Reviews

i really loved this book! seeing how all the characters lives were intertwined was so fascinating and always excited me when i saw a sentence about a person i recognised. seeing everyone interwoven and connected through a singular cat helped to expand outside of the (usually) narrow view of books that solely focus on a few characters. it speaks about life and how easy it is to feel like you’re the only person alive and other people fade into the background. when side characters names were mentioned, their stories often appeared later in the book and that really drove home the sentiment that you never truly know what’s going on in someone’s life unless you hear from them yourself. it offered a realistic understanding of the complexity of people and their separate and widely interconnected lives.

there were some aspects of this story that confused me but nearer the end i got settled in more. my only gripe is that because all the chapters are about different characters it’s not the easiest book to sit and read in one sitting. because of how separate the chapters feel it’s almost like reading them as their own short stories. this book was a tad harder to read than books that are just centred around a few characters but i enjoyed the variety of life experiences showcased through each individual character.

Content Warnings

patsmith139's review against another edition

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4.0

Actually a 4.5, so close to a 5, just got a bit lost occasionally as to who all the characters were. People from previous chapters popped up again and I couldn’t always remember quite who or where I’d come across them before. Everything else about this book I loved. I couldn’t put it down. It is almost a collection of short stories but all linked by the appearance of a calico cat. If they are essentially good people (which most were) but just struggling with personal demons and the pressured atmosphere of the monster that is Tokyo then a resolution of some sorts helps them cope and it is always the cat that is the catalyst.

rainee_deverell's review against another edition

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hopeful relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

mollygrace's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

emma_vinkenoog's review against another edition

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5.0

Absolutely loved this, especially “Hikikomori, Futoki & Neko”

frinsreads's review against another edition

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4.0

This was such a fun little read! It's basically a collection of interlinking short stories, all set in Tokyo, and linked by the presence in each of a calico cat

These stories are an exploration of humans and human nature, and the complexities and nuance of a city. It was interesting getting the inner thoughts of people in completely different situations, linked by living in the same city and by the fleeting presence of one cat

I will say, some of the inner thoughts and opinions of some of the characters are questionable. There is some sexually explicit content, as well as racism, sexism, and references to sexual assault. There is also one scene of violence against the cat, but I can confirm the cat is fine by the end of the book

I think people who enjoyed Before the Coffee Gets Cold and Convenience Store Woman will enjoy this one

dalet's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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