this was cute, but i do think i expected more from it than what i eventually got. i’m not too into “cozy” books as a concept but this one could definitely be classified as such.

I chose this book as I thought it would be a lovely memoir of a woman and her beloved cat. However I just found it desperately sad. The writing (in translation) was reflective and descriptive and the included poems were thoughtful.
But as the story developed and we read about Mayumi choosing cat over husband (and pretty much everything else apparently) and Mii’s declining health described in great and horrific detail up to her final gasping breath….I find it inconceivable from our Western point of view that the cat’s suffering was observed yet allowed to continue.
Sorry, not for me and cannot recommend to any animal lover.

Mornings Without Mii is a sweet and quiet memoir
of both the author and her cat. The stories are told from the moment she found Mii as a tiny kitten until 20 years later when the cat passed away from old age. Every other chapter or so ended with an original poem which added a nice touch to this memoir. Mayumi Inaba doesn't share many details of her life or her feelings, so this felt quite like her story only scratched the surface.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Mornings Without Mii is the memoir of a writer's life with her cat. That is the entire story. And yet within those parameters there is an entire world of love and longing, of living in and without nature, of relationships and responsibilities. Although covering completely different ground, the book this most reminds me of is Jill Ciment's memoir from earlier this year, Consent. Both books are alarmingly honest glimpses into the authors' lives - impossibly vulnerable details delivered in clear, concise language. I found both books devastatingly brutal and beautifully loving at the same time. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC.

In one sense, this memoir was a difficult read. I am not sure if it was the translation or the author's writing style, but I struggled at times with the language. I do not share a cultural context with Mayumi Inaba, I had to work to understand the time and place she describes. These are not negatives in my mind. I think reading should challenge us at times. Sure, I love a fluffy comfort read now and again. But I also like books which stretch me in new and interesting ways. There were off-hand observations I found utterly appalling, and beautiful turns of phrases I rolled around on my tongue to savor. Any effort I put into the book was richly rewarded. In another sense, this was an easy read. It is short and much of it covers ground familiar to anyone who has loved a pet.

I treasured this glimpse into a life so different from my own.

The stories themselves were charming and lovely and had that spark of oddness that one often finds in Japanese literature. But that said, the translation seems to be a hot mess. The sentences are awkward and often failed to make any sense. It just feels like something is missing... a disconnect of sorts. Obviously it also needs a good editing before it is sent out in the world. I hope there is a way to let the author shine and to capture more of the original as this was, according to reviews, very well received in the original form. As a cat lover, I expected more. As it stands now, I wonder how it will be received.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this read. I hope it gets some good editing before it is released!

This book may have lost a lot in translation for me, but it was not an enjoyable read. I had to work at it, skimming parts, as I wondered why the author seemed to go off on tangents. And this started right from the beginning with the color yellow. It also just about made me not like the author, ( yes, I know she saved the cat), but there are times where it seems that she doesn't take care of Mii. I thank NetGalley and Farra, Straus, & Giroux for the advance peak.