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Title details for The Goodbye Cat by Hiro Arikawa - Wait list

The Goodbye Cat

by Hiro Arikawa
Philip Gabriel
Audiobook
0 of 2 copies available
Wait time: About 5 weeks
Place a hold Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
0 of 2 copies available
Wait time: About 5 weeks
In the much-anticipated follow-up to the bestselling and beloved The Travelling Cat Chronicles, seven cats weave their way through their owners’ lives, climbing, comforting, nestling, and sometimes just tripping everyone up in this uplifting collection of tales by international bestselling author Hiro Arikawa.
Against the backdrop of changing seasons in Japan, we meet Spin, a kitten rescued from the recycling bin, whose playful nature and simple needs teach an anxious father how to parent his own human baby; a colony of wild cats on a popular holiday island show a young boy not to stand in nature’s way; a family is perplexed by their cat’s undying devotion to their charismatic but uncaring father; a woman curses how her cat will not stop visiting her at night; and an elderly cat hatches a plan to pass into the next world as a spirit so that he and his owner may be in each other’s lives forever.
Bursting with love and warmth, The Goodbye Cat exquisitely explores the cycle of life, from birth to death—as each of the seven stories explores how, in different ways, the steadiness and devotion of a well-loved cat never lets us down. A huge bestseller in Japan, this magical book is a joyous celebration of the wondrousness of cats and why we choose to share our lives with them.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    October 10, 2023

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780593830192
      • File size: 192947 KB
      • Duration: 06:41:58

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Library Journal

      June 10, 2024

      The titular cat in Arikawa's (The Travelling Cat Chronicles) latest narrates the first story in this joyous collection. He is utterly charming and earnest; listeners will undoubtedly be in tears when he says goodbye. He is also, apparently, English. While narrator George Blagden's performance is a pleasure to experience, his British-accented pronunciation of Japanese words occasionally transports listeners from Japan to the British Isles. This approach is jarring, since Japan is as important to Arikawa's stories as their feline focus. Even so, Blagden approaches human and cat protagonists with equal seriousness, portraying them as layered, believable characters. While "The Goodbye Cat" is the most potent story in the collection, the rest are nearly as moving. Death, whether feline or human, is a common theme, but the most important focus is on family, with many stories demonstrating how loving cats can strengthen the bonds between humans. VERDICT Stories featuring pet death are not for everyone, but Arikawa's poignant tales ring true. Perfect for listeners who enjoy novels exploring the intersection of animals and community, such as Beth Morrey's The Love Story of Missy Carmichael.--Matthew Galloway

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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