Will I love The Guest Cat?

There's something poetic about Takashi Hiraide's writing—evocative, almost romantic—that I found deeply restful.

And given that I tend to read in bed at night, The Guest Cat became one of those books that I looked forward to settling down with. Hiraide is a Japanese poet, and though The Guest Cat is not poetry, I found the gentle, lyrical nature of the storytelling just beautiful, as is the cover—a Japanese ink drawing of Chibe, the sweet, neighborhood stray cat featured in this novel.

You cannot get anymore Japanese than a central storyline surrounding the daily life of a stray cat. The attention to detail is my favourite thing about this book as it turns the simple and mundane aspects of daily life into poignant moments to cherish. I really appreciate the translation of this book as it offers a unique side into Japanese life not well known to the west.