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The Chibineko Kitchen

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What to expect

For fans of WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR IS IN THE LIBRARY and BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS COLD, discover the irresistibly uplifting Japanese hit novel about cats and the healing power of food.

**Contains four mouth-watering recipes**

Readers ADORE this book:
'A heart-warming tale with beautiful food descriptions that make your mouth water' *****
'Beautifully written. I was consistently moved throughout the whole book' *****
'It was like an escape from the chaotic world. True healing fiction' *****
'A refreshing way to look at grief and how to remember a loved one' *****
'Such a charming and heart-warming book. I wanted it to go on for longer. I loved the recipes at the end of each chapter. I laughed, smiled and most definitely cried' *****


Follow the bank of the Koitogawa river until you reach the beach. From there a path of white seashells leads to the Chibineko Kitchen. Chibi, the restaurant cat, will meet you at the door.

These are the directions Kotoko follows to find the tiny restaurant by the sea. She's been told that the food served there can bring someone you've lost back to you, for one last time. And as she sits down to steaming bowls of food and takes her first delicious bite, the gulls outside fall silent and the air grows hazy . . .

Meet the diners at the Chibineko Kitchen:
- Kotoko, a young woman reeling from the death of her older brother
- Taiji, a primary school boy confused by the disappearance of his first love
- Yoshio, an elderly peanut farmer mourning his wife and their beautiful life together
- Kai, the restaurant's young chef, bravely taking over the business alone

A meal at the Chibineko Kitchen leaves each of them nourished, soothed, and reminded of what matters most in life.

If you could speak to someone you've lost, one last time, what would you tell them?

Critics Review

As warm and comforting as the meals it describes . . . Takahashi is skilled at creating cozy, tranquil scenes, with light-dappled, evocative descriptions. . . . The charming characters have moving narratives. The food, which is sensorially described, has a starring role as well, with regional and cultural exposition and recipes at the end of each chapter. Soul-nourishing
Shelf Awareness
A warm hug of a novel . . . set at a snug seaside café near Tokyo, where the food offers customers a chance to see the people they've loved and lost
AARP
Charming . . . Easy to read, this book will take readers on an emotional and nourishing journey
Seattle Times
Heartwarming . . . If you enjoyed Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, you might enjoy this magical tale set in a seaside town outside of Tokyo
Savvy Tokyo
Hanako Footman's narration is as warm and delicious as the meals at the Chibineko Kitchen . . . Footman's soft, calm tone and precise pronunciation of Japanese words and places create the perfect ambiance for this translated work steeped in Japanese culture, locations, traditions, and sensibilities. Keep a notepad handy if you plan to capture the recipe in each chapter's transcendent encounter
AudioFile Magazine
A cozy, emotional gem . . . Each chapter is a quiet, healing moment, filled with food, memory and the comfort of cats. It's a wonderful book for readers who want to savor short, lovely chapters
Seattle Times
Author Yuta Takahashi
Narrator Hanako Footman
Duration 4 hours and 18 minutes
Release Date
ISBN 9781399817653
Format Audiobook
Publisher John Murray Press
Genre Fantasy, Fiction in translation, Modern and contemporary fiction
Availability AU, GB, IE

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