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The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa is a story
about a white cat named Nana and his life with his owner Satoru Miyawaki. The
story is told from the cat’s point of view. Nana starts life as a stray but is
befriended by Satoru. They live happily together until something happens to
Satoru. He cannot look after the cat anymore and tries to find a new home for
Nana. The pair go on a road trip to meet Satoru’s old friends who might be able
to care for him.
I’m a cat lover and I have a cat. I was thrilled to learn
about this book. I haven’t read many books where the main character is an
animal. I thought that Arikawa did a great job in making a cat’s personality.
Nana was aloof yet loving in his own way, which is what cats are like normally.
I was also interested in the book from a writer’s perspective. I think that it
would be difficult to write from an animal’s perspective. Animals don’t talk,
and a lot has to be conveyed by internal thought and their movement.
The story is deceptively simple. The friends that Satoru
visits reveal different parts of his life, from childhood, adolescence and
adult life. The stories reveal Satoru’s kind and gentle nature and his love for
his family, friends and cat.
I really enjoyed this book. I almost shed a tear at the end. The book has been made into a film!
Aw, this book sounds so sweet. I have such a hard time with story lines where animals and owners get separated, though. I have a feeling I might be crying a bit in this book, haha.
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