We’ll Prescribe You a Cat, by Syou Ishida

We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


“We’ll Prescribe You a Cat” by Syou Ishida is a peculiar attempt at blending magical realism and episodic storytelling, but one that ultimately veers off course. While on the surface it shares superficial similarities with “The Travelling Cat Chronicles”, the comparison hardly holds due to the stark differences in execution and tone. Unfortunately, “We’ll Prescribe You a Cat” leans heavily into clichés, offering overdoses of preachy content and saccharine lessons that come across as formulaic and forced.

The novel presents a range of short vignettes, promising to deliver moments of heartfelt connection between humans and their feline counterparts. However, the episodic nature makes each chapter feel disconnected and shallow. Rather than a cohesive story, the book presents a series of almost obligatory moral lessons, which feel more esoteric than engaging. The subtlety I hoped for is utterly missing here.

»”Everyone is delighted by your reactions”. Before he knew it, the sincere words had dropped out of Koga’s mouth. “Your compliments bring people joy. I think that’s great.”«

Reading moments like this felt more like being spoon-fed life advice than becoming emotionally involved in a character’s journey. The translation doesn’t help either, as it often borders on clunky and sometimes detracts from what could be poignant moments.

At times, it even feels like the novel is dunking one’s nose into moral teachings rather than letting the story naturally unfold. Though there are some tender moments and nice ideas, this novel, sadly, misses the mark.

Two stars out of five.


Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam




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