Over the past few years, my reading journey has been nothing short of an adventure. Along the way, each book I encountered has left an open window, not just to another world, but to new ways of seeing our own and ourselves. Through these windows, I found not just relatable characters and fancy plot twists, but lessons that no classrooms could have taught.
On the power of habits;
On the courage to be disliked,
On the beauty of stories and those who write them,
And so much more.
Some nights ago, I finished a book that taught me the meaning of sonder. To be kind and empathize, even when you don’t know what someone is going through, or rather, because you don’t know what someone is going through.
Towards the end, it taught me the courage to say goodbyes. To accept each parting with a smile of understanding, that all things in life — good or bad — will come to a definite end.
This is a review of The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa, translated by Philip Gabriel. There will be spoilers, but, as is often the case with great literature and films, the joy of the journey remains, even when you know the destination.
Let’s begin, shall we?
🍂 Afterthought
There are parts that I cringed at, like when Satoru (protagonist) had conversations with his cat, Nana.
But, this book has left a deep mark on my heart. It is one of those I will remember for the rest of my life.
Satoru’s story was saddening. He lost his parents so young, only to later discover that they weren’t his birth parents. And the real ones were terrible enough to almost kill him.
He also experienced the pain of losing his childhood cat, Hachi — one that he had back when his parents were still alive — and of not being able to see it one last time before it passed. His life, marked by loss and farewells, ended prematurely due to illness, separating him from his second cat, Nana, which he adored.
But Satoru was also dearly blessed.
With kind people around him.
With Hachi and Nana.
He wrote letters to people he was close with, and requested his guardian, Aunt Noriko, to contact them and personally thank them after his passing. More people than those contacted reached out to Aunt Noriko about Satoru. Even the people at his former workplace. Even the teachers of his former schools.
Satoru may have lived an unfortunate life on one hand, but he had surely lived a good story on the other. Because he had left behind so many people (and cats) who would remember and cherish the memories they made together.
Even as I didn’t get enough sleep last night; even as I’m feeling somewhat numb to my surroundings as a result, I could feel emotions welling up in me. When I found out that Satoru’s parents weren’t his birth parents. When his life must come to an end. And when Nana the cat talked about the memories they shared.
This book has left its trace in my heart, and on it, lies the final passage narrated by the cat itself.
My story will be over soon.
But it’s not something to be sad about.
As we count up the memories from one journey, we head off on another.
Remembering those who went ahead. Remembering those who will follow after.
And someday, we will meet all those people again, out beyond the horizon.
It is one that I remember the most. Because it talked about the end of a journey where we must say goodbye. Just like how Satoru must say goodbye to his parents. Just like how Kosuke must say goodbye to Hachi. Just like how Nana must say goodbye to Satoru.
And just like how, when summer comes, and when my good friends are graduating soon, we must say goodbye to each other. I feel sad about it. I’m surprised that I do. But I’m blessed that I could.
But, as Nana the cat said, it’s not something to be sad about.
Because someday, we will meet all those people again, out beyond the horizon.
Happily ever after.
✒️ My favorite lines
“My Hachi died. Back when I was in high school. Your Hachi, Kosuke, is still alive.”
“Mom and Dad said they’re getting divorced.”
“Is that right?” his grandmother replied.
“I don’t know which one I should live with.”
“Well, it doesn’t really matter, because you can live with me.” Yoshimine felt a huge lump in his throat. “You have a good friend here, too, Daigo, so it’s all okay.” You have a good friend here. It’s all okay, his grandmother murmured, over and over, as if reassuring herself.
There’s a proverb that says a child is the glue that keeps a husband and wife together. A child who was never any trouble might keep things peaceful from day to day, but when push came to shove, that child would finally come unstuck. Maybe the kind of kid who needed more parental affection and made trouble would have been the glue that would have held their marriage together.
“There’s no point in going to Kokura now,” Satoru said, and gave a faint smile. Chikako interrupted him. “You really should go. Save up your money and go over there to say good-bye.” Satoru blinked in surprise. “You have to mourn your cat properly, or you won’t get over it. Don’t just sit here fretting about being too late. Go there and mourn him. Tell him you’re sorry you didn’t make it in time, that you wanted to see him.”
I have everything I need in life, so why am I such a mean, small person? Why can’t I be kinder than Satoru, who has so much less?
“You’re going to find out eventually, so I’m going to go ahead and tell you now. Satoru, you are not related by blood to your father or your mother.”
Reality is reality. That was her way of thinking, but when she saw the look on Satoru’s face when she told him, she realized she’d made a big mistake. Satoru grew pale, and his face contorted in shock. It was the same blank look he had had after his parents’ deaths. As he approached the two coffins set up in the local community center, he’d looked as if he had lost everything he had in the world.
Even a tactless person like her knew instantly that in a matter of seconds, because of her, Satoru had lost everything all over again.
“Can I—” Noriko spoke before thinking. “Can I bring in the cat? Satoru’s cat?” She’d never made such an absurd request in her life. “Please—let me bring in the cat.”
“Please don’t ask!” the matron scolded. “If you ask, then we’ll have to say no!”
As if propelled by a cannon, Noriko raced out of the ward. Ignoring the NO RUNNING IN THE CORRIDOR sign, she clattered down the stairs, two at a time. Then she burst through the front entrance. “Nana! Naaana!”
I waited at home while the funeral was taking place. I can't say I'm much interested in the ceremonies humans like to conduct. I was in the hospital to see him off. But he’s still here, in my heart, so I don’t need a ceremony to remember him.
Once Calico can make it on her own, I think I’ll set off on my journey. To this place I see only in dreams. Tell me, Satoru. What’s out there beyond this field? A lot of wonderful things, I’m thinking. I wonder if I’ll be able to go on a trip with you again. Satoru grins, and picks me up, so I can see the far-off horizon from his eye level. Ah—we saw so many things, didn’t we?
My story will be over soon.
But it’s not something to be sad about.
As we count up the memories from one journey, we head off on another.
Remembering those who went ahead. Remembering those who will follow after.
And someday, we will meet all those people again, out beyond the horizon.
—Thomas
P.S.
This is my first time reviewing a book here. I thought about rating it a 5/5 but decided not to. Because no two books are the same, and so they can’t be fairly compared to each other, even if they are both books.
But I would mention if a book is one that touched my heart, and one I would remember for the rest of my life. Just like this one.
Hope you enjoyed the review. 🍪
🏆 Weekly Gold
Each week, I share something I found interesting with you. It could be a song, a book, a quote, or a movie that blew my mind.
Here’s the gold this week 👇
This is the ending song for Yuru Camp Season 2, a drama-free, soothing anime about camping. It feels perfectly suited for this week’s essay because, like the book, the song is about goodbyes. It conveys that while a journey will come to an end, it's not a cause for sadness, because we will meet each other again.
Here’s what the chorus means.
"I'm home"
Have a good night sleep.
A little lonely and warm.
End of the journey.
I'll come to see you again.
Credits:
Cover image made in Canva.
Atomic Habits by James Clear.
Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke.
The Power of Habits by Charles Duhigg.
The Courage to be Disliked by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi; and Ali Abdaal’s video about it.
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller, and Matt Swain’s book notes about it.
The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa, and Philip Gabriel for translating it so well.
My housemates and friends for making my time at university wonderful.