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The Calico Cat at the Chibineko Kitchen
- Author
- Yuta Takahashi
- Narrator
- Hanako Footman
- Publisher
- John Murray Press
- Publish Date
- 5 June 2025
- Run Time
- 4 hours 44 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
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What to expect
**Contains four mouth-watering recipes**
The Chibineko Kitchen is no ordinary restaurant: the food can bring someone you've lost back to you, for one last time.
It's been months since Kotoko first visited the tiny restaurant by the sea. Now she works there, alongside the chef Kai and his mischievous kitten Chibi.
One sunny morning, the restaurant opens its doors to Nagi, a young woman facing an impossible choice. Should she marry her boyfriend, despite knowing she only has a few years left to live, or protect him from pain by refusing? She is desparate for advice from the one person no longer around to give it - her mother.
Next to visit are an anxious man rebuilding his life after shutting himself away for years, a lonely widow unaware that she is surrounded by friends, and an actor hoping to rekindle his career. Each leaves the restaurant nourished and reminded of what matters most in life.
Moving and irresistibly uplifting, The Calico Cat at the Chibineko Kitchen is a culinary hug for the soul.
READERS LOVE THIS SERIES:
'A heartwarming tale with beautiful food descriptions that make your mouth water' *****
'Beautifully written. I was consistently moved throughout the whole book' *****
'It was like an escape from the chaotic world. True healing fiction' *****
'A refreshing way to look at grief and how to remember a loved one' *****
'Such a charming and heartwarming book. I wanted it to go on for longer. I loved the recipes at the end of each chapter. I laughed, smiled and most definitely cried' *****
Critics Review
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As warm and comforting as the meals it describes . . . Takahashi is skilled at creating cozy, tranquil scenes, with light-dappled, evocative descriptions. . . . The charming characters have moving narratives. The food, which is sensorially described, has a starring role as well, with regional and cultural exposition and recipes at the end of each chapter. Soul-nourishing
Shelf Awareness
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A warm hug of a novel . . . set at a snug seaside café near Tokyo, where the food offers customers a chance to see the people they've loved and lost
AARP
-
Charming . . . Easy to read, this book will take readers on an emotional and nourishing journey
Seattle Times
-
Heartwarming . . . If you enjoyed Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, you might enjoy this magical tale set in a seaside town outside of Tokyo
Savvy Tokyo
See more reviews See fewer reviews
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Hanako Footman's narration is as warm and delicious as the meals at the Chibineko Kitchen . . . Footman's soft, calm tone and precise pronunciation of Japanese words and places create the perfect ambiance for this translated work steeped in Japanese culture, locations, traditions, and sensibilities. Keep a notepad handy if you plan to capture the recipe in each chapter's transcendent encounter
AudioFile Magazine
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A cozy, emotional gem . . . Each chapter is a quiet, healing moment, filled with food, memory and the comfort of cats. It's a wonderful book for readers who want to savor short, lovely chapters
Seattle Times
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Praise for THE CHIBINEKO KITCHEN
:
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As warm and comforting as the meals it describes . . . Takahashi is skilled at creating cozy, tranquil scenes, with light-dappled, evocative descriptions . . . The charming characters have moving narratives. The food, which is sensorially described, has a starring role as well, with regional and cultural exposition and recipes at the end of each chapter. Soul-nourishing
Shelf Awareness
-
A warm hug of a novel . . . set at a snug seaside café near Tokyo, where the food offers customers a chance to see the people they've loved and lost
AARP
-
Charming . . . Easy to read, this book will take readers on an emotional and nourishing journey
Seattle Times
-
Heartwarming . . . If you enjoyed Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, you might enjoy this magical tale set in a seaside town outside of Tokyo
Savvy Tokyo
-
Hanako Footman's narration is as warm and delicious as the meals at the Chibineko Kitchen . . . Footman's soft, calm tone and precise pronunciation of Japanese words and places create the perfect ambiance for this translated work steeped in Japanese culture, locations, traditions, and sensibilities. Keep a notepad handy if you plan to capture the recipe in each chapter's transcendent encounter
AudioFile Magazine
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Yuta Takahashi
- Narrator
- Hanako Footman
- Duration
- 4 hours 44 minutes
- Release Date
- 5 June 2025
- ISBN
- 9781399817707
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- John Murray Press
- Genre
- Fiction in translation, Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general, Fantasy
Synopsis
For fans of WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR IS IN THE LIBRARY and BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS COLD, discover the second book in the irresistibly uplifting Japanese hit series about cats and the healing power of food.**Contains four mouth-watering recipes**The Chibineko Kitchen is no ordinary restaurant: the food can bring someone you've lost back to you, for one last time. It's been months since Kotoko first visited the tiny restaurant by the sea. Now she works there, alongside the chef Kai and his mischievous kitten Chibi. One sunny morning, the restaurant opens its doors to Nagi, a young woman facing an impossible choice. Should she marry her boyfriend, despite knowing she only has a few years left to live, or protect him from pain by refusing? She is desparate for advice from the one person no longer around to give it - her mother. Next to visit are an anxious man rebuilding his life after shutting himself away for years, a lonely widow unaware that she is surrounded by friends, and an actor hoping to rekindle his career. Each leaves the restaurant nourished and reminded of what matters most in life.Moving and irresistibly uplifting, The Calico Cat at the Chibineko Kitchen is a culinary hug for the soul. READERS LOVE THIS SERIES: 'A heartwarming tale with beautiful food descriptions that make your mouth water' *****'Beautifully written. I was consistently moved throughout the whole book' *****'It was like an escape from the chaotic world. True healing fiction' *****'A refreshing way to look at grief and how to remember a loved one' *****'Such a charming and heartwarming book. I wanted it to go on for longer. I loved the recipes at the end of each chapter. I laughed, smiled and most definitely cried' *****
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