A review by schnaucl
The Goodbye Cat by Hiro Arikawa

emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

CW: There are multiple cat deaths in this book.  None are described in graphic detail.

I thought the first story was the strongest story.   It was one of a few stories told from the point of view of the cat and was about his love for the youngest son in the family and how he tried throughout his life to keep him from being sad.  Most of the stories were about the bond between a cat and male.

There's also an irritating theme of learned helplessness among the adult men in a few of the families and everyone else in the family having to accommodate their childishness. 

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