Book Review ~ If Cats Could Talk… Would They Cry? by Anatoli Scholz ☼

28 May 2020

A modern ‘Metamorphosis’ that speaks to the themes of our time – isolation, identity and desperation for connection

An entertaining novella with a philosophical outlook, If Cats Could Talk… Would They Cry introduces Julie Galles. An introvert in an extrovert’s world, Julie is stuck in a rut - until the day she wakes up as a cat. Can a feline perspective help her to reconnect with humanity?

Core issues of companionship, authenticity and purpose are explored with a lightness of touch and an off-beat charm. A book that readers can really connect to.

Beautifully illustrated with playful vignettes by Spanish artist Félix Diaz de Escauriaza.


What did I think about it..

Anyone who has cats will have said at one time, or another, that they wished they could live their life as a cat. My two are perfectly spoiled felines who have everything they need, want and desire. But would I really want to swap places with either Jaffa or Timmy just for the day....

Julie wakes up one morning and stretches in bed only to find that she has paws instead of legs and without really panicking she discovers that whilst she is still Julie, she has been changed into a cat who can speak. Considering this rather unusual event with remarkable acceptance what then follows is how Julie accepts that her life has changed in a very unusual way. By living as a cat Julie is given the opportunity to view life and observes what it means to be human in a unique experience.

With more than a nod towards Kafka's Metamorphosis,  If Cats Could Talk…  Would They Cry? takes us on a journey of discovery, and in Julie's case allows her to see, and interact, with the people she knows on a very different level. 

I enjoyed this novella and read it over the space of an afternoon. The author has a perceptive way of writing and throughout the story he creates a very plausible set of circumstances. Scattered amongst the narrative are coloured drawings which are beautifully simple and which encapsulate the story perfectly.

Quirky and unique, If Cats Could Talk…  Would They Cry? made me ponder all the more about what cats think about the world around them. I am sure if both Jaffa and Timmy could talk, they would never shut up ! 😸

About the Author

ANATOLI SCHOLZ was born in Moscow and raised in the US, Germany and Ireland. He has never lived in one place for more than two years and he speaks seven languages. He currently lives in Spain; before that he lived in Paris, in the very road where this book is set. This is his third book.

Twitter @CameronPMtweets

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