The Travelling Cat Chronicles

Author Hiro Arikawa captures the depths of a bond that can be formed between a human and his pet, in this case between a young man named Satoru and his cat named Nana. Their relationship has a happenstance beginning, as the cat is a stray that uses Satoru's silver van as a refuge from the weather, sunning on top during the day and hiding underneath in rain. When Satoru notices the cat, he begins to leave food scraps out for him. This arrangement continues for a while, until the cat is hit by a car and suffers a broken leg. He crawls to Satoru's door and meows for his very life. After an indoor convalescent period, a decision must be made. Satoru lives in an apartment that does not allow pets. Much of the story is told from the point of view of the cat, who thinks in and can understand human language, but cannot speak. His thoughts are humorous and quite sardonic, bringing many laugh-out-loud moments to this reader. Once the cat consents to be adopted, Satoru gives him the name of Nana because the shape of his tail resembles the Japanese word for the number seven Satoru is a very kind person, but he has seen his share of sorrows. His parents were killed in a car wreck when he was in his teens, and he had to go live with an aunt who would not let him bring the previous cat he so dearly loved. That cat went to live with distant relatives and died before Satoru could visit him. Just when Nana and Satoru were settling in together, Satoru announced they must go on a trip and that he would be looking for a new owner for Nana. He didn't give a reason, but at this point fairly early in the book, the journeys began, as Satoru sought one home after another for his beloved feline friend. At each stop along the way, where Satoru would be visiting close friends from the many different schools he had attended, Nana would misbehave so that the potential owners would reject him. After several failed tries, Satoru heads to his aunt's house, where it is determined both man and cat shall live. Arikawa's descriptions of the magnificent journey through Japan are breath-taking. It made me want to see Mount Fuji in person. Nana enjoys the walks through magnificent flowers and fields, but is very scared of the ocean for its noise and irregular and powerful movements. Eventually the sad reason Satoru tried to give Nana away is revealed and some very poignant passages follow. It was a tearjerker for me, but a wonderful book. I'm an adult reader, but I can recommend this book for young adults because there is no bad language, the story flashes back to school days of Satoru and his friends, and kids love their pets.

I say little story but the simple premise of the travels of a young man and his cat that appears to be not a big story is in fact a complex heartfelt story. Touchingly, softly written through the eyes and voice of Nana the rescued alley cat, we see friendship and love unfold. The writing was poetic, the pace was good. I would have given 5 stars, I loved the book, but felt that a little more depth of writing would have brought me in on a deeper emotional attachment with the main character.

Satoru is 25 years old and finds a cat with a crooked tail and markings just like when he had when he was a boy. He loves it instantly and takes it home and names it Nana. Anyone who likes cats would enjoy this book, unless the sentimentality is too much for you. I enjoyed it very much, especially the side commentary of the cats thoughts which are often more sarcastic than his actions would suggest. Satoru has a good life with his cat, but then one day he comes, and tells Nana that he will have to find him a new home. We don’t really find out why but they pile into a silver van and go to see all of Satoru’s friend on a long trip. They see many wonderful things and have an excellent time. There’s more to the story and if you would like something, gentle and comforting this might be for you. I gave it five stars.

Books find you when you are open to the experience. This one did. Simple story that is deeper and opens the emotional heart of grief and love. Recommended to my family and friends. Tear jerker. But healing too.

This book is wonderfully done, so creative. It is sweet, entertaining, and has talking cats with wise words. This book went so fast. When it is good, really good, you just devour it. You live in the prose. Our author has succeeded in doing what every author wants, the complete attention of his reader.

It was okay, I had a hard time falling in love with Nana. I don't hate cats but I dont like cats either and this is exactly what I expect of a cat, rude behavior ect. I stepped away from the book when the poor dog was getting reprimanded. I will say the ending of the book was Nana's saving grace. The story was overall in my opinion is well paced, although some parts did get slow. If you are a cat lover I think you will like this book.

An easy read and ultimately heart warming. It’s a little child like but pure in a very Japanese sense. I am glad I read it.

This is an absolutely charming book about love and how it transcends all. Satoro lives in Tokyo and starts leaving food for a stray cat, Nana, who likes to sleep on the hood of Satoro’s van. When Nana’s leg is broken after being hit by a car, the cat reaches out to the only human who has shown him kindness. Satoro takes him to the vet and then keeps him in his apartment. By the time Nana recovers, he has become Satoro’s cat, and the two live together quite happily for 5 years. When Satoro finds out he cannot keep Nana any longer, he embarks on finding a new home for his cat—and not just any home, but one where Nana will be loved and cared for as much as he has been with Satoro. As Satoro takes Nana to visit various childhood friends, we learn about his childhood and his journey to adulthood. During each visit with his old friends, Satoro finds a reason why their home would not be a good placement for Nana. At the same time, he reconnects with these friends, relives old times, and impacts their lives in various ways. The story is often told through Nana’s eyes, and the author has a good feel for the mind of a cat. The bond between Satoro and Nana is unbreakable and steadfast. I will warn you, the ending made me cry, not just quiet tears, but sobs. It’s a very powerful and sweet little book! If you like cats or if you have ever had a pet you have dearly loved, you will understand and relate to Satoro and will love this book..

The cat called Nana in this story is a clever but cautious feline. He also has a delightfully wicked sense of humour while his owner Satoru Miyawaki is a really lovely man with the kindest heart. Satoru and Nana’s sweet and thoughtful personalities and their attitudes to life and living is truly inspiring. Their words and actions prove how important it is to be resilient and positive even when you’re faced with the worst setbacks in life. You meet some of Satoru’s friends as he travels on a road trip with his beloved cat and you quickly discover these buddies all have flaws in their characters or they had to face extreme hardships when they were growing up, but Satoru is always so considerate and understanding when he catches up with them. This reminded me to be mindful of the fact other people may be having a tough time when I meet them, even when it’s not obvious, so it’s important to try and be as kind as possible when I run into people I know. As I read this story, I developed a strong connection with Satoru and Nana and even Satoru’s aunt Noriko so the last few pages in this book left me feeling like I had a huge lump in my throat and I was choking back tears at the very end. The writing style in this book is informal, relaxed and full of warmth, the dialogue is chatty and a joy to read, and the plot is absolutely charming but ultimately a real tear-jerker. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and the characters really did stir up my emotions so I’m sure I’ll remember Satoru and Nana's adventures for a long time to come.

Beautiful story

Libro molto bello nel contenuto e nella presentazione. La copertina è rigida e molto bella È un libro da tenere nella.propria libreria

It is a really good read. The cat POV is, I am new to this POV, is something that makes this book apart. It is written in mostly simple vocabulary yet keeps you hooked. It is warm and heartfelt book ocassionally with elements of humour. And once again, the cat POV is something executed brillantly and also provides the sense of subtle neutrality in this book.

Beautifully written and an enjoyable read👌