#hiro arikawa

Birthday Book Haul!

I think I made out pretty well! 😊

From my parents:

The Goodbye Cat by Hiro Arikawa

Holy Terrors by Margaret Owen

A Theory of Dreaming by Ava Reid

The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing

What Jane Austen's Characters Read (and Why) by Susan Allen Ford

From my husband:

The Autobiography of Margaret Oliphant edited by Elisabeth Jay

Reuben Sachs by Amy Levy

The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James

Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell

Selected Letters by Jane Austen

The Half Sisters by Geraldine Jewsbury

Review by: Anne

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa follows Nana and his human Satoru as they go on a long and scenic road trip. The two have lived together for five years, but Satoru tells his beloved cat he has to rehome him due to unavoidable circumstances, so they travel person-to-person trying to find Nana the perfect forever home.

Each stop reconnects Satoru to loved ones from his past in a warm and heart-tugging way that even evokes emotion from self-proclaimed "tough" cat Nana. However, each home has something that makes Satoru decide not to rehome Nana and catapults the reader into beautiful stories of relationships, grief, nostalgia, jealousy, love, and more.

There are so many stories about dogs and people, but finally there is one about cats! This book cut into me and healed me all at once. My cat Ivy is FIV+ (similar to HIV in humans), and I'm constantly worried about her health. This book came to me at the exact time I needed it, and I'm changed. It's one of those stories that linger, and I can't tell if I'm happy, sad, or some other emotion I've no name for. And what a cool concept! A story of humanity narrated by an animal who doesn't understand social conventions. The author wrote the voice of a cat so well which somehow made the humans' stories draw more emotions from me. This would be a great creative writing exercise.

Arikawa's storytelling was exquisite because it injected life into every character, animal or human. I felt the ferocious love of Nana through each line and margin. I highly recommend the audiobook which was performed like a play. Audiobooks have never been my favorite, but I started this one on Libby thinking it would be quick and cozy. I don't think it would have affected me as much had I read the physical book.

George Blagden, who read the book, made me feel like I was there right between Nana and Satoru. This, mixed with Arikawa's moving and descriptive writing, sucked me in just as much as any physical book ever had.

Give it a listen or read if you want to remember how special animals are, the impact they have on our lives, or if you're in a deep reading slump!

Check it out: Print - Audiobook - eBook