in to learn).
I did like however how her “less talented” friend Masato ended up actually achieving something not because of “talent” but because he worked and actually did try instead of crying over teachers telling you how you need to put the work in. Plus showing her commitment issues reflected even with if she would take in Mimi or not and the hesitation before she said sc*w it, was pretty good. (Might have gotten a bit personal with Reina lol, despite the negative things I said I did enjoy her)
Mimi is by far MY FAVORITE, I love her spunk and her personality, how she is scared of being abandoned and when she finally started living with Reina was such a comfy feeling as she is very sweet and happy despite her circumstances, I feel like they didn’t do that great of job showing her hard-of-earing problems until almost the end. I will say I did not like her romantic storylines. Her random fascination with Chobi was quite random and her actual partner was even MORE random as we barely got to know him before he died, we didn’t know if he actually liked Mimi or not and that I felt was quite important to know, even if it was from stories from Cookie.
Part 3- Aoi and Cookie
Oh, this one HURT. Seeing two friends that had been there for each other for so long falling apart.
Aoi is a hermit or what in Japan is known as hikikomori, her feelings of guilt over the loss of her friend Mari felt quite real to me, seeing how they grew from two little girls (Mari being somewhat of a sickly child), loving manga and creating their own stories to see them have an opportunity to create a manga on their own together as they wished for Mari having what seemed to have writer’s block and struggling meaning they lost that opportunity, Aoi screaming at her from frustration and then hearing that her friend had died from a Heart Attack, which most likely was caused from the stress of their fight. Aoi stopped creating and hiding in her room, suffering on her own with the feeling of guilt until she eventually as her closure when her friend’s bracelet breaks (a bracelet that said once it broke it meant the wish of the wearer would come true) and she able to step outside after who knows many years.
Cookie on the other hand is Mimi’s daughter, a sweet kitten that wants to play and being able to jump as high as the roofs. She was adopted by Aoi’s mother seemingly to become almost an emotional support pet for her, to help her recover from her depression and she was just a very cute kitten. She was very sweet, and it was adorable when she was trying to speak to Aoi and ask her to let her see her mom.
Part 4- Shino and Kuro
I really enjoyed this one. Like REALLY enjoyed it. I am not an old lady or anything but being the one that was always expected to give away her time and things for others I also related to that aspect of Shino’s character. Plus, I also helped a lot in my late teens when my grandmother had become very sick and needed help, so I guess it reminded me of that time. I would try to rush from school to come home to make sure she was ok, as my cousin was staying with us to help her until he wasn’t but that’s near or there.
Shino again felt very relatable in that aspect, maybe its because I am not an older person, but I can’t imagine my dog disappearing and not looking for them? Maybe she just knew it was his time but again I feel like its partially because again these stories aren’t very long. The way she got so used to taking care of people from her father and mother-in-law, her husband just dipping (which wow bro- she sacrifices her life for your parents you just leave with no explanation). To her taking in her exhausted and overwhelmed nephew Ryota and Kuro describing how she felt more alive, most likely because she had been alone for so long but that is what I thought, it could have just been she had gone used to taking care of people that felt strange NOT doing so.
Ryota surprisingly does get something despite being a side character, which is almost a first and his story seems to be a big criticism of the pressure of adulthood and ho win Japan you have to work so hard to the point of death and him just getting to overwhelmed and seeking help from someone that was a safe space (sure as hell wasn’t his father). Being able to learn how to adult with his aunt slowly and after feeling better helping her around the house and moving on from the stress he had endured with his previous job. Plus, the possible romance between him and Miyu was quite cute and I liked it.
Kuro was quite a fun character, he seems to struggle with understanding a lot in the emotional department and was quite “wild” by cat definitions, he was close to the old dog John and had a friendly rivalry with him and they that close that he promised to look after Shino BECAUSE of John, since he never wanted to get close to humans, wanted to be free and wild. The way he warmed up to Shino was quite sweet and heartwarming, plus he was very animated, and I loved how he would smack Ryota to get himself together, his “come on bro, get yourself together” thing.
John… well what to say about him, I liked him a bit in the last chapter, he felt wiser in this chapter than in the first where he gave again QUESTIONABLE advice to Chobi, and again his relationship with Kuro was adorable, they were close and, in a way, he did help Kuro and Shino become happier. Not much more to say honestly.
Epilogue and overall thoughts
So, in the epilogue we see the characters and their current lives.
Miyu is still working on the art school and teased a possible relationship with Ryota that seemed to have moved in with his aunt.
Reina went back to Art school and even reconnected with her friend Masato (Mimi still being a menace), where we learn that Reina and Aoi ended up becoming friends (because of plot that happened with Cookie running to meet with her mother, introducing Reina and Aoi in the way), where we learn that Aoi is now not only going outside (we see this a bit in part 4) BUT also creating manga.
While Shino is living with her nephew and Kuro that doesn’t want to admit that he enjoys being pampered by her.
Again, I really liked this book, however the lack of fleshing out of the side characters and the fact the stories were short and felt they were missing stuff PLUS what was really poorly written with Reina to “humble” her I can’t give it a 4/5 stars.
It wasn’t a bad book, but I feel there could have been more, fleshing characters like Nobu, Mimi’s partner and her relationship, seen more of Mari even if it was in Aois memory.
