We'll Prescribe You A Cat. Syou Ishida. Translated by E. Madison Shimoda. 2023. 297 pages. [Source: Library] [novellas; international fiction; adult fiction; cats] [4 stars]
First sentence: Shuta Kagawa stood at the end of a shadowy alley, gazing up at a multipurpose building. After getting thoroughly lost, he had finally arrived.
Premise/plot: We'll Prescribe You a Cat is a collection of loosely connected novellas. Each story features a character that is a little lost, a little out-of-sorts. The character is seeking--though word-of-mouth recommendations--a Clinic for the Soul. Each character believes it is a mental health clinic with doctors and nurses, etc. But the prescriptions ALL turn out to be CATS. Some "patients" are prescribed a cat for a week; others for two weeks. The twist is that this location can *only* be found by those in need. Most people can't find it, or see it. (Think Twilight Zone).
My thoughts: I love the premise of this one. It is a collection of novellas. The first story by far is the best story (in my opinion). I really was LOVING the first two-thirds of this one. The last two or three novellas, however, left me a bit puzzled and confused. I certainly seemed to be missing the plot in making sense of the story. Perhaps because they were going for a reincarnation theme???? I honestly don't know. I really don't. But the premise is strong. There are cats everywhere. Certainly a good read.
© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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