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I am a Cat #3
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??? ????? ???? ???? ?? ??? ?????? ???? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ?? ?????? ?? ?????. ??? ?????? ?? ??????? ??????? ?????? ???????????? ??? ????? ????? ?? ???? ??? ?????? ???? ?????? ????????. ??? ??? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ?????? ???? ???? ??????? ??? ????? ?? ????? ?? ??????
??? ????? ???? ???? ?? ??? ?????? ???? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ?? ?????? ?? ?????. ??? ?????? ?? ??????? ??????? ?????? ???????????? ??? ????? ????? ?? ???? ??? ?????? ???? ?????? ????????. ??? ??? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ?????? ???? ???? ??????? ??? ????? ?? ????? ?? ??????
428 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1906
20 people are currently reading
536 people want to read
About the author
Natsume S¨seki
829?books3,051?followersNatsume S¨seki (ÏÄÄ¿ Êþʯ), born Natsume Kinnosuke (ÏÄÄ¿ ½ðÖ®Öú), was a Japanese novelist. He is best known for his novels Kokoro, Botchan, I Am a Cat and his unfinished work Light and Darkness. He was also a scholar of British literature and composer of haiku, kanshi, and fairy tales. From 1984 until 2004, his portrait appeared on the front of the Japanese 1000 yen note. In Japan, he is often considered the greatest writer in modern Japanese history. He has had a profound effect on almost all important Japanese writers since.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
February 19, 2022
????? ?????? ???? ??? ?? ??? ??????? ????? ????????????.
???? ????? ?????? ????? ??? (?????????? ?????? )
??????? ??????? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ????????? ???? ????? ????? ?????
???? ????? ?????? ????? ??? (?????????? ?????? )
??????? ??????? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ????????? ???? ????? ????? ?????
June 29, 2018
This third installment of the series, to be honest, was often a bit of a slog. The writing was at time tedious and I sometimes wondered if I should give up, only to stumble upon some brilliantly written passage about something as innocuous as a mirror:
"A mirror is a vat for brewing self-conceit, yet, at the same time, a means to neutralize all vanity. Nothing shows up the absurd pretensions of a show-off more incitingly than a mirror. Since time began, the pretentious and the vainglorious have gone about the world inflicting damage both upon themselves and upon others, and the first class at at least two-thirds of that injury undoubtedly lay in mirrors."
A couple of other passages I felt compelled to jot down:
"The truth may simply be that human society is no more than a massing of lunatics. Perhaps our vaunted social organization is merely a kind of bear-garden, where lunatics gather together, grapple desperately, bicker and tussle with each other in mindless muckiness. This agglomeration of lunatics thus becomes a living organism which, like cells, disintegrates and coalesces, crumbles again to nothing and again reintegrates."
"One finds that in this sad world that among mean-spirited persons, the greater their incompetence and inefficiency, the sharper their sense of self importance and the more virulent their ambition to hold unsuitably high official posts."
So, I'm glad I got through it. The conclusion was especially poignant... the only point in the entire series that offers anything in the realm of emotional impact. The philosophical musings are alone worth the trip, but it is always nice to finish a book feeling something.
"A mirror is a vat for brewing self-conceit, yet, at the same time, a means to neutralize all vanity. Nothing shows up the absurd pretensions of a show-off more incitingly than a mirror. Since time began, the pretentious and the vainglorious have gone about the world inflicting damage both upon themselves and upon others, and the first class at at least two-thirds of that injury undoubtedly lay in mirrors."
A couple of other passages I felt compelled to jot down:
"The truth may simply be that human society is no more than a massing of lunatics. Perhaps our vaunted social organization is merely a kind of bear-garden, where lunatics gather together, grapple desperately, bicker and tussle with each other in mindless muckiness. This agglomeration of lunatics thus becomes a living organism which, like cells, disintegrates and coalesces, crumbles again to nothing and again reintegrates."
"One finds that in this sad world that among mean-spirited persons, the greater their incompetence and inefficiency, the sharper their sense of self importance and the more virulent their ambition to hold unsuitably high official posts."
So, I'm glad I got through it. The conclusion was especially poignant... the only point in the entire series that offers anything in the realm of emotional impact. The philosophical musings are alone worth the trip, but it is always nice to finish a book feeling something.
February 23, 2020
What a deliberate end to all the follies the cat has to witness and endure.
March 23, 2025
Currently Reading
Pre-Read notesl0
I have no idea what I'm getting into but I love stories about cats and contemporary Japanese literature, so I bet this one will be a win! I'm reading the introduction, which is about the author and book and common interpretations and is worth the time to read.
Final Review
I highly recommend if you're interested in this book, to read it in three volumes! 500 pages straight through creates a slow pace and a meandering plot that feels repetitious. Besides that though, this is a scathingly funny send up of Japanese and western culture at the time of writing, at the turn of the 20th century. I just love the narrator, a common housecat who speaks English and keenly judges his master and family. If you enjoy magical realism that is mostly realism, like I do, you will probably love this book!
Beyond that, I recommend this two fans of gossip in fiction, light magical realism, books about cats, and anthropomorphic characters.
The prime fact is that all humans are puffed up by their extreme self-satisfaction with their own brute power. Unless some creatures more powerful than humans arrive on earth to bully them, there¡¯s just no knowing to what dire lengths their fool presumptuousness will eventually carry them. p9
Review summary and recommendations
I am no human cog. I am a cat, a being sensitive to the most subtle shades of thought and feeling. p177
Well, it¡¯s always pleasant to admire something incomprehensible when you think you understand it. p325
It is painfully easy to define human beings. They are beings who, for no good reason at all, create their own unnecessary suffering. p362
Reading Notes
Three (or more) things I loved:
1. Thus we never keep things like diaries. For what would be the point? No doubt human beings like my two-faced master find it necessary to keep diaries in order to display in a darkened room that true character so assiduously hidden from the world. p26 I adore the tone of the protagonist's voice!
2. At this point, though a mere cat, I perceived a truth: that golden opportunity makes all animals venture to do even those things they do not want to do. p30 I love that this book is about so many important issues, but being addressed from a cat's POV. It gives the reader a fresh way to think about the issues they normally encounter in books. There's an immediacy to this POV that heightens the stakes, not just I'm the story, but for every issue it touches upon.
3. I'm enjoying the pov from the cat. I'm tough on anthropomorphism, but this book strikes a nice balance.
4. I lack the energy to trail along after them. I shall therefore skip all mention of their afternoon doings and, instead, relax. All created things are entitled to demand of their Creator some rest for recreation. p176 So cat-like! But also, such a wise thought, If it were to belong to a human.
5. I adore that Cat adores the visitors whom the owners couldn't stand! Oh thank God,? says Cat! My husband is sleeping, says Mrs. Sneeze!
6. I sort of love the important role of gossip in Cat's world. He often protects himself or meets his needs by overhearing, at least in part.
7. But let it be remembered that the death of a fish is described in Japanese as an ascension. Birds, we say, drop dead, become mere fallen things. Men are simply said to have kicked the bucket. But fish, I stress, ascend. Now, just ask anyone who¡¯s journeyed overseas, anyone who¡¯s crossed the Indian Ocean, whether they¡¯ve seen a dying fish. Of course they haven¡¯t. p225 The humor in this book is wonderful! And another one: But, very recently, there has been a swing in the opposite direction and people may now be found who go about incessantly advocating nudity, praising nude pictures and generally making a naked menace of themselves. I think they are in error. Indeed, since I have remained decently clothed from the moment of my birth, how could I think otherwise? p242
8. This book is sort of a caper, which means not much plot movement but tons of activity. These sorts of stories are pure fun!
Three (or less) things I didn't love:
This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.
1. The plot is a bit limp, but this isn't? a story about a story, it's a story about one cat. It seems fitting that plot's arc might be a little odd.
2. The plot is so slow and repeats itself! Need to focus on the details to relate to this one.
3. I recommend reading this in three volumes instead of as one book. It's quite long to read it as a book and I felt myself getting fatigued with the story.
Rating: ???? /5 ordinary cats
Recommend? yes
Finished: Mar 22 '25
Format: accessible digital copy, Libby
Read this book if you like:
? cat stories
? anthropomorphism
? witty dialog
?? critique of civilization
I found an accessible digital copy of I AM A CAT by author Natsume Soseki, on Libby. All views are mine.
---------------
Pre-Read notesl0
I have no idea what I'm getting into but I love stories about cats and contemporary Japanese literature, so I bet this one will be a win! I'm reading the introduction, which is about the author and book and common interpretations and is worth the time to read.
Final Review
I highly recommend if you're interested in this book, to read it in three volumes! 500 pages straight through creates a slow pace and a meandering plot that feels repetitious. Besides that though, this is a scathingly funny send up of Japanese and western culture at the time of writing, at the turn of the 20th century. I just love the narrator, a common housecat who speaks English and keenly judges his master and family. If you enjoy magical realism that is mostly realism, like I do, you will probably love this book!
Beyond that, I recommend this two fans of gossip in fiction, light magical realism, books about cats, and anthropomorphic characters.
The prime fact is that all humans are puffed up by their extreme self-satisfaction with their own brute power. Unless some creatures more powerful than humans arrive on earth to bully them, there¡¯s just no knowing to what dire lengths their fool presumptuousness will eventually carry them. p9
Review summary and recommendations
I am no human cog. I am a cat, a being sensitive to the most subtle shades of thought and feeling. p177
Well, it¡¯s always pleasant to admire something incomprehensible when you think you understand it. p325
It is painfully easy to define human beings. They are beings who, for no good reason at all, create their own unnecessary suffering. p362
Reading Notes
Three (or more) things I loved:
1. Thus we never keep things like diaries. For what would be the point? No doubt human beings like my two-faced master find it necessary to keep diaries in order to display in a darkened room that true character so assiduously hidden from the world. p26 I adore the tone of the protagonist's voice!
2. At this point, though a mere cat, I perceived a truth: that golden opportunity makes all animals venture to do even those things they do not want to do. p30 I love that this book is about so many important issues, but being addressed from a cat's POV. It gives the reader a fresh way to think about the issues they normally encounter in books. There's an immediacy to this POV that heightens the stakes, not just I'm the story, but for every issue it touches upon.
3. I'm enjoying the pov from the cat. I'm tough on anthropomorphism, but this book strikes a nice balance.
4. I lack the energy to trail along after them. I shall therefore skip all mention of their afternoon doings and, instead, relax. All created things are entitled to demand of their Creator some rest for recreation. p176 So cat-like! But also, such a wise thought, If it were to belong to a human.
5. I adore that Cat adores the visitors whom the owners couldn't stand! Oh thank God,? says Cat! My husband is sleeping, says Mrs. Sneeze!
6. I sort of love the important role of gossip in Cat's world. He often protects himself or meets his needs by overhearing, at least in part.
7. But let it be remembered that the death of a fish is described in Japanese as an ascension. Birds, we say, drop dead, become mere fallen things. Men are simply said to have kicked the bucket. But fish, I stress, ascend. Now, just ask anyone who¡¯s journeyed overseas, anyone who¡¯s crossed the Indian Ocean, whether they¡¯ve seen a dying fish. Of course they haven¡¯t. p225 The humor in this book is wonderful! And another one: But, very recently, there has been a swing in the opposite direction and people may now be found who go about incessantly advocating nudity, praising nude pictures and generally making a naked menace of themselves. I think they are in error. Indeed, since I have remained decently clothed from the moment of my birth, how could I think otherwise? p242
8. This book is sort of a caper, which means not much plot movement but tons of activity. These sorts of stories are pure fun!
Three (or less) things I didn't love:
This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.
1. The plot is a bit limp, but this isn't? a story about a story, it's a story about one cat. It seems fitting that plot's arc might be a little odd.
2. The plot is so slow and repeats itself! Need to focus on the details to relate to this one.
3. I recommend reading this in three volumes instead of as one book. It's quite long to read it as a book and I felt myself getting fatigued with the story.
Rating: ???? /5 ordinary cats
Recommend? yes
Finished: Mar 22 '25
Format: accessible digital copy, Libby
Read this book if you like:
? cat stories
? anthropomorphism
? witty dialog
?? critique of civilization
I found an accessible digital copy of I AM A CAT by author Natsume Soseki, on Libby. All views are mine.
---------------
December 27, 2023
The ramblings of a very depressed cat. ???
I picked this up at the library excited to read a book that promised the world through the eye of a cat. Instead I read several hundred pages of rambling, preaching, and general disdain for society through the eyes of a cat. The ending was very bleak. However, I think the problem may have been less with this book and more with me. Some tone was likely lost translating to English, and the whole story is meant as a satirical commentary on Meiji period Japan, cultural context I definitely was ignorant to and could not pick up on. It is also the third installment and although they are allegedly good standalone stories the extra confusion likely didn¡¯t help me. I¡¯m not opposed to reading the first one some day especially after doing my research better on the era and the author¡¯s style of culturally specific satire. I wish I could¡¯ve enjoyed this more! Rest in peace spiteful strange cat.
I picked this up at the library excited to read a book that promised the world through the eye of a cat. Instead I read several hundred pages of rambling, preaching, and general disdain for society through the eyes of a cat. The ending was very bleak. However, I think the problem may have been less with this book and more with me. Some tone was likely lost translating to English, and the whole story is meant as a satirical commentary on Meiji period Japan, cultural context I definitely was ignorant to and could not pick up on. It is also the third installment and although they are allegedly good standalone stories the extra confusion likely didn¡¯t help me. I¡¯m not opposed to reading the first one some day especially after doing my research better on the era and the author¡¯s style of culturally specific satire. I wish I could¡¯ve enjoyed this more! Rest in peace spiteful strange cat.
February 1, 2022
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February 4, 2021
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This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2022
?????? ??????? ???????. ?/??
"??? ??.. ??? ?? ??? ???" . ??????? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ???????? ??????. "??? ??" ????? ?????? ??? ?? ????? ?? ??? ??? ???? ?? ????? ???? ?????? ????? ???????? "????"? ???? ??????? ????? ??? ????. ??????? ?????? ???? ??????? ????? ???????? ???? ???????? ????? ?? ?????? ?????? ???????? ?? ???? ???? ????????? ??? ??? ????? ???????? ????? ??????? ?????? ???? ??????? "????" ?? ????? "????? ??????" ?????? ?? ???????? ???????? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ??????? ?? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ????? (??? ?????? ?????) . ??? ??????? ??????? ????? ?????? ?????? ? ?????? ???????? ??????.
"??? ??.. ??? ?? ??? ???" . ??????? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ???????? ??????. "??? ??" ????? ?????? ??? ?? ????? ?? ??? ??? ???? ?? ????? ???? ?????? ????? ???????? "????"? ???? ??????? ????? ??? ????. ??????? ?????? ???? ??????? ????? ???????? ???? ???????? ????? ?? ?????? ?????? ???????? ?? ???? ???? ????????? ??? ??? ????? ???????? ????? ??????? ?????? ???? ??????? "????" ?? ????? "????? ??????" ?????? ?? ???????? ???????? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ??????? ?? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ????? (??? ?????? ?????) . ??? ??????? ??????? ????? ?????? ?????? ? ?????? ???????? ??????.
April 12, 2008
One of the best books I've ever read, "I Am a Cat" gives a crazy-cool interpretation of life through the eyes of a cat. As you get to know these felines in the hood, you'll see in their personalities people you know, people you love, and people you just can't stand. Don't miss this book! You'll get a kick out of seeing your neighbor's crazy eccentricities. Added bonus? You'll get to tell them "You're so catty"...and you'll have documentation to prove it!
Again, I read this book while living in Japan. Very fun, since it was written by a Japanese author.
Again, I read this book while living in Japan. Very fun, since it was written by a Japanese author.
Read
November 16, 2008buku coba2 sebenarnya...untuk mengetahui seberapa jauh saya bisa bertahan dengan buku berbahasa "londo"...hehehehe...but i'm done it! meskipun harus bikin kamus kesayangan jadi tambah lecek...gak ada ojek...
July 31, 2021
??????? ????? ????? ?? ??? ????????. ??????? ???? ???? ?????. ???? ??????? ??? ?? ????? ??? ??????? ????? ???????. ????? ???? ??? ??????? ?????????. ???????? ???? ????? ????.
May 10, 2022
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January 28, 2021
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??? ??? ??? ?????? ?? ???????
????? ??? ????? ??? ???? ??? ??? ??? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ??? ??????? ??? ??? ??? ??????? ???? ????? ??? ????? ??????? ??? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ??????? ????
?????? ???????? ????? ???? ?????? ?? ???????? ????? ??????? ????? ??? ???? ??????? ??? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ??????? ???? ???? ??? ?? ??? ????? ???? ????? ????? ???? ??????
March 4, 2023
So glad I finished this. No hate to the cat, but for real, he is going to drive me insane. This isn't that bad, but you can't make a five hundred page book about cats talking about random stuff. And I think Souseki knew this too, because it was serialised in a magazine, and people really liked it so he just kept on writing it. It is in my humble opinion that no sane man should read this gargantuan trilogy all about the misadventures, or lack thereof, of a cat, there is simply better things to do with your time, unless you really like cats, in which case do whatever you want, but for the rest of us, it just isn't for us.
November 6, 2018
While there are still moments of brilliance in the third volume, the author's tendency towards longwindedness gets the better of him here. The first chapter and the extremely long final chapter, in particular, go on and on and on. I admired the experimentalism and the humor when it worked, but sometimes, in this part, it didn't.
October 31, 2024
4.5 good series but got tedious at times to get through
October 15, 2024
Part Three features even more socially scathing commentary, some of the funniest sections, and an almost Proustian obsession with minutia that will either be charming to the reader or maddening. The ending is sudden and bleak and probably shows more how sick of the book and character Soseki was than anything else.
June 3, 2020
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?????? ????? ????? ?????? ??????? ??? ?????? ??? ???? ????? ???? ??? ???????? ??????? ?????? ???? ????? ?????? ??????? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ??????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ?????? ????? ????? ?????? ????? ?? ???? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? ????
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"?? ?????? ?? ?????? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ??? ???????"
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2022
????? ?????? ?? ?????? ? ?????? . ??? ??????? ????? ?????? ?? ???? ??????? ?????? ???? ????? ??? ????? ??? ????? ?? ????? ??????? . ?? ??? ????? ???? ???? ???? ??????? ???? ??? ???????? ???????? ? ????? ???????? ????? ??????? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ??????? ? ????? ????? ? ??? ????? ????? ???? ?????????? ???? ( ???? ???????? ) ????? ??? ????? ???????? . ?? ????? ??????? ????? ?? ????? ??????? ???? ??????????? ? ???????? ????? ?? ??????? ??? ????? ???? . ????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ????? ??? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ??????? ???? ????? ???? ???????? ???? ????? ?????? . ?? ??? ????? ???? ???? ?? ????????? ??????? ? ???? ???????? ????? ?? ??????? ? ???????? ??? ???? ??? ??????? ????? ?????? ??? ??? ??? ????????? ??? ?????????? ? ???????? ?????? ??? ????? ??????? ? ??? ?? ??? ??? ?????????? ??? ?? ????? ??? ?? ??? ????? ???????? ?? ??? ???? ???? ???? ???? ????? ??? ??????? . ???????? ??? ???? ???? ?????? ??? ?????????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ??? ???? . ???? ???? ???? ?? ????? ??????? ??? . ???? ????? ???? ??????? ??????? ? ????? ?? ??????? ? ?????? ???? ??? ??????? ???? ??????? ?????????? ???????? ???? ???? ??????? ?????? ?? ??? ????? ?? ??????? ????? ?????? ? ???????? ????? ???? . ????? ??????? ???? ????? ?? ????? ? ??????? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ??? ??? ?????? . ?????? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ??????? ? ?????? ????? ?????? ???? ?????? ? ??? ???? ??????? ?? ???? ??? ??? ??? ??????? ??? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ???? .??? ??????? ???? ??????? ???? ????? ??? ?? ???? ? ????? ???? ?? ??? ??? ?? ???? ??? ????? .
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October 18, 2014A strange yet somehow captivating book -- actually, part 3 of 3 in a multi-part novel, but I hadn't read the first 2 and you don't need to have done so. It is a Japanese novel told from the perspective of a cat observing the human beings around it, written around a century ago and translated into English in the 1980s. The cat takes rather a dim view of the humans of the household, but is wise and well-informed on a wide variety of topics and engages in frequent opinionated, informative digressions. The book is strange in part because very little actually happens. At one point, for instance, you spend 29 pages in which the master of the house makes faces at himself in a mirror and then opens some mail. Nonetheless, it kept me reading, and I think that can partly be attributed to the storytelling, but also partly to the wonderful translation. The English has a delightful, somewhat old-fashioned rhythm to it, and it makes pleasingly generous (but not too generous) usage of words and phrases that are dated or regional -- that are, in fact, "patavinities", one of quite a number of words that I encountered in this book that I had never seen before, which means "usages from regional dialects." All of which may sound a little offputting, but I didn't experience it that way at all.
I *was* a little put off by the final chapter. It is a bit different in tone and flow than the rest of the book, being mainly a dialogue among a number of the human characters, and while it *mostly* reflects the clever absurdness of the rest of the story, it ends up going in a rather bleak direction. For understanding the underlying reasoning for that, especially given that this book is an artefact of a culture with which I am only very superficially familiar, it was useful to have been forewarned by the translators' introduction that this final chapter was intended by the author as something of a satire of Zen. Anyway, I would likely never have read this book if I hadn't been given it, but it was well worth reading.
I *was* a little put off by the final chapter. It is a bit different in tone and flow than the rest of the book, being mainly a dialogue among a number of the human characters, and while it *mostly* reflects the clever absurdness of the rest of the story, it ends up going in a rather bleak direction. For understanding the underlying reasoning for that, especially given that this book is an artefact of a culture with which I am only very superficially familiar, it was useful to have been forewarned by the translators' introduction that this final chapter was intended by the author as something of a satire of Zen. Anyway, I would likely never have read this book if I hadn't been given it, but it was well worth reading.
May 7, 2007
Not finished with it yet, but this is a really fun book. The vocabulary alone is worth it, translated in early 20th century British English. How often do you read the word "enire" [no spelling error, this is the word] or "usufruct"? Holy crap.
If you own a dictionary (or simply a decent sense of context) the verbiage isn't so difficult to get through, and it's really necessary: the narrator is a cat, describing his master, a turn-of-the-century Japanese teacher, and the follies of being a human being. From the perspective of an arrogant, self-righteous, if not altogether pitiless feline. There is enough acerbic wit in the book to make the most cynical bastard feel like a saint, but there is enough heart and self-effacing commentary to make one realize that the cat, for all his spite, truly loves his master's family. It is exactly what I imagine a cat would be like - aloof but not monstrous.
I give it a three: it's not exactly epic, nor is the plot spectacular - it was written as a serialized novel, and collected in four parts later - but it is a book I can pick up and pay as much attention to as I like. It doesn't offer the total absorption of, say, "Brothers Karamazov," but it's a humorous enough account. And I can only brood for so long.
The ending is really pretty good. I'd almost bump it up one star, except that the whole ending sequence feels a little forced, like Soseki's serialization contract ran out and he had a certain amount of pages to fill. It all ties together well, since the stories are essentially vignettes, but the last few pages is great; a firestorm of death fantasy and philosophy, it is like two pages of everything good about life and death. Nothing new, but well done, nonetheless.
If you own a dictionary (or simply a decent sense of context) the verbiage isn't so difficult to get through, and it's really necessary: the narrator is a cat, describing his master, a turn-of-the-century Japanese teacher, and the follies of being a human being. From the perspective of an arrogant, self-righteous, if not altogether pitiless feline. There is enough acerbic wit in the book to make the most cynical bastard feel like a saint, but there is enough heart and self-effacing commentary to make one realize that the cat, for all his spite, truly loves his master's family. It is exactly what I imagine a cat would be like - aloof but not monstrous.
I give it a three: it's not exactly epic, nor is the plot spectacular - it was written as a serialized novel, and collected in four parts later - but it is a book I can pick up and pay as much attention to as I like. It doesn't offer the total absorption of, say, "Brothers Karamazov," but it's a humorous enough account. And I can only brood for so long.
The ending is really pretty good. I'd almost bump it up one star, except that the whole ending sequence feels a little forced, like Soseki's serialization contract ran out and he had a certain amount of pages to fill. It all ties together well, since the stories are essentially vignettes, but the last few pages is great; a firestorm of death fantasy and philosophy, it is like two pages of everything good about life and death. Nothing new, but well done, nonetheless.
July 19, 2013
3 1/2, really. I loved the first two books, but this one drags on a bit too much. The last chapter is especially frustrating - 75 pages of one slightly amusing conversation. It's interesting, though, how Natsume parallels the story being told in the conversation with the story being read by us. He has the characters constantly allude to how long-winded the story is, so I get the feeling he almost tried to be as unthrilling as possible. That often works in these books, but the lack of hilarity in this last section sadly detracts from that. Oh well - this is still an incredibly essential series!
June 23, 2008
hiks hiks, kucinya mati kecebur telerrrrrr.
(cara cepat membaca/ menikmati buku, dan mungkin sdikit bodoh adalah dengan cara membaca bab-bab awal, kmudian dilanjutkan di bagian terakhir. bagi q, i m a cat, ini masuk kategori tebbbbbaaalllll. berbahasa inggrissss pula. jadi untuk memenuhi hasrat ingin tahu, ya ditempuh jalan seperti itu. meski sangat beresiko tinggi tidak tahu cerita keseluruhan, gak kenal siapa saja yg jadi tokoh. untuk menyelesaikan Soseki's work, sepertinya sangat dibutuhkan energi untuk mendorong munculnya kemauan dan niat for reading it)
(cara cepat membaca/ menikmati buku, dan mungkin sdikit bodoh adalah dengan cara membaca bab-bab awal, kmudian dilanjutkan di bagian terakhir. bagi q, i m a cat, ini masuk kategori tebbbbbaaalllll. berbahasa inggrissss pula. jadi untuk memenuhi hasrat ingin tahu, ya ditempuh jalan seperti itu. meski sangat beresiko tinggi tidak tahu cerita keseluruhan, gak kenal siapa saja yg jadi tokoh. untuk menyelesaikan Soseki's work, sepertinya sangat dibutuhkan energi untuk mendorong munculnya kemauan dan niat for reading it)
January 12, 2012
Finally, I've reached the end of it! Gotta say it wasn't exactly easy for me. Even though I found it extremely charming and entertaining, after 9 chapters it gets a little old.
The cat is certainly not the main character anymore, and the great number of characters lead to longer conversations and deeper topics. There are extremely modern ideas in it, some even modern in the lights of the XXI century, maybe. I just think he exaggerated the last chapter, it could have been some 40 pages shorter, but it was a useful reading, nevertheless.
The cat is certainly not the main character anymore, and the great number of characters lead to longer conversations and deeper topics. There are extremely modern ideas in it, some even modern in the lights of the XXI century, maybe. I just think he exaggerated the last chapter, it could have been some 40 pages shorter, but it was a useful reading, nevertheless.
October 17, 2008
love it! see the world (and human inside it) from a cat's eyes.
Too bad the English is not easily understandable, since it was a translation from Japan language (*sigh* God knows that it's hard to translate Nihongo to Eigo...). Anyway, right now I'm looking for the Volume 1, I don't think Periplus still have the stock (and I'm not willing to buy the Three-Volumes-in-One-Book either!). So, if you guys have it, let me know!
Too bad the English is not easily understandable, since it was a translation from Japan language (*sigh* God knows that it's hard to translate Nihongo to Eigo...). Anyway, right now I'm looking for the Volume 1, I don't think Periplus still have the stock (and I'm not willing to buy the Three-Volumes-in-One-Book either!). So, if you guys have it, let me know!
January 15, 2009
Karena gw sudah punya yang edisi gabungan (1-2-3) dalam satu buku, maka gw menawarkan buku volume 3 ini bagi yang berminat.
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