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As you might have noticed from previous reviews, I’m a great fan of Japanese literature. I’m also a great fan of cats. Combine the two, and this review of The Travelling Cat Chronicles, by Hiro Arikawa, was the result.

Indeed, I’m writing this review mere minutes after I finished the book, as the impact is still very fresh in my mind. You should also know that I finished reading the book in a few hours – it’s one of those books that simply flows effortlessly.

So, what is The Travelling Cat Chronicles about? Much more than what the premise lets you think.

Review of The Travelling Cat Chronicles: Genre, Plot, Narrative

Oh my, what could I say about genre? It’s one of those cases that talking about genre doesn’t do justice to the work in question. Simply put, The Travelling Cat Chronicles goes beyond genre.

It’s part a coming-of-age story (in terms both human and feline), part literary fiction, part humor, all superimposed on the backdrop of a fun road-trip story.

The plot is fairly simple: Satoru, a young man, travels around Japan with his cat, Nana. His goal is to find a new owner for Nana, as compelling circumstances make it impossible for the two of them to continue living together.

But this is only the beginning, as there is a fairly intricate nexus of connections – places, people, events, and memories – that come together to form a narrative that is more than a sum of its parts.

Review of The Travelling Cat Chronicles: Characters

The single most important thing worth mentioning here is obviously the fact that the protagonist of The Travelling Cat Chronicles is Nana. Just in case it’s not clear, let me make it explicit:

Nana, the cat, is the narrator of the story.

There are also sections involving an omniscient, 3rd-person narrator, and the interplay between sections is flawlessly executed. The flow is very organic, inherently sense-making, and the literary device of having a cat narrating much of the story allows Hiro Arikawa to approach certain thematic elements with exceptional lucidity as well as tenderness.

Thematic Elements

So, what kind of thematic elements should the reader expect to find in The Travelling Cat Chronicles?

This is a bit tricky question, because much of the appeal – and affect – of the novel comes precisely from discovering them yourself. Having said that, The Travelling Cat Chronicles revolves around issues of identity – in the form of, who do you want to be? – interpersonal relations, and (cliché as it may sound) the meaning of one’s life.

Review of The Travelling Cat Chronicles: General Impression

A truly delightful book to read. And yet, The Travelling Cat Chronicles is a novel that is high-impact in terms of affect. Obviously, this is great news. We want literature that makes us feel. But the book doesn’t shy away from being realistic, portraying terrible predicaments in hues that some readers might find too intense.

To be clear, the narrative journey and its associated conclusion are perfectly sense-making, coherent, and deeply satisfying. I would even call them optimistic, in some abstract sense. But underneath the surface, when one goes past the cute feline fluffiness, there are real issues: jealousy, loss, regrets.