A sweet story about navigating grief set in a restaurant that specializes in remembrance meals (there are recipes!). Kotoko who finds the restaurant and Kai the chef are the links that float through the chapters, each of which is about a different chapter. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. There's nothing especially new here but it's a nice entry into this genre.

This short novel really tugs at the heartstrings of anyone who has lost someone close to them. This was an emotional dive into the sadness and the future of those that are left behind. What would you say to the person you lost if you only had one more visit? Great story and would recommend for anyone looking for a heartfelt story.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley.

This book is much like others in this sub-genre; translated from Japanese, it features interwoven short stories that draw together grieving people, food memories, and closure. There is no surprise to the plot, and that’s fine. It’s a purely formulaic comfort read.

This book focuses on the titular restaurant. They serve normal food, but also remembrance meals that are so profound that some loved ones return to feed on the fragrant steam and partake in a final conversation with a loved one. The stories are sweet without being saccharine.

I wanted to read this to broaden my horizons and found it poetic for that reason. I would recommend for those looking for something different and particularly thought lrovoking.

3.5/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen was a very short and sweet novel that successfully explores themes of death and grieving. It takes place at a seaside restaurant in Chiba, Japan where they serve kagezen, or remembrance meals, that allow dead loved ones to visit until their meals get cold. The main character, Kotoko, visits the restaurant when she is having difficulty coping with the recent loss of her brother and the story follows her through the healing of her grief.

Each chapter features a different kagezen and has a recipe at the end. Yuta Takahashi, the author, does a great job setting the scene for the novel and has created a perfect balance of sad and sweet while dealing with such heavy topics. I haven’t read Before the Coffee Gets Cold (yet!) but the premise sounds similar, however I read this book in one sitting and it was such a joy to read so as far as I am concerned give me more! I do believe this is the first part of a series and I will definitely be reading subsequent books.

The only minor critique I have is that the second chapter, which focuses on a boy named Taiji who is grieving the loss of a friend, seems a little incongruous with the rest of the novel. He meets Kotoko who recommends the Chibineko Kitchen to him and the whole chapter is about his visit there and exploring his grief. Then chapter 3 and the rest of the book focuses on Kotoko’s story again. While I found Taiji’s story a sweet inclusion, it feels like if it wouldn’t be noticeable if it was removed from the novel. It gave me the impression that it would be more of an episodic novel with call backs to other characters in each chapter rather than a more serialized approach (similar to What You Are Looking For Is In The Library). I would have liked to have seen maybe 3-4 more chapters featuring other character’s experiences with kagezen at the Chibineko Kitchen and how their stories weave together under the overarching narrative of Kotoko.

Overall I would recommend this book, it was a good time. And I have to mention that the cover art is adorable!

3.75 stars 🩷
What a short, sweet, and cozy novel! While the premise of the novel is similar to "Before the Coffee Gets Cold", I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this more due to its wonderful use of food and culture interplayed into each chapter. Each character shares a memory with food in remembrance and reverance to their past lover/friend/family. It was an easy read with great pacing and at times I'd admit, there may have been a couple tears that were shed ;^) The only reason why I have rated it 3.75 was because the story was just a tad simple for my taste.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishing house for the ARC~

4.5 These Japanese cozies are fast becoming a new favorite of mine! This book follows a few characters surrounding this restaurant. We follow four separate stories of people having remembrance meals of their loved ones in this small restaurant and their spirits joining them for their meal. This book is so heartwarming and exactly what I need with all the craziness of life. I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more from this author in the future.

Originally published in Japanese in 2020, The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen offers a solemn and serene look at the lives of individuals who are left with the question, "What if you could talk to someone who was dead, one last time?"

In the vein of other popular, recently translated novels, this book in not a continual story in a classic sense. Instead it is a collection of short stories that intertwine through several people's lives with the commonality that they are served food from a particular cafe. This cafe is special, as they serve "remembrance meals", which allow the spirit of someone to return to share the meal from beyond the grave. The stories in the book are touching, tragic, and distinctly human in nature. I think it would be difficult to find someone who does not connect with at least one of the stories. And since this is only the first in a series of books and related stories, I expect even more to come from this world.

While I was immediately drawn to the nature of this book, and consumed it rapidly, I found that I was not as deeply drawn to the writing style of the book. I don't know if this is a remnant of translation (as a translator can make a world of difference) or if this is indicative of the author's writing style. I found myself struggling to emotionally connect with the story at certain points and was longing to be drawn emotionally in. I would use the word distant to describe the writing style, though in all this does add to and parallel the presentation of the cafe itself. I wonder if this tone shifts in future books as the mindset of the cafe owner also develops?

If you are a lover of cozy, meditative fantasy novels, I do recommend this one. It is a quick read and I look forward to the rest of the series.

*I would like to thank the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen is a cozy, magical realism story about a cafe in a seaside town of Japan, serving remembrance meals that allow the customer to speak one last time with a loved one who has passed. This short novel is broken into four interconnected stories, with two characters present throughout each of stories.

My main problem with this, and I'm uncertain if this is a fault of the original writing, or the translation, but the writing in this felt repetitive in many places. The author does something to demonstrate how a character is feeling, in example, X frowned, and then follows up with a sentence explaining what that meant, X was sad, many times. This writing makes me feel like the author underestimates the readers intelligence to understand basic emotions, and gave the writing a more juvenile feeling.

Fans of cozy Japanese fiction such Before the Coffee Gets Cold or The Cat Who Saved Books.

"Your table awaits at the Chibineko Kitchen, where a soul-nourishing meal in the company of the resident kitten will transport you back in time to reunite with departed loved ones - for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold and The Midnight Library.

In a remote seaside town outside of Tokyo, Kotoko makes her way along a seashell path, lured by whispers of an enigmatic restaurant whose kagezen, or traditional meals offered in remembrance of loved ones, promise a reunion with the departed. When a gust of wind lifts off her hat, she sees running after it a young man who looks like her recently deceased brother. But it's not her brother; it's Kai, the restaurant's young chef, who returns her hat and brings her to the tiny establishment, where he introduces her to Chibi, the resident kitten, and serves her steaming bowls of simmered fish, rice, and miso soup - the exact meal her brother used to cook for her. As she takes her first delicious bite, the gulls outside fall silent, the air grows hazy, and Kotoko begins a magical journey of last chances and new beginnings."

But what if the departed loved one you want to reunite with is also a cat?

REVIEW: The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen by Yuta Takahashi

The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen is a Japanese story about grief, love, and food.
If you come to the coastal cafe in Japan, you can have a remembrance meal that may allow you to talk or even see someone who has passed away for a few minutes.

I love all the different aspects of Japanese culture throughout The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen. Takahashi shared the cultural practice of how special it is to have a meal for the dead; the different recipes are even included in the book. I liked the other characters and how they all connected. Four interwoven stories exist, including high school students and an older man. The variety of different characters helps show how grief and love can impact anyone at any age. The magical realism was also handled well. Takahashi made it believable without going too out there.

There were just a few things I didn’t like in The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen. Since the story was so short, it left me wanting more, especially regarding character development. We knew a lot about some characters, while others felt like we barely scratched the surface. The ending also felt very abrupt. I didn’t realize it was the end of the book at first. I just wanted more.

Overall, I enjoyed reading The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen. It is an excellent story for a short, cozy, sweet, and emotional magical-realistic book.

Thank you, PENGUIN GROUP Viking Penguin | Penguin Books, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

Loved this. An easy read but an emotional one. Nicely written with interwoven stories. Good to curl up with a hot drink.

A very sweet Japanese novella about reconnecting with lost loved ones at a magical cafe. If that sounds eerily similar to Before the Coffee Gets Cold, that's because it is. There are a few original twists in here, but overall it just felt to me like a retelling of that story. With that being said, this novella was well written, straightforward, and cozy. It shares the Japanese traditions of remembrance meals with readers from any culture in a heartwarming way. I also thought that the recipes after each chapter were a cute touch. I do wish that there had been more of an overarching plot, but if you just treat it like the (very short) short story collection that it is, it makes a lot of sense.

**I received an ARC from Netgalley to review.

"The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen" is a touching slice-of-life story that beautifully intertwines themes of loss, love, and the unexpected connections we make along the way. The story revolves around the life of Kotoko, a young woman trying to navigate the loss of her brother. After coming across a small sea side restaurant that specializes in remembrance meals she has a life changing experience that allows her to come to terms with her brothers death. We follow several other characters who’s stories are all intertwined with our main characters that have similar experiences at the restaurant. We learn about the restaurants origin the mother, son, and cat team that operate it. I really enjoyed the story and all the emotions that came with it. I definitely shed a few tears.

A slim volume of connected short stories where patrons come for a remembrance meal at the Chibineko Kitchen, where it is rumored their departed loved one may appear for the meal. The stories are heartbreaking, but ultimately gentle and hopeful. As the book revolves around food, a corresponding recipe is included after each story, which is a great addition.

- Grief
- Acceptance
- Motivation
- Remembrance Meals
- Guilt
The last two chapters had me so teary eyed! The time shift that happens halfway through did it for me! The Chibineko Kitchen makes remembrance meals that allow people to see their loved ones who have passed on. As you read on, you see the grief each character is carrying and how they’re handling it before and after the meal. The guilt may not fully go away but it lessens in combination to the grief.
Disclaimer: aiming to not spoil anything! This story was beautiful. Writing about grief has to be handled in a delicate manner. Nothing can be sugarcoated but also not unrealistic. If you’ve read Before the Coffee Gets Cold, then you’re familiar with the writing style. It’s pretty straightforward but has those hitting moments. Everyone was in disbelief that these remembrance meals allowed you to see passed on loved ones. I would too! Then the little difference between the first half to the second half led into something so nice. All I’ll say is that it’s from a different POV. then the ending, I feel that would be a spoiler BUT what I can say is that a connection was formed through these meals, through Chibineko Kitchen. The actual cat present had a mind of his own too, very sassy. However, Chibi, the cat, did help a bit because he showed up at the most odd times, like he was a guide.

Imagine you could speak to someone you knew who has passed away even if it’s only for a couple of minutes. In this quaint and cozy seaside cafe, with a peculiar ginger cat, a patron may ask for a “remembrance meal” which would allow just that. This cozy novella intertwines stories of loss and grief to the Chibineko Kitchen’s specialty meal which is tailored uniquely to each patron. The meals are an ode to Japanese cuisine where each chapter culminates in the literal recipe of the dish connecting beautifully with the character’s cherished memory of the deceased.

I really enjoyed reading this novella. The characters are easy to sympathize with, and I found myself invested with the characters’ grief. The chapters are formulaic, but I didn’t mind because the stories were interesting, and I was rooting for that final encounter with their loved ones. We do consistently see two characters and the cute cat throughout the book which is important for the last remembrance meal. I loved how food was used as the bridge between the living and the dead; many cultures around the world use food as a way of connecting or remembering those who have passed, and there’s so much beauty in that kind of tradition.
I would recommend for cat lovers, foodies, cozy novel enthusiasts, bittersweet feel-good fans.

This was delightful, in the realm of the Kamogawa Food Detectives and We Will Prescribe you a Cat, and yet it manages to be it's own thing. It is short, and makes for easy, relaxing reading.

Another Japanese cat book?! Do we need another one? I was prepared to be slightly bored, but this was simply beyond precious and I had to let go of my bias. It was so so sweet. One criticism I do have is that the translation felt very awkward to me. That may be partially because I'm American and I suspect the translator is British. But I do think the translation was on the rough side. However, the story is conveyed and it isn't meant to be serious literature. I did a bit of research and have found that the author is prolific and there are more books in this series. I imagine we might be seeing them in English as well.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this short book. It has all the requisite contents for a Japanese light novel to succeed.

recipes, cats, contemporary, Japan, fantasy, translated, family, cultural-heritage, culinary, cultural-exploration, grief, grieving, guilt*****

Enter the world of Japanese lore of hope. Here are four loosely interwoven stories of mourners who have come to the Kitchen of the Little Cat to find hope and peace in their grieving and sense of guilt.
Thanks to Cat Anderson for the smooth translation from Japanese to English.
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected ebook file from PENGUIN GROUP Viking Penguin | Penguin Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
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