This unusual Japanese best-selling novel was translated to delight the English-reading public. Cats are a symbol of good luck in Japan. The popular Japanese Maneki-niko cat figurines have made their way into mainstream US culture as good luck amulets. Mochizuki has cleverly featured talking cats in her novel and they’re well-worth a visit from curious readers.
This small book is based on the premise that if you’re kind to a cat, one day they’ll return the favor. And much like our sometimes elusive feline friends, the book features a mysterious coffee shop that has no fixed location and only appears to certain people under the full moon.
Characters are introduced in three chapters that feel like limited series episodes. Each chapter is set in a different location in Japan. The episode’s focal person has problems to grapple with – frustrated emotions, unsatisfying career situations, and unfortunate situations in love or life. Quirky circumstances lure them to the Full Moon Coffee Shop, which is operated by cats. Once seated at the coffee shop, the special guest is treated to an astrological reading by the cats named after the planets, and given a special beverage or dessert that’s delicious but acts like a magical potion. The coffee shop’s master is a dignified tuxedo cat named Cronus (Saturn). A beautiful white Persian cat is Venus, and an impish Siamese cat is Mercury. The cats explain chart features that the guests are struggling with in their lives — not to tell them what to do, but to help them understand themselves well enough to make the right choices in life.
The coffee shop’s guests aren’t overwhelmed with complicated astrological jargon, but given enough information to clarify which planets and houses are generating their distress, and a word or two of wisdom to help them view themselves more clearly. A few twists in the final pages bring the separate storylines together in a satisfying conclusion.
“The Full Moon Coffee Shop” is a fast, light read, but it has substance and accurate astrological ideas that are more advanced than simple Sun-sign horoscopes. The characters’ ages range from mid-twenties to early forties, and at important adult cross-roads where self-awareness can shift them in a better direction, or the lack of it can lead to more bad choices. Even with the cultural expectations unique to the Japanese, the character’s concerns are quite relatable. The author handles serious life decisions with a deft touch and a minimum of moral agonizing.
The originality of a coffee shop run by cats blended with lively human characters and touches of astrology make a delectable literary blend. This book is recommended for any reader who wants an easy read that’s both unusual and satisfying. And of course cat lovers will adore this book!
~review by Elizabeth Hazel
Authors: Mai Mochizuki and Hirhiro Sakurada
Translation by Jesse Kirkwood c 2024
Ballantine Books, 2020
228 pages. $18.59 hardcover, $11.99 Kindle
