A review by balancinghistorybooks
The Cat by Colette
5.0
I adore cats, and I adore French literature, so when I spotted this wonderfully titled novella in Black Gull Books on a trip to Camden, I just had to have it. There is some gorgeous imagery in The Cat, and some absolutely wonderful scenes. Colette’s writing is stunning, and one gets the feeling that it has been perfectly translated too. It (probably) goes without saying that my favourite character here was Saha, the cat of the book’s title. I felt that she had been perfectly captured, and her actions and mannerisms were so realistic. Colette’s descriptions of Paris, too, are leaving me longing to go back.
The way in which Colette presented male opinions and apprehensions about marriage was incredibly interesting, and so believable, I think. This element stopped the story being merely a collection of commonplace musings upon matters of the heart, and brought in some thought-provoking scenes. The psychological aspects which she weaves in are so well executed, and Colette illustrates wonderfully the power which our animals have over us. All in all, The Cat is a glorious little novella – stunning and rather short, but perfectly written and portrayed.
The way in which Colette presented male opinions and apprehensions about marriage was incredibly interesting, and so believable, I think. This element stopped the story being merely a collection of commonplace musings upon matters of the heart, and brought in some thought-provoking scenes. The psychological aspects which she weaves in are so well executed, and Colette illustrates wonderfully the power which our animals have over us. All in all, The Cat is a glorious little novella – stunning and rather short, but perfectly written and portrayed.