Book review: ‘The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen’
The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen: A Novel by Yuta Takahashi. Translated by Cat Anderson. Penguin, 2025. Softcover, 192 pages.
Ever since I read The Travelling Cat Chronicles (a moving novel by Hiro Arikawa) a few years ago, I have been caught up in magical realism literature from Japan. Fortunately, many of these lovely, life-affirming works feature cats. The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen, the latest book of this kind to cross my desk, is a hauntingly beautiful novel about grief, healing, and the power of connection.
When Kotoko’s brother dies in an act of heroism while saving her life, the young woman is consumed by grief and guilt. One day, she finds herself drawn to a small seaside restaurant rumored to serve a special meal that honors a loved one’s memory.
Urged by chef Kai and his enchanting cat, Chibi, Kotoko has a meal reminiscent of dinners her brother had cooked for her. Kotoko then goes on a magical, healing journey. Three other individuals in need of healing also find their way to Kai and Chibi in intertwined chapters.
While one might dismiss this work and others in this genre as light fiction, to do so would be a disservice to novels filled with important life lessons encouraged by a small and very wise cat.
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