The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

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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! 

Henry and Voula: An Offbeat Love Story by Maureen Stewart

Henry and Voula by Maureen Stewart is the story of two lovesick teenagers. Fourteen-year-old Henry has a huge crush on Greek girl Voula, so he sneaks a letter into her art portfolio asking for her help in a project about Greek culture. The two start a letter exchange which leads to love.

The two characters are adorable, and I believed in their love story. Henry is melodramatic, neurotic and deeply infatuated with Voula. He’s lovesick on her, getting hives every time at the slightest inkling of disapproval or set back from Voula. Voula is the most sensible of the pair. She’s delighted but cautious about the relationship. Her parents don’t want her to date and they wouldn’t approve of Henry because he’s not Greek.

I have a thing for YA books from the 80-90s and I bought this book from a Lifeline store for a dollar. There’s short message written at the front, it was a Christmas present for a girl named Barbara in 1993.   I thought this book was very cute and reminded me of high school. The love story is very innocent, puppy love stuff. They pass notes to each other and meet in the library. They don’t even kiss or hold hands.

I could relate to Voula and the gender inequality that she faced in the story. She is not allowed to date because she’s a girl. However, her brother is allowed to date because he’s boy. Voula is forbidden from socialising with boys and her family call to check where she is at all times. They are worried that if she socialises with boys, she’ll disgrace the family by getting pregnant or a bad reputation. My parents were also worried about me socialising with boys when I was growing up, but I wasn’t forbidden from dating anyone. I didn’t date anyone in high school, so it wasn’t an issue.

The book is rather short but there is a sequel which finishes the story off. One could finish the book in a few minutes.  I’ve read the sequel too. It seems like the story was just cut in half. The book is no longer in print but look for it online, in the library or in a thrift shop.

Not Again Dad! by Thurley Fowler, illustrated by Craig Smith- Review by Carlyn

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When I was in third grade, my teacher read Not Again Dad! to the class. It was a new book at the time and Miss Taylor assured us that we would love it. We did love the book that she read it twice to us. The teacher in the following year, read the book to the class as well.  I read the book a few times as a child too. I’m currently collecting all my favourite books, so I wanted to have Not Again Dad in my collection. It was difficult finding the book as it is no longer in print but I was lucky to find a copy in a thrift shop.

Not Again Dad!  is an early reader chapter book. It’s about the Robert family and how they cope when the mother goes away for a conference. The Dad is an office worker who takes time off work to look after the children for three weeks. The mother is a homemaker who recently returned to the workforce.  Paul is aged 11 who loves to play sports. He is the cricket captain and fastest swimmer in his class. His younger sister Juliet is learning to play the piano and how to dance ballet.

The children soon find that dad taking care of them is different to how their mother does it. The children have to walk to school by themselves instead of being driven. Paul learns that if he wants to wear clean school uniforms, he must put his clothes in the laundry to be washed. He learns this the hard way when he has nothing to wear. Juliet learns that she is capable of tying her own bow in her hair and keeping her shoes clean. Both Children have to make their own beds and wash the dishes after meals.

The children realize how much their mother did for them. At first they grumble at having to do chores but they both get better at doing things for themselves. Paul takes the longest time to adjust as he doesn’t think the fastest swimmer and cricket captain should do those things. He’d rather concentrate on his sports.  Juliet is proud that she can tie her own hair ribbon and shine her shoes. He teacher commented on it and it made Juliet happy.

The dad unknowingly embarrasses Paul while taking him to his extracurricular activities. Paul is at the age where parents can be embarrassing. He tells his father that he can’t talk to his swim coach while the lesson is progressing nor should he talk to the mums along the sidelines. So the dad stops doing those things and becomes seemingly busy with other stuff. Paul then complains that the dad is not paying enough attention to him. A parent can’t win!

Juliet gets on better with her father but is upset that he always forgets to pick her up from ballet and piano. A mishap which leaves her almost bald causes Juliet to not talk to her father until he fixes things.

Despite the mishaps, the dad always tries to do things better. One thing the children love about him is his cooking. For a couple of nights, he cooks a stew he learnt to make in cub scouts when he was a boy. His children love the stew until he serves it almost every day, hence why the book is called Not Again Dad.

I hope I can read this book to my own class one day and that they will like the book. I think it has so many conversation points that I could discuss with them about home life. I think there are many families where one parent does most of the childrearing and domestic work. It’s not a bad thing at all and it is not the only way families work.

What I did get out of this book is that if I were to have children, I would like them to have chores. It would not only help our family but it will give children life skills needed when they are adults. While people can learn how to cook and clean when they are adults it would be easier for them if they already knew how to do those things.

I think this book is a good bedtime story book and something that children can read independently. The font is a good size and there are some pictures in the book. If you ever come across Not Again Dad! I recommend that you buy it. It’s a cute little book for children and it can be a nostalgia trip for adults.

P.S You might enjoy these other reviews of beloved children's books.

• Jon Bear's favourite children's books
• Paddington Bear Takes the test by Michael Bond 
• Penny Pollard's Letters by Robin Klein 

The Perks of being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky- Review by Carlyn

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I was interested in reading this book after watching the movie. I am a big fan of Emma Watson and I like to watch whatever she is in. I really enjoyed watching the movie and I heard good things about this book. The novel is told through a series of letters to the reader. It is about a high school freshman named Charlie, who is a sensitive and highly intelligent boy. He has a depressive nature after blaming himself for the death of his aunty when he was seven. Charlie is also very sad over the recent suicide of his only friend Michael. He makes friends with two seniors named Sam and Patrick who are step brother and sister. They encourage him to participate more in life and Charlie experiences new music, drugs, romance and alcohol.

Charlie has many good times with his friends but remains depressed. He desperately wants to stop feeling sad and cries a good deal in the novel. His family and friends are supportive of him but do not know the extent of his depression. Charlie also has a mentor in his English teacher Bill who gives him books to read. The books are classics like To Kill a Mockingbird and The Fountainhead. Most of the books are to give Charlie some insight in life, as his teacher recognizes that Charlie is having a hard time.

Charlie’s also supports his friends and family through their problems. Sam has a college aged boyfriend who is not always there for her; Patrick has a secret relationship with a footballer and Charlie’s sister Candace is hit by her boyfriend. He mostly comforts them by listening and following their lead. Sam thinks he ought to be more active in his support and to be more honest as his passive nature is not always good for anyone.  

It is has been a while since I had a new favourite book. I have resolved to give away any book that is not a favourite of mine so this is the first book of this year that I will keep. I felt nostalgic reading this book and thought about my own high school experiences. Charlie’s friendships reminded me of the deep bonds formed in high school and how each group can have traditions and inside jokes. The character seems so authentic and it is easy to be reminded of the people that I knew in high school.

There is a lot of drunkenness and drug use in the book that may be off putting for some readers. Charlie experiments with drug taking and drinking from the influence of his friends. Fortunately, they all look after each other so the effects of taking such things never has too much of an adverse effect from them. Drinking and drugs are not glorified in the novel but it is treated with casualness. The characters experiment mostly at parties and remain sober and clean in their everyday life. The drugs particularly have a bad effect on Charlie and he stops taking them.

Charlie’s depression is handled with sensitivity in the novel. I could relate to his feelings of hopelessness as it reminded me of the saddest moments in my life. I think that this book would be a good read for people going through a hard time to see Charlie try to get better. He eventually has a nervous breakdown but even that is a good thing. Charlie gets a psychiatrist who helps him to heal from the pain of his past. 

This book isn’t really a downer despite the content. It’s more of a coming of age story and a nostalgia trip for people who have finished high school. If books aren’t your thing, the movie is pretty good too. There are a few little differences of course but it perfectly captures the spirit of the novel.

The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen- Review by Carlyn and Jon *with spoilers*

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The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen tells the story of a dysfunctional American family. The Lamberts consist of parents Enid and Alfred and their adult children, Gary, Chip and Denise. Alfred suffers from Parkinson’s Disease and the family struggle to help him. Enid and Alfred want to maintain their independence but it is clear that they need more help than they will admit. They all have secrets from each other that lead to depression and resentment.

The Lamberts

Alfred is a former railway engineer who suddenly quit his job instead of accepting a promotion. His family do not understand his decision and resent him for his choice. Alfred is a restrained man who has strong morals. His family sometimes think he’s hard to please and cold hearted.

Enid is an old fashioned housewife and a hoarder. She has conservative views on life and is dismayed at how her children have turned out. Enid lies about her children to her friends in order to project the image of a perfect family.

Gary is the oldest Lambert child. He works as an investment banker. Gary works hard to maintain an affluent image and to not resemble his father in anyway. He is depressed but in denial. Gary’s wife and kids think he’s paranoid.

Chip is a bit of a sleazebag and amoral person. He is a former Literature professor who goes to Lithuania to dupe foreign investors for the Lithuanian government.

Denise is an up and coming celebrity chef whose love life is a mess when she comes between a married couple.

Carlyn’s thoughts:

I heard that there were attempts to have this book made into a movie. I think it would make a great movie and I can easily see Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts in it. The book is raw and dramatic and there are some funny moments as well. There were times when I found the characters unlikeable because they were so unkind or resentful towards each other. The Lambert siblings found their parents to be overbearing and annoying.  The parents were disapproving of their children’s life decisions.

 In addition, they all make some poor choices that cause them some stress. The book alternates between the characters in each chapter so as I read the chapters I began to understand the characters motives and be a bit more sympathetic towards them. I found the problem with the family was that they are not honest or accepting of each other.

I’m more interested in Young Adult fiction where the characters are not as messed up so maybe that is why this book didn’t appeal to me. I find that YA fiction has more likeable characters and they have a determination to resolve their problems. Also they tend to have sidekicks who act as their conscience and prevent the protagonists from too much damage. The Lamberts don’t really have anyone to talk to and they don’t talk to each other so I can understand why they make some poor decisions.  

I thought the book was well written and each character had their own voice.  I could relate to the family dynamics and how you can love someone and be annoyed by them too. I thought some parts of the book were boring to read about such as when Gary and Denise go to a neurological seminar and there is lot of medical jargon. Another moment I found hard to read involved faeces.

I felt hopeful at the end of the novel when the characters started to overcome their problems and change their attitudes, especially Enid.  While not all the problems are resolved I get a sense the characters want to live more positive lives at the end. 

Jon's thoughts

If you enjoy good character development then Franzen is a writer you'll like.  He does a wonderful job of description in scene setting and in his development of the personalities of each member of the Lambert family.  It's possible the descriptive nature of his writing can be a bit of overkill at times for some readers. 

If you have a good understanding of the bible I think it would probably be an asset in reading The Corrections, as it would be truthfully in so many novels.  The Corrections is set in the early 1990s and seems largely to be a commentary not only on dysfunctional family dynamics but also a dysfunctional America that's headed for a crash. The Lamberts grow up in an innocent Midwest Protestant American lifestyle. You'll note how Christ is the Lamb of God and of course a symbol of innocence.  The story is suggestive of the fact that when the Lambert Children move away from their parents to the East Coast they become corrupted by this distancing from the wholesome Midwestern values when thrust into Corporate America .

C.S. Lewis' book the Lion the Which and the Wardrobe  which is a biblical allegory also plays a large part in the story.  The book is being read by Gary's son Jonah and Aslan, the Lion is the name of one of the drugs used to try and bring competency to patients suffering from dementia. 

A big theme I could not help but consider as well when I read the novel given the dysfunction of Gary, Enid, Chip, Arthur and Denise was the second law of thermodynamics or the law of entropy, which suggest that out of chaos comes order. The lives of the characters that seem to be most chaotic, Chip's life, which is rife with failure and an insatiable sexual appetite and Enid's, which had been dominated by her husband Alfred in health and later dominated by Alfred in his sickness seem to become most ordered by the end of the novel while the lives of those who might appear least chaotic and more stable, those of Gary who has a stable job as a banker and Denise a successful career as a cook move more towards disorder. 

I found Chip and Alfred to be the most interesting characters in the story.  Alfred is presented as having been so domineering by all the characters with the exception of Denise and yet we see him at a stage in his life, when he is losing his mental faculty, where he is the complete opposite of a domineering and in control figure.   The chaos and dysfunction of Alfred's deteriorating mind seems to be a microcosm of the entire family dynamic.  Chip is probably the least redeemable character when you read the book early on.  He seems to lack moral value, responsibility and decency.  Gary and Denise appear to be the stereotypical models of responsibility. 

At the end of the book though when everyone was fearing who would be responsible for Alfred's care, it was Chip (the least likely of all the children) who visited Alfred in the hospital and stayed with Enid to care for Alfred.  Not only that, but Chip actually starts a family, gets married and seems to have his life back on path by the end of the book.  Denise ends the story confused sexually involved in affairs with women and men and disgraced professionally having lost her job.  Gary ends the story being the epitome of his father Alfred who he was so trying to avoid becoming.  He's depressed and is controlling and domineering in his relationship with his wife Caroline and with his children.  He's also lost a good deal of money in a failing market.  Enid is finally in control of her own life and has the freedom of movement, thought and action that escaped her while living with Alfred her whole life.

It's interesting in the Christmas Dinner near the end of the story that Enid was working so hard at organizing when Chip who has felt like such a failure and loser realizes that he is the happiest person at the Dinner table.

Ultimately I found that all the characters did a horrible job of understanding each other's point of view.  They all possessed a strong sense of selfishness about them and their situations.  So they are all unlikeable, and yet they all have qualities too that make sense.  Not enough to really redeem them, but enough to bring some level of empathy for each of them. 

I think Franzen is very talented and a lot of people would love The Corrections.  I came away from it feeling like it was a good, very thought provoking but unspectacular read. 

Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer -Review by Carlyn

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*contains spoilers

Eclipse is the third book from the Twilight series written by Stephanie Meyer. This is the Twilight book where the love triangle between Bella, Edward Cullen and Jacob Black build up and Bella needs to make a choice. Bella needs to decide on whether she loves Edward, the vampire or Jacob the werewolf.  The mythical beings are mortal enemies with only the love of Bella stopping them from destroying each other. In the meantime, Bella also has to finish high school and worry over a vampire army coming to kill her.

Jacob, Bella and Edward (l-r)

I kinda regret watching the Twilight movies because I’m sure that the books would be more thrilling if I didn’t know what was going to happen. In the book, there’s a series of murders happening in Seattle and people believe it’s the work of a serial killer. However, it’s actually the work of a vampire who is killing people to make a vampire army. Eventually, Bella and the Cullens realize that the vampire army was created to take them down. Bella and the other characters even joke about how every year, someone tries to kill Bella.

vampire army 

It is Bella’s impending death threat that brings an alliance between the Cullens and the werewolf clan. Both sides take it turns to guard Bella and train in preparation of the battle with the vampire army. Bella is distraught over the possibility that people she knows and loves could die in the battle but everyone else is convinced of a victory.

I found it admirable that Bella wasn’t really concerned over her own death but I was annoyed by the numerous times she had to be comforted.  There are many instances in the book where Edward places his palms on her face, looks intently into her eyes and tells her everything will be fine. The other characters all comfort her throughout the book too while Bella holds back tears. When she does cry, she cries for hours.

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Sometimes I wonder what attracts Edward and Jacob to Bella.  I think that the boys have qualities which are admirable and it’s easy to see why Bella loves them. Edward is protective, attentive, kind, and selfless and Jacob is friendly, brave, easy going and kind. I find Bella bland because she doesn’t have much interest in life. Bella is a passive person who has no other interest in life except being with Edward and becoming a vampire.  I can see why Edward was reluctant about granting her wish to be a vampire. I agree with Edward’s sentiments that she needs to experience more of life.

Despite my criticisms of Bella as a heroine, I still like reading the Twilight series. It’s a fun read because of the romance and action. I look forward to reading the final book.  

Janeite Tag

I decided to do a tag that Paige from Sunday Best and All theRest left on her blog for Jane Austen fans to do. Feel free to complete this tag too if you are Jane Austen fan.

The Rules:
~Thank and link back to the person who tagged you.
~Tell how you were introduced to Jane Austen and share one fun fact about your Janeite life (this fun fact can be anywhere from "I stayed up all night reading Emma," to "I visited Chawton and met Anna Chancellor.").

~Answer the tagger's questions.

~Write seven questions of your own.

~Tag as few as one or as many as seven other Janeites and let them know you've tagged them.

Jane Austen was a famous author from the 18^th century known for writing novels about courtship, class divide and gender differences. Her writing is described to be elegant, clever and witty. Jane Austen’s books include Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Northanger Abbey and Sense and Sensibility.

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The first Austen book I read was Pride and Prejudice and I was about fourteen years old. I had no idea what the book was about and I wanted to see why the book had endured to be popular to the present day.  I really enjoyed the book and continued to read more of Jane Austen’s work. Jane Austin’s writing inspired me to read other classic books which is something I still continue today. I like Austen books because the heroines are always brave in their own way. They are assertive and generally motivated to do good for others. The characters also have impeccable manners which make me wish that people were as courteous as they were in the regency period.

 Fun Fact: I love reading and watching all things to do with Jane Austen. I’m happy when there are new movies or series based on Jane Austen’s novels and I also like watching modernized versions too. My favourite modern inspired Jane Austen movies are Bride and Prejudice which is a Bollywood version of Pride and Prejudice and I also love Clueless which is inspired by Emma.

Paige’s Questions:

1) What is your favorite Austen book?

My favourite Jane Austen book changes and tends to be the one that I am currently reading. My favourite Austen books are Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Persuasion, Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park. 

2) What is your favorite movie adaptation of an Austen book?

My favourite movie adaption is the 1995 movie of Emma starring Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma. I think she did a great job in capturing Emma’s lively spirit and the film is just filled with eye candy. I love all the houses and costumes.

Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma

3) What is your *least* favorite movie adaptation? 

My least favourite adaption would be the 2007 adaption of Northanger Abbey. I thought they made the main character a little too silly and I didn’t like all the sexual fantasies that she had.

4) Which character in any of the novels do you relate to most?

This is a very good question. I haven’t thought about it before. I think I relate most to Elizabeth Bennet because I think my parents are kinda like her parents.

5) If you could choose a Jane Austen home to live in, where would you live?

There are so many nice houses in Jane Austen’s books. It’s a bit hard to choose…. I suppose I would like Emma’s Hartfield or Mansfield Park or Pemberley. It’s not so much the huge mansions that interest me. I like those houses because of the gardens and features which I think would be fun to stroll down every day. 

6) Who is your favorite Austen hero?

Mr Darcy is my favourite hero because in the course of the book he changes and it’s good to show how you can change for the better.

7) If you were to write a sequel to any of Jane's novels, what would it be about?

I would write a sequel of Pride and Prejudice and we would see how Elizabeth and Jane adapt to their new lives.

Thank you once again to Paige for putting the fun tag on your blog. I don’t actually know any other Jane Austen fans so I invite anyone who is interested to complete the tag.

Here are my questions:

1. What do you think of modernized movie/book adaptions of Jane Austen’s work?

2. Do you read Jane Austen Fanfiction?

3. How has Jane Austen influenced your life?

4. Would you want to live in the regency period?

5. What book would make the best musical?

6. Which villain would you want to redeem?

7. Does any character remind you of someone you know in real life?