REVIEW BOOK 3 OF 2024: THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES

If you've ever loved an animal more than your self, then, this book is for you!

This story about a cat disposes all the infamous myths about them being insensitive, beyond control and incapable of loving their owners. They reach into the deepest recesses of your heart you never knew existed and make a place there for all of eternity.

Nana, is a street cat who always naps atop Satoru's silver van below his apartment and is adopted by him when, on an unfortunate day he is run over by a vehicle.

Two months in Satoru’s tender loving care and healing from a broken bone in his leg, Nana finds his forever home with Satoru as he has a strong resemblance to Hachi, a cat Satoru had during his childhood.

The story told from the perspective of Satoru paints his own detailed traumatic and heart rending backstory. And also from the perspective of Nana, quite a sassy feline who brightens this tale with his shenanigans, bravado, mischief and haughty personality.

At heart, he's a softie though and Satoru is his world.

There are various characters who have their place in the sun too as Satoru decides to go on a road trip in his silver van along with Nana to visit all his childhood buddies and close friends from school. His request to all them is to take in his cat while he has to go away.

From Tokyo to Hokkaido to Sapporo the story documents a heartwarming journey of them together where Nana sees unending fields of purple chrysanthemums and goldenrods, a double rainbow which he points out to Satoru by meowing at the sky, herds of deer along the way, free roaming horses and all ‘the amazing things’ which his most beloved master had promised him.

While at stay overs at various friends', Nana also makes friends with their pets and they have an entire chain of events and ‘dialogues’ between themselves.

To cut a long story short, things don't work out in Satoru's favour with this arrangement and things always go haywire when the pets in the house turn against Nana which ultimately makes him rethink his decision and takes him further along on the journey.

**SPOILER ALERT**

Nana makes a deal for things to play out in this manner with the house pets because he can't bear to be separated from Satoru and stay with strangers. As they take their leave from every place, Nana, sadly, always watches all his newly made friends in the rearview mirror as they diminish from view.

**End of spoiler alert**

Nana’s internal thoughts add to the charm of the story.

As they continue along the winding road, down the hill, and the picturesque landscapes of Japan, Nana also thinks he's the happiest cat to travel with Satoru and the luckiest one too to have seen the enormous Mt.Fuji. As it is Nana refuses to sit in the carrier and is always on the passenger seat pressing his front paws on the window whenever he sees something interesting.

When they reach their final destination to Aunt Noriko’s the story unfolds and is high, very, very high on the emotional roller coaster.

This story is an arrow straight to the heart ! And Nana makes sure to tug at your heartstrings or 'sharpen his claws' on them like none other. Whoever said cats are emotionless, never really loved a cat.

******

Takeaway from the story:

As we count up the memories from one journey, we head off to another.

Remembering those who went ahead. Remembering those who will follow later.

And someday, we will meet all those people again, out beyond the horizon.

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