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A review by amaraivers
The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa
5.0
5 stars ꣑ৎ
The Travelling Cat Chronicles just shattered my heart into pieces for the second time. I thought I’d never bawl my eyes out again, but I was wrong. It’s official: this book never has, and never will, fail to make me laugh and cry inconsolably. Rereading it was the best decision I’ve made, because not only did I appreciate and understand the characters more than I did the first time, but now I can give it the review it deserves. Honestly, reading this book feels like a privilege. It’s such a gem, and it would be a shame not to express how much I loved it.
Satoru and Nana’s journey allowed me to get to know each of the characters—their backstories, how they became friends with Satoru, and the kind of relationship they shared with him. This is to say, I really appreciated how well-written and raw they all felt.
More than that, I found myself sharing the same sentiment Nana seemed to carry throughout the journey—a growing understanding of who Satoru was beyond just someone who loved his cat dearly. I got to know his past, the place where he grew up, the kind of person he is, the people who mattered to him, and the moments that left a mark on his heart. It wasn’t just Nana getting to know Satoru, I was too.
Hiro Arikawa did an excellent job writing Nana as a cat. She truly captured the essence of a cat’s personality because Nana has the confidence most cats do, and while he can be aloof at times, he shows his warmth in little, meaningful ways.
Words may fail to fully describe how deeply Satory loves Nana, but I believe this sentence says it all. Satoru is willing to go to great lengths for Nana’s sake, which is evident throughout the story. Their relationship goes far beyond that of owner and pet. Satoru never made me feel as though he owned Nana; rather, he simply appreciated him for who he was and genuinely loved caring for him. For instance, he respects Nana’s boundaries and wants to learn his likes and dislikes. His love for Nana feels truly unconditional, which is probably what made their bond unbreakable.
What amazed me even more was how Satoru’s relationships were woven into the story. Each chapter focused on the people he had during different times in his life, which made the story feel really personal and heartfelt.
To show my appreciation for the people in Satoru’s life, I want to put quotes here that captures the essence of each character (at least to me).
Kosuke: “Kosuke had a habit of swallowing whatever he wanted to say. repeated patterns of childhood behavior have long-term consequences. And still, Kosuke could never bring himself to stand up to his father and argue back.”
Yoshimine: “Yoshimine had done a great job bringing him up. And despite him being the ill-mannered kind who’d grab you by the scruff of the neck the first time he met you, Yoshimine hadn’t just looked the othe way when a troublesome kitten turned up, so it was clear to me he was an individual who had a lot of love to give.”
Sugi: “He likes him, but he also envies him. The master seems to feel that if he could be like Satoru, then Chikako would love him more.”
Chikako: “She’s always had strong views when it comes to animals, ever since she was little.”
Noriko: “Not since she was a little girl had Noriko wept with such abandon.”
Since I’ve mentioned Sugi and Chikako, I’ll add my little concern about their backstory. It actually felt a bit lacking. I hoped the author gave us more moments that showed Sugi as an individual, not just as Satoru’s jealous dog person friend or Chikako’s lover. It felt like the focus was more on his insecurities and his feelings for Chikako, but less on who he is as a person. As for Chikako, I wish we had her POV, especially on how and when she started liking Sugi. Maybe it would’ve felt more complete if it hadn’t been left unsaid.
Regardless, that doesn’t change how much I love and treasure this story. It’s still a five-star read to me.
⋆˙⟡ “As we count up the memories from our journey, we head off on another. Remembering those who went ahead. Remembering those who will follow after. And someday, we will meet all those people again, out beyond the horizon.”
The Travelling Cat Chronicles just shattered my heart into pieces for the second time. I thought I’d never bawl my eyes out again, but I was wrong. It’s official: this book never has, and never will, fail to make me laugh and cry inconsolably. Rereading it was the best decision I’ve made, because not only did I appreciate and understand the characters more than I did the first time, but now I can give it the review it deserves. Honestly, reading this book feels like a privilege. It’s such a gem, and it would be a shame not to express how much I loved it.
Satoru and Nana’s journey allowed me to get to know each of the characters—their backstories, how they became friends with Satoru, and the kind of relationship they shared with him. This is to say, I really appreciated how well-written and raw they all felt.
More than that, I found myself sharing the same sentiment Nana seemed to carry throughout the journey—a growing understanding of who Satoru was beyond just someone who loved his cat dearly. I got to know his past, the place where he grew up, the kind of person he is, the people who mattered to him, and the moments that left a mark on his heart. It wasn’t just Nana getting to know Satoru, I was too.
Hiro Arikawa did an excellent job writing Nana as a cat. She truly captured the essence of a cat’s personality because Nana has the confidence most cats do, and while he can be aloof at times, he shows his warmth in little, meaningful ways.
⋆˙⟡ “He looked like he really had to go, but he was such a good owner he had taken care of my needs first.”
Words may fail to fully describe how deeply Satory loves Nana, but I believe this sentence says it all. Satoru is willing to go to great lengths for Nana’s sake, which is evident throughout the story. Their relationship goes far beyond that of owner and pet. Satoru never made me feel as though he owned Nana; rather, he simply appreciated him for who he was and genuinely loved caring for him. For instance, he respects Nana’s boundaries and wants to learn his likes and dislikes. His love for Nana feels truly unconditional, which is probably what made their bond unbreakable.
⋆˙⟡ “But you know, I never imagine you’d be that afraid of the sea. I’ve seen a side of you i’ve never witnessed before, but it’s good to know you don’t like it.”
What amazed me even more was how Satoru’s relationships were woven into the story. Each chapter focused on the people he had during different times in his life, which made the story feel really personal and heartfelt.
To show my appreciation for the people in Satoru’s life, I want to put quotes here that captures the essence of each character (at least to me).
Kosuke: “Kosuke had a habit of swallowing whatever he wanted to say. repeated patterns of childhood behavior have long-term consequences. And still, Kosuke could never bring himself to stand up to his father and argue back.”
Yoshimine: “Yoshimine had done a great job bringing him up. And despite him being the ill-mannered kind who’d grab you by the scruff of the neck the first time he met you, Yoshimine hadn’t just looked the othe way when a troublesome kitten turned up, so it was clear to me he was an individual who had a lot of love to give.”
Sugi: “He likes him, but he also envies him. The master seems to feel that if he could be like Satoru, then Chikako would love him more.”
Chikako: “She’s always had strong views when it comes to animals, ever since she was little.”
Noriko: “Not since she was a little girl had Noriko wept with such abandon.”
Since I’ve mentioned Sugi and Chikako, I’ll add my little concern about their backstory. It actually felt a bit lacking. I hoped the author gave us more moments that showed Sugi as an individual, not just as Satoru’s jealous dog person friend or Chikako’s lover. It felt like the focus was more on his insecurities and his feelings for Chikako, but less on who he is as a person. As for Chikako, I wish we had her POV, especially on how and when she started liking Sugi. Maybe it would’ve felt more complete if it hadn’t been left unsaid.
Regardless, that doesn’t change how much I love and treasure this story. It’s still a five-star read to me.