Book Review: The Cat from the Kimono by Nancy Pena
Thank you, NetGalley and Humanoids, Inc., for the chance to read and review The Cat From the Kimono by Nancy Peña. This ARC comes out on the 31st of October.
“The Cat From the Kimono” is a mesmerizing graphic novel that weaves a surreal tale of beauty and adventure. It’s also a compelling tale about how love pulls us home when our adventures are done. Nancy Peña, renowned for her unique artistic style, takes readers on a visually stunning journey through a fantastical world that is both whimsical and deeply moving.
The story begins in Japan, where a young woman, the daughter of a silk mill owner, possesses a profound affection for her crimson kimono adorned with soft, purring black cats. However, when the weaver’s love for the maiden goes unreciprocated, jealousy and dark intentions lead to the woman’s demise and the escape of one of the black cats.
What follows is an adventure that takes the black cat on an extraordinary journey across the world. The cat’s path often intersects with Sherlock Holmes and Alice (you know whom I’m talking about), adding a delightful twist to the narrative. As the cat becomes a figure of folklore and legend, readers are transported into a world where the line between reality and imagination blurs, much like the intricate patterns of a kimono.
This is not to say that the book isn’t dark; it really is. And one should really be sure to read the trigger warnings before getting into it, especially when it comes to the drug use. Sherlock Holmes uses cocaine quite openly in the book, and Watson has to forcibly stop him when he hallucinates (which may just be the cat messing with him) that the cat is changing shape and smiling at him. Alice eats a mushroom and goes on an adventure with the cat with her neck becoming long and thin, quite like that of a snake. There is also a small allusion to the tale of the Prophet Jonah, who was swallowed by a whale (although the cats response to this is its own).
The graphic novel is one worth reading and collecting. In an age where I’ve personally become a bit bored of really ugly or HD graphic novels, this one was a welcome change. At 105 pages it’s also quite a short read, that can serve as a welcome break from the drudgery of life.
