The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa and translated by Philip Gabriel is a novel worth your time. It is heartfelt, gorgeously written, lovely to listen to, and a worthy read.

It is a novel that has similar emotional vibes to A Man Called Ove in which, once you are finished reading this you will feel content with life. Cats and I are not friends, no thank you but Nana drew me in. If I were to ever have cat, I would like to be Nana because he is a cat worth loving and this is a story you will find to love.

A beautifully told story that you can listen to or read but regardless will leave you happy you read it and spent your time with this journey.

Nana is Satoru's cat. They are on an adventure to find a new home for Nana as circumstances are now preventing Satoru for caring for him. You will travel in a silver van with them as Satoru reunites with old friends in a search for the right home for his cat.

Simply put, powerful and beautiful. A plot centred around the characters and a plot to love dearly.

Satoru is the best character you can meet. Fiercely strong in who his is and an avid animal lover, he is a man all look up to. He is respectful, loveable, and loyal to his friends.

Nana, is a sassy cat who is fiercely loyal to Satoru. The story is told from Nana's point of view and because of that creates a unique take on a journey, it is through the eyes of a cat after all.

 All the characters from Yoshimine, Sugi, Chikako, to Kosuke are necessary to this story. Not one as a reader will you think, were they necessary? No, they all were pertinent to the story and their relationship to Satoru is key in why they have been considered to take care of his cat.

Wonderful characters, especially Satoru who you will love.

A poignant ending, one I doubt you will ever forget.

Around the time where Satoru wouldn't divulge his reason for giving his cat away, Nana the cat he adored so dearly, I knew he was dying. Satoru was not portrayed as a person who would willingly give up his cat unless circumstances dictated he could no longer care for it. Satoru tried his hardest to part with his beloved part, giving Nana away to friends he trusted and yet, neither were able to part until the last minute.

I cried way before the epilogue began. As soon as I had a sense of the reason for this travels, I had a sinking sense of pain in my gut and then when he finally said goodbye to Nana - I lost it. This is an emotional journey for any reader that sheds a light on the impact of one individual and how a person's outlook on life is extremely important to their journey.

I don't want to go on because I think what you take away from this novel is personal and powerful. Hiro Arikawa wrote something that allows you to recognise your value in the world whether it be through the eyes of a pet, a family member, or a friend. Nana and Satoru's bond made me crave something so deep and profound that many don't realise they have it until it is gone.

I found peace in the ending that Nana was beginning to age and I felt that his dreams could potentially be a signal of him crossing the border into the afterlife in which he was reunited with Satoru and together, they would be again.

I like this novel. It gave me power in my soul and the ability to recognise and love what it is to be human. What it is to love. What it is to care. What it is to be.