In this post I am reviewing two books for the Japanese Literature Challenge 18, hosted at Dolce Bellezza. It started in January and continues through February. This is a challenge I look forward to every year, to kickstart my reading of books by Japanese authors.
The Travelling Cat Chronicles (2012) by Hiro Arikawa
Translated by Philip Gabriel
This was the first book I read for the challenge because I have a second book by this author that I also want to read: The Goodbye Cat. It consists of short stories about cats and there is a connection between the two books.
A cat is adopted by a man, Satoru, after he takes the cat in when it is hit by a car. He names the cat Nana after a cat he had in his childhood, and they live together for five years. At that point, Satoru has to find a home for Nana, although no reason is given. They travel to various parts of Japan to visit with several of the man's old friends to see it they can take the cat in.
For the most part, the story is narrated by the cat. I liked the cat's voice. I kept trying to figure out what my cat would sound like if she was telling a story. There are parts of the story that are not narrated by the cat. These are flashbacks to earlier events that help to fill out the story. Satoru's relationship with his aunt, who raised him after his parents died, is also explored.
I enjoyed the book, I liked the cover and the title. The depiction of the cat is not cutesy. The cat can be snarky and sarcastic. It is a lovely story with an emotional and moving end.
Three Assassins (2004) by Kōtarō Isaka
Translated by Sam Malissa
The second book I read for the Japanese Literature Challenge is very different. It is a fast paced thriller, the first in a series of four books set in Tokyo’s criminal underworld. The second book is Bullet Train, which I read first, because it was translated to English first, and I had seen the film adaptation of the same name. We enjoyed the film and have watched it several times.
The first part of Three Assassins is very serious. Suzuki, formerly a schoolteacher, is working for a crime gang. The head man for this crime gang is Terahara, whose son killed Suzuki's wife by running her down in his car. It was deliberate, not an accident. The police will not follow up on the crime because of Terahara's connections, so Suzuki is seeking revenge on his own by working undercover in the gang.
The other two main characters are assassins, The Whale and The Cicada. They each kill their victims in specific ways; the Whale convinces his victims to commit suicide and the Cicada kills with a knife and specializes in killing entire families. The third assassin enters the story later; he is the Pusher, and he pushes his victims in front of vehicles.
This sounds like a very grim book but it turns more into a more humorous story midway, with quirky and introspective characters; the behavior is often wacky and surprising. There are also elements of spirituality and the supernatural, especially in the Whale's experiences. So, all in all, it was a fascinating and unexpected story.
14 comments:
I find both of these covers quite intriguing! I wish the US would get over the current cartoony covers. I liked them at first but now there are too many.
I am glad the cat narration wasn't overly precious. I can see it would be tempting to an author but my tolerance is low for animal narrators to begin with (although I did like the Dog On It book).
Constance, I think of these covers are very nice. I haven't read a lot of books with animal narrators, but I am usually wary of them. Although I will usually give books centered around cats a chance.
A story narrated by a cat sounds like alot of fun. And it's not easy to write books with animals that readers can really relate with. But when it's done well it just adds so much to the novel.
Those really are different sorts of books, Tracy. And I think that gives a wider perspective on some of the Japanese fiction that's out there. They both sound interesting and, each in a different way, engaging.
Both sound good in their own way. Is it me or are their more books with cats in them than dogs? Are cats more interesting to write about?
Good question, Patti. The Japanese certainly have a thing for cats in literature and those books seem to be selling well now. In mysteries there was The Cat Who ... books by Lillian Jackson Braun and Rita Mae Brown has a long series with a cat named Mrs. Murphy (still ongoing), but that one includes some dogs. But recently there have been lots of mysteries with dogs as partners to sleuths, mostly K-9 dogs. I haven't read any of those. I keep meaning to try one.
I really like the sound of that first one. I'm currently reading a Japanese novel (you'll see it in my next wrap-up) and it has some cats in it, too. I've noticed on Instagram there are lots of Japanese and Korean posts with cats. Actually, the internet in general is filled with cats AND dogs!
Kathy, the author used a different approach to telling Satoru's story and the focus on his cat worked very well.
Margot, it seems like most of the Japanese books I have right now are either fiction with cats as prominent characters or mystery novels (or thrillers).
Kelly, I am eager to hear about the Japanese novel you are reading. I was rereading a New York Times article about reading ‘Healing Fiction’ and it mentions both Japanese and Korean fiction with cats a lot, but it does not give many examples of Korean fiction that is available. I will have to look into that. Yesterday I saw a very short YouTube video with a dog doing yoga with its owner.
Cats are more writer-friendly...dogs want more full-attention in their waking hours, in my experience (though both do need to sleep A Lot, even by aging human standards). Interesting choices here, Tracy!
Todd, It has been so long since we have had a dog that I have forgotten the different needs of cats and dogs. Dogs need more walking, which we were never very good at keeping up with.
I think the Japanese lit & cat novels all sound good & heartwarming to me. We used to have a lot of cats growing up but now just have dogs. For Japanese lit month, I'd like to read Mina's Matchbox sometime by Yoko Ogawa. I've read a couple of her books, which are a bit different. Good luck with your Japanese reads.
Susan, I have a lot of the Japanese cat novels still to read. And I am looking forward to them. I will check into Mina's Matchbox by Ogawa.
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