The Travelling Cat Chronicles
By Hiro Arikawa
THE PERFECT CURL-UP READ FOR CAT LOVERS
*** Includes a sneak preview from the author's new bestseller, The Goodbye Cat ***
'Bewitching... as self-possessed and comforting as - well, a cat' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
'A book about kindness and love, and how the smallest things can provide happiness' STYLIST
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It's not the journey that counts, but who's at your side.
Nana is on a road trip, but he is not sure where he is going. All that matters is that he can sit beside his beloved owner Satoru in the front seat of his silver van.
Satoru is keen to visit three old friends from his youth, though Nana doesn't know why and Satoru won't say.
Set against the backdrop of Japan's changing seasons and narrated with a rare gentleness and humour, Nana's story explores the wonder and thrill of life's unexpected detours. It is about the value of friendship and solitude, and knowing when to give and when to take.
At the heart of this book is a powerful message about the importance of kindness. It shows, above all, how acts of love, both great and small, can transform our lives.
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Readers love THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES:
'Delightful, insightful, full of warmth with plenty of humour' 5 stars *****
'Uplifting and heart wrenching in equal measure' 5 stars *****
'It had me in floods of tears but filled me with hope too' 5 stars *****
The cat finds his way to Satoru's home after being injured by a car. A strong bond develops between the two and the cat, now named Nana, decides to stay.
Satoru is no longer in a position to look after Nana so they set out on a road trip to find a new home.
The journey takes us back to areas of Satoru's childhood and we learn about the friendship with a cat he had then. He visits friends from the past with whom he has lost touch. Sadly no one is a suitable owner for Nana.
During the travels we are given descriptions of rural areas and people, many narrated by Nana. Nana is full of wisdom and endeavours to enlighten the readers with his storytelling.
It's a few years since both reading this book and travelling in Japan. In reading this I was reminded of the gentleness and kindness of the Japanese people. The book showed the loyalty and love between the main characters.
The novel is small and easy to read. Despite the simplicity the story was profound and moving with touches of humour."
