Scan barcode
A review by thebookboy
A Cat, a Man, and Two Women by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki
5.0
A perfect, poignant little piece of Japanese cat literature.
As a huge fan of this very specific genre, I must admit that many Japanese cat books tend to err on the side of sweet or twee. This really isn't the case here. Instead we're presented with quite a unique novella that explores how people punish each other emotionally, especially when hearts have been broken and expectations are changed.
To say any of the three main chaarcters is likeable would be untrue - they are all flawed in their own ways and each have motives that link to the cat in the way they scheme against one another. In a way the cat is a pawn - a piece in an unpleasant chess game that continually shifts and evolves. However, the cat is just as chanegeable as the humans, and this leads to some very interesting shifts in power.
I honestly couldn't put this down, and I think there's a real magic in what Tanizaki achieved in so few words. It's a short, but powerful book that will linger in my mind for a long time to come.
As a huge fan of this very specific genre, I must admit that many Japanese cat books tend to err on the side of sweet or twee. This really isn't the case here. Instead we're presented with quite a unique novella that explores how people punish each other emotionally, especially when hearts have been broken and expectations are changed.
To say any of the three main chaarcters is likeable would be untrue - they are all flawed in their own ways and each have motives that link to the cat in the way they scheme against one another. In a way the cat is a pawn - a piece in an unpleasant chess game that continually shifts and evolves. However, the cat is just as chanegeable as the humans, and this leads to some very interesting shifts in power.
I honestly couldn't put this down, and I think there's a real magic in what Tanizaki achieved in so few words. It's a short, but powerful book that will linger in my mind for a long time to come.