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A review by spenkevich
Kiki's Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono
4.0
‘Kiki don't get too hung up on appearances, it's your heart that's important.’
I am very thrilled that Eiko Kadono’s Kiki’s Delivery Service has finally been translated into English. This is such a charming little book that, while written for young readers, is pure delight for readers of any age looking for a little magic in their life. Kiki is such a relatable character on a year-long coming-of-age journey and Kadono brings her to life as a dynamic personality with quirks, flaws, plenty of charm and self-conscious introspection. Along for the ride is her constant companion, Jiji, a snarky black cat that practically steals the whole book by being so endlessly fun. Kiki’s episodic adventures as she learns what it means to grow into being her own person, find her way in the larger world and discover the magic that exists in everyday life around her.
Already a much beloved character through the incredibly lovely Miyazaki film adaptation--certainly a long-time favorite of mine--readers can now experience the original magic that wowed and inspired the great director. It will be nearly impossible to not compare the two if you are familiar with the film, but the two quickly stood separately in my mind each with their own unique pleasures. While both have the same basic set-up—Kiki must find a town to live in and learn a trade for a year, choosing to be a delivery service—the film and book are much different in their episodic adventures. This will certainly be great for newcomers but those already familiar with the film will enjoy all new adventures and find a new depth to the character of Kiki.
What works so well here is the way Kadono makes Kiki such a lifelike and loveable character and does so with such perfectly tuned simplicity. Kiki learns that people are much more than they originally seem. A particularly adorable event finds Kiki jealous of how much more grown-up and confident in herself another girl her age seems, only to learn that this girl was thinking the same about Kiki and felt inspired by her. It’s a great lesson that we don’t know what is going on in someone’s head and the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, but also shows how much our own actions can inspire others even without our knowledge.
This is such a magical little novel that is sure to delight.
4/5
I am very thrilled that Eiko Kadono’s Kiki’s Delivery Service has finally been translated into English. This is such a charming little book that, while written for young readers, is pure delight for readers of any age looking for a little magic in their life. Kiki is such a relatable character on a year-long coming-of-age journey and Kadono brings her to life as a dynamic personality with quirks, flaws, plenty of charm and self-conscious introspection. Along for the ride is her constant companion, Jiji, a snarky black cat that practically steals the whole book by being so endlessly fun. Kiki’s episodic adventures as she learns what it means to grow into being her own person, find her way in the larger world and discover the magic that exists in everyday life around her.
Already a much beloved character through the incredibly lovely Miyazaki film adaptation--certainly a long-time favorite of mine--readers can now experience the original magic that wowed and inspired the great director. It will be nearly impossible to not compare the two if you are familiar with the film, but the two quickly stood separately in my mind each with their own unique pleasures. While both have the same basic set-up—Kiki must find a town to live in and learn a trade for a year, choosing to be a delivery service—the film and book are much different in their episodic adventures. This will certainly be great for newcomers but those already familiar with the film will enjoy all new adventures and find a new depth to the character of Kiki.
What works so well here is the way Kadono makes Kiki such a lifelike and loveable character and does so with such perfectly tuned simplicity. Kiki learns that people are much more than they originally seem. A particularly adorable event finds Kiki jealous of how much more grown-up and confident in herself another girl her age seems, only to learn that this girl was thinking the same about Kiki and felt inspired by her. It’s a great lesson that we don’t know what is going on in someone’s head and the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, but also shows how much our own actions can inspire others even without our knowledge.
This is such a magical little novel that is sure to delight.
4/5