Latest Review: "The Guest Cat" by Takashi Hiraide

The latest addition to our Reviews section is by Robyn Kaufman on The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide, translated by Eric Selland, out earlier this year from New Directions.

Robyn was one of Chad’s interns this past semester, and helped us out greatly in terms of proofing and editing texts, as well as evaluating submissions and reviewing books. Also, she gets the Open Letter sense of humor, however collective it may be, and is a perceptive and hard worker. (That just as a small advertisement/Open Letter stamp of approval in case Robyn applies for further publishing internships.)

Anyway, as we move through May and draw nearer to the BEA insanity (see you there!), here’s a nice little review about cats—because everyone likes cats. The beginning of Robyn’s review for your reading pleasure:

In a story of two emotionally distant people, Japanese author Takashi Hiraide expertly evokes powerful feelings of love, loss, and friendship in his novel The Guest Cat. The life of the unnamed narrator and his wife, both writers, is calm and simple until the appearance of their neighbors’ cat, Chibi. Warmth and caring slowly seep into their relationship, with each other and with Chibi, due to the cat’s appearance. Gradually their lives change in subtle yet impactful ways. Finding out they have to leave their home coincides with an abrupt end to Chibi’s visits, and suddenly their newly established lifestyle is in disarray. The narrator describes his life experiences, relationships, and surroundings with simple clarity and beautiful awareness.

For the rest of the piece, go here .