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Le Chat du Rabbin #4-5
The Rabbi's Cat 2
Joann Sfar's beloved, humorous, and wise talking cat is back for more beautifully illustrated adventures in Algiers and across Africa in the 1930s. While the rabbi is away, his cat tags along with Malka of the Lions (the rabbi's enigmatic cousin), who roams the desert with his ferocious-on-demand lion. Some believe Malka to be a pious Jew, others think he's a shrewd womanizer, but the cat will be the one to discover the surprising truth.
Back in Algiers, the rabbi's daughter, Zlabya, and her new husband fill the house with their fighting, while the city around them fills with a rising tide of anti-Semitism. On a whim, the rabbi's cat, the rabbi, a sheikh (also a cousin of the rabbi), and a very misplaced Russian painter set out on a fantastic journey (even encountering a young reporter named Tintin in the Congo) in search of an African Jerusalem. It turns out to be very fortuitous that the rabbi's cat is not just a talking cat, but a multilingual talking cat.
Back in Algiers, the rabbi's daughter, Zlabya, and her new husband fill the house with their fighting, while the city around them fills with a rising tide of anti-Semitism. On a whim, the rabbi's cat, the rabbi, a sheikh (also a cousin of the rabbi), and a very misplaced Russian painter set out on a fantastic journey (even encountering a young reporter named Tintin in the Congo) in search of an African Jerusalem. It turns out to be very fortuitous that the rabbi's cat is not just a talking cat, but a multilingual talking cat.
144 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
6 people are currently reading
565 people want to read
About the author
Joann Sfar
485 books508 followersJoann Sfar (born August 28, 1971 in Nice) is a French comics artist, comic book creator, and film director.
Sfar is considered one of the most important artists of the new wave of Franco-Belgian comics. Many of his comics were published by L'Association which was founded in 1990 by Jean-Christophe Menu and six other artists. He also worked together with many of the new movement's main artists, e.g. David B. and Lewis Trondheim. The Donjon series which he created with Trondheim has a cult following in many countries.
Some of his comics are inspired by his Jewish heritage as the son of Jewish parents (an Ashkenazi mother and a Sephardic father). He himself says that there is Ashkenazi humor in his Professeur Bell series (loosely based on Joseph Bell), whereas Le chat du rabbin is clearly inspired by his Sephardic side. Les olives noires is a series about a Jewish child in Israel at the time of Jesus. Like Le chat du rabbin, the series contains a lot of historical and theological information.
His main influences are Fred and André Franquin as well as Marc Chagall, Chaim Soutine, Will Eisner, Hugo Pratt and John Buscema.
From 2009 to 2010, Sfar wrote and directed 'Serge Gainsbourgh: Une Vie Heroique', a biopic of the notorious French songwriter, of whom Sfar is a self-confessed fanatic. The film, which draws substantially on Sfar's abilities as a comic book artist through its extensive use of fantasy artwork, animation and puppetry, was released in 2010 to general critical acclaim.
Sfar is considered one of the most important artists of the new wave of Franco-Belgian comics. Many of his comics were published by L'Association which was founded in 1990 by Jean-Christophe Menu and six other artists. He also worked together with many of the new movement's main artists, e.g. David B. and Lewis Trondheim. The Donjon series which he created with Trondheim has a cult following in many countries.
Some of his comics are inspired by his Jewish heritage as the son of Jewish parents (an Ashkenazi mother and a Sephardic father). He himself says that there is Ashkenazi humor in his Professeur Bell series (loosely based on Joseph Bell), whereas Le chat du rabbin is clearly inspired by his Sephardic side. Les olives noires is a series about a Jewish child in Israel at the time of Jesus. Like Le chat du rabbin, the series contains a lot of historical and theological information.
His main influences are Fred and André Franquin as well as Marc Chagall, Chaim Soutine, Will Eisner, Hugo Pratt and John Buscema.
From 2009 to 2010, Sfar wrote and directed 'Serge Gainsbourgh: Une Vie Heroique', a biopic of the notorious French songwriter, of whom Sfar is a self-confessed fanatic. The film, which draws substantially on Sfar's abilities as a comic book artist through its extensive use of fantasy artwork, animation and puppetry, was released in 2010 to general critical acclaim.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
August 6, 2019
This second collection of the illustrated adventures of a North African Rabbi’s cat (inspired by Joann Sfar’s father’s Sephardic heritage) may not be quite as witty or humorous as the first collection, but it is deeper, more nuanced, and more ambitious, and I like it just as much.
In the first third of the book, the cat—while his owner the Rabbi is away somewhere “slaughtering chickens”—travels with Malka of the Lions, the venerable teller of tales. The cat visits various North African villages, camps out in the desert, and learns many things from Malka’s old pet lion (and a few things from their companion, a venomous snake). Two things he learns: 1) Malka is a hero who of the Jewish faith, who stands up not only to a a fundamentalist sheikh but also to “Father Lamber,” ant anti-Semitic mayor of the town of Oran, and 2) he (with the assistance of his lion) is also a bit of a conman.
The final two thirds of the book consists one a single adventure, featuring a wandering young painter from Russia (here Sfar’s mother’s Ashkenazi heritage comes in). The painter goes on a quest—accompanied by the Rabbi, the cat, and a few other interesting characters—to discover the fabled black Jews of Ethiopia. Eventually they find what they seek, but they have many extraordinary adventures along the way.
The is volume is definitely darker than the one that precedes it, for it treats of both the rise of Nazism and the effects of racism on human relationships. But the whimsical illustrations and bright bold colors—suggestive of both Chagall and Soutine—ensure that the comforts of beauty are never far away.
Oh, speaking of the comforts of beauty: the Rabbi’s lovely daughter—the only person that the cat truly loves—makes appearances (alas, too briefly) in both adventures.
July 14, 2016
I've now read this second graphic novel, which means I like this writer.
We start out with the character Malka of the Lions--and his lion. In the first 32 pages there is heartbreak. I burst into tears--and then the story goes on. There is a story line, but it rambles. I just read on, trusting the author. He pokes fun at wrong things, or at least he pokes wrong things.
He writes about a North African way of life that no longer exists, some of it about the Sephardic side of his family, though far be it for me to say where the history and the tall tales part company.
The lovable old teddy bear of a rabbi he names Rabbi Sfar, while the rabbi's good old friend and relation through a distant ancestor is Sheikh Sfar. The cat remains nameless, although loquacious.
The second part is against racism. The introduction to it says the author never thought he'd do a graphic novel on that subject; it was just too obvious. But, he continues,
As Orwell says,
There is violence and mayhem.
There is a love story.
There is poetic justice.
Some of the captions are tiny. Crank up your bifocals.
We start out with the character Malka of the Lions--and his lion. In the first 32 pages there is heartbreak. I burst into tears--and then the story goes on. There is a story line, but it rambles. I just read on, trusting the author. He pokes fun at wrong things, or at least he pokes wrong things.
He writes about a North African way of life that no longer exists, some of it about the Sephardic side of his family, though far be it for me to say where the history and the tall tales part company.
The lovable old teddy bear of a rabbi he names Rabbi Sfar, while the rabbi's good old friend and relation through a distant ancestor is Sheikh Sfar. The cat remains nameless, although loquacious.
The second part is against racism. The introduction to it says the author never thought he'd do a graphic novel on that subject; it was just too obvious. But, he continues,
Chances are everything's already been said, but since no one is paying attention you have to start all over again.
As Orwell says,
We have now sunk to a depth where the restatement of the obvious is the duty of intelligent men.
There is violence and mayhem.
There is a love story.
There is poetic justice.
Some of the captions are tiny. Crank up your bifocals.
July 1, 2019
It doesn't look like the author was much of a fan of Tintin. Or maybe he just liked to exaggerate the second album for a joke - it really was pretty much as bad as this.
Delightful read just the same.
Delightful read just the same.
August 25, 2016
The great delight of the first book was the cat's arguments with humans about religion, but he's far too quiet here, letting the humans do too much talking. Also too many ##sCaRy mUsLiMs##. There's a few good lines though, and Sfar's art is always rad.
May 26, 2021
Not enough Cat!
May 23, 2016
This review was originally published at The Next Best Book Club blog. To see the version of my review that has images from the graphic novel, please click the link!
To prepare for this book review, I re-read The Rabbi’s Cat (read my review at TNBBC here). It was just as marvelous and charming as the first time I read it, if not more so. The cat’s facial expressions are funny and thoughtful while he discusses religion with his master and other Jews in Algiers in the 1930s. Random “cat moments” pop up, too, like catching prey and knocking things off desks.
It was good that I re-read the first graphic novel, because The Rabbi’s Cat 2 picks up with the same characters. Some are highly memorable, like the Mistress, her husband, and the Rabbi, but others I’d forgotten, like the Rabbi’s Arab cousin, who plays a much bigger role in this story. In The Rabbi’s Cat 2, the Mistress’s husband sends for a box of sacred Jewish texts from Russia, but when he opens it, there is a Russian man inside. The novel takes us across Africa with an odd group—“There’s two overgrown kids, a couple of lovebirds, a cat and a donkey. It’s Noah’s Ark”—attempting to get the Russian man to his final destination.
Sfar’s graphic novels are rooted in the oral tradition. The cat tells what’s happening in the present, though there are two strange passages when the cat is either unconscious or not present, but the story goes on... This may be a mishap in point of view, but it’s not terribly distracting. The cat also tells stories of stories, such as how the infamous Malka of the Lions dies. That story really got to me; I actually teared up, but there was much laughter, too. I scared my husband with my sudden whimpers and guffawing in public.
One of my favorite parts about The Rabbi’s Cat was when the cat ate an annoying parrot and gained the ability to speak. He sure had a lot to say, none of it nice. He then loses his ability when he speaks God’s name. In The Rabbi’s Cat 2, the cat still cannot speak to humans (animals always understand each other), but that doesn’t mean we can’t see what he thinks—and his thoughts are hilarious. This cat is thinking what you’re thinking and dare not say. He would be a pain on social media.
For some unexplainable reason, the cat and the Russian man found in the box can speak to each other. Everyone else hears incessant meowing, but the Russian, an artist, understands. While the choice isn’t explained, the book has a magic to it that allows you to quickly forget to ask “Why?” and enjoy the story. Perhaps those who cannot communicate with the masses can speak to each other.
A Russian artist appearing in Northern Africa is strange, but his life story gives readers information about contemporary 1930s world politics. The Russian artist explains (no one but the reader can understand him) that in Russia, people never knew if soldiers would kill them each day, so when Stalin arrived, they thought he was “the Messiah.” The Russian was put in charge of an art school and taught people of all ages. The people drew things that they saw in the villages, like animals and the Hebrew alphabet, but the Party didn’t want all the art around and thus burned it. The Russian was given notice to never paint again, had his school taken away from him, and was forbidden from reading in Hebrew. The Party wanted to burn the Jewish books from the village, but since they could be sold for good money, the Russians put them in a box to ship. It was one of these boxes that the Russian artist jumped in to get out of the country. This story takes place over three pages of the whole graphic novel, so it’s not a long, overbearing political “rant.” It’s long enough to remind readers of the plight of the Jews, even on different continents. All of the characters face humiliation at different points for their choice of faith, and it’s getting worse in Algiers when French churches and priests pit Arabs and Jews against each other in the Rabbi’s hometown.
The Rabbi’s Cat 2 manages to be a journey to find a spiritual and physical home, but it’s more humorous than agenda-driven. The character’s levels of faith vary, so conversations about interpretations of religious text are interesting rather than preachy (people are arguing with abstract ideas, so it’s quite creative and can be silly, which the cat loves to point out). To solve one religious conundrum, a blind rabbi goes to write on a (supposedly) dead man’s forehead, but accidentally sticks the quill up his nose, waking the man who then punches the rabbi.
The majority of the journey across Africa is rather hilarious, too. I especially love a scene in which the party crosses a river. The group is riding in a vehicle, but the donkey is walking. The donkey sees the river and says to the cat, “I’m not going. I’m sure there are creatures in the water.” The cat replies, “Oh, stop it.” But then a crocodile comes out of the water, snapping its jaws. It is promptly shot, and the crew, shaken, say a prayer to God for sending them a meal.
It’s not just what’s written, but Sfar’s drawing style. In some panels, his images are realistic yet human; you can see the scribbles of his ink pen under the color to create shading. In other places, it looks like Sfar was drawing while driving down a bumpy dirt road. The waviness of what “should” be straight lines gives the images a charming yet quick look that suggest what’s happening. It’s not confusing, it’s stylistic. It is especially effective when the cat is depicted, and is unmistakably Sfar. I’m smitten with Joann Sfar and his cat (yes, the cat is real) and will continue to read this series if he keeps making it. As I revisited pages to scan images for this review, I was amused all over again and very happy that I own my copies of the books.
To prepare for this book review, I re-read The Rabbi’s Cat (read my review at TNBBC here). It was just as marvelous and charming as the first time I read it, if not more so. The cat’s facial expressions are funny and thoughtful while he discusses religion with his master and other Jews in Algiers in the 1930s. Random “cat moments” pop up, too, like catching prey and knocking things off desks.
It was good that I re-read the first graphic novel, because The Rabbi’s Cat 2 picks up with the same characters. Some are highly memorable, like the Mistress, her husband, and the Rabbi, but others I’d forgotten, like the Rabbi’s Arab cousin, who plays a much bigger role in this story. In The Rabbi’s Cat 2, the Mistress’s husband sends for a box of sacred Jewish texts from Russia, but when he opens it, there is a Russian man inside. The novel takes us across Africa with an odd group—“There’s two overgrown kids, a couple of lovebirds, a cat and a donkey. It’s Noah’s Ark”—attempting to get the Russian man to his final destination.
Sfar’s graphic novels are rooted in the oral tradition. The cat tells what’s happening in the present, though there are two strange passages when the cat is either unconscious or not present, but the story goes on... This may be a mishap in point of view, but it’s not terribly distracting. The cat also tells stories of stories, such as how the infamous Malka of the Lions dies. That story really got to me; I actually teared up, but there was much laughter, too. I scared my husband with my sudden whimpers and guffawing in public.
One of my favorite parts about The Rabbi’s Cat was when the cat ate an annoying parrot and gained the ability to speak. He sure had a lot to say, none of it nice. He then loses his ability when he speaks God’s name. In The Rabbi’s Cat 2, the cat still cannot speak to humans (animals always understand each other), but that doesn’t mean we can’t see what he thinks—and his thoughts are hilarious. This cat is thinking what you’re thinking and dare not say. He would be a pain on social media.
For some unexplainable reason, the cat and the Russian man found in the box can speak to each other. Everyone else hears incessant meowing, but the Russian, an artist, understands. While the choice isn’t explained, the book has a magic to it that allows you to quickly forget to ask “Why?” and enjoy the story. Perhaps those who cannot communicate with the masses can speak to each other.
A Russian artist appearing in Northern Africa is strange, but his life story gives readers information about contemporary 1930s world politics. The Russian artist explains (no one but the reader can understand him) that in Russia, people never knew if soldiers would kill them each day, so when Stalin arrived, they thought he was “the Messiah.” The Russian was put in charge of an art school and taught people of all ages. The people drew things that they saw in the villages, like animals and the Hebrew alphabet, but the Party didn’t want all the art around and thus burned it. The Russian was given notice to never paint again, had his school taken away from him, and was forbidden from reading in Hebrew. The Party wanted to burn the Jewish books from the village, but since they could be sold for good money, the Russians put them in a box to ship. It was one of these boxes that the Russian artist jumped in to get out of the country. This story takes place over three pages of the whole graphic novel, so it’s not a long, overbearing political “rant.” It’s long enough to remind readers of the plight of the Jews, even on different continents. All of the characters face humiliation at different points for their choice of faith, and it’s getting worse in Algiers when French churches and priests pit Arabs and Jews against each other in the Rabbi’s hometown.
The Rabbi’s Cat 2 manages to be a journey to find a spiritual and physical home, but it’s more humorous than agenda-driven. The character’s levels of faith vary, so conversations about interpretations of religious text are interesting rather than preachy (people are arguing with abstract ideas, so it’s quite creative and can be silly, which the cat loves to point out). To solve one religious conundrum, a blind rabbi goes to write on a (supposedly) dead man’s forehead, but accidentally sticks the quill up his nose, waking the man who then punches the rabbi.
The majority of the journey across Africa is rather hilarious, too. I especially love a scene in which the party crosses a river. The group is riding in a vehicle, but the donkey is walking. The donkey sees the river and says to the cat, “I’m not going. I’m sure there are creatures in the water.” The cat replies, “Oh, stop it.” But then a crocodile comes out of the water, snapping its jaws. It is promptly shot, and the crew, shaken, say a prayer to God for sending them a meal.
It’s not just what’s written, but Sfar’s drawing style. In some panels, his images are realistic yet human; you can see the scribbles of his ink pen under the color to create shading. In other places, it looks like Sfar was drawing while driving down a bumpy dirt road. The waviness of what “should” be straight lines gives the images a charming yet quick look that suggest what’s happening. It’s not confusing, it’s stylistic. It is especially effective when the cat is depicted, and is unmistakably Sfar. I’m smitten with Joann Sfar and his cat (yes, the cat is real) and will continue to read this series if he keeps making it. As I revisited pages to scan images for this review, I was amused all over again and very happy that I own my copies of the books.
February 10, 2023
love joann sfar
I like how it explores certain aspects of race + religion and interactions between judaism + islam/christianity. really interesting storyline, I have questions—
I like how it explores certain aspects of race + religion and interactions between judaism + islam/christianity. really interesting storyline, I have questions—
April 12, 2019
I am not sure exactly why I love these books so much, but I do. I have read nothing like them.
October 23, 2013
At last I have the sequel to Joann Sfar’s graphic novel, The Rabbi’s Cat. In his sequel, Sfar once again places his readers and his talking cat in the heart of the Jewish community in 1930′s Algeria. The cast of characters includes the rabbi, his footloose and mystical cousin Malka of the Lions, a suspected golem who turns out to be a (temporarily comatose) Russian painter, a Catholic priest, an Arab prince, a former slave who doesn’t know where she comes from, and a wandering sheik.
If that sounds heterogeneous, the languages are equally diverse. Malka of the Lions is a legendary storyteller, one who sings in Hebrew, Ladino, Judeo-Arabic, Berber, Spanish, and Aramaic. Happily, the rabbi’s cat speaks multiple languages as well, and can facilitate the love affair between the Russian painter and his French-speaking African bride. The cat’s skills as a translator also come in handy when the characters travel across the continent in search of an African Jerusalem, ultimately encountering a large community of Ethiopian Jews and a new understanding of themselves.
The first volume of The Rabbi’s Cat focused on the traits that make us human, the traits that cause the increasingly human-acting cat to experience compassion, to grieve for the past and feel anxiety for the future. By contrast, Sfar’s sequel examines the ways in which human beings are separated from each other and from their common humanity—through racism, antisemitism, dogmatism, and other forms of prejudice. There’s sadness here, and an ominous sense that the world is becoming more cruel. In one beautifully written scene, the rabbi scolds his students for neglecting their studies and their faith and for worrying about self-defense instead. But the cat, watching them struggle to protect themselves, looks on with compassion, understanding, and regret:
"I love you because you’re vulnerable. I love you because there has to be someone who loves you.
You’re going to learn war. You’ll become stronger and stronger.
And those who don’t like you will be ever greater in number.
You won’t be any better off.
And if you go into the desert searching for the grave of Malka of the Lions, I’m not sure you’ll find it."
If that sounds heterogeneous, the languages are equally diverse. Malka of the Lions is a legendary storyteller, one who sings in Hebrew, Ladino, Judeo-Arabic, Berber, Spanish, and Aramaic. Happily, the rabbi’s cat speaks multiple languages as well, and can facilitate the love affair between the Russian painter and his French-speaking African bride. The cat’s skills as a translator also come in handy when the characters travel across the continent in search of an African Jerusalem, ultimately encountering a large community of Ethiopian Jews and a new understanding of themselves.
The first volume of The Rabbi’s Cat focused on the traits that make us human, the traits that cause the increasingly human-acting cat to experience compassion, to grieve for the past and feel anxiety for the future. By contrast, Sfar’s sequel examines the ways in which human beings are separated from each other and from their common humanity—through racism, antisemitism, dogmatism, and other forms of prejudice. There’s sadness here, and an ominous sense that the world is becoming more cruel. In one beautifully written scene, the rabbi scolds his students for neglecting their studies and their faith and for worrying about self-defense instead. But the cat, watching them struggle to protect themselves, looks on with compassion, understanding, and regret:
"I love you because you’re vulnerable. I love you because there has to be someone who loves you.
You’re going to learn war. You’ll become stronger and stronger.
And those who don’t like you will be ever greater in number.
You won’t be any better off.
And if you go into the desert searching for the grave of Malka of the Lions, I’m not sure you’ll find it."
November 22, 2014
A book about a Rabbi’s cat sounds like it would be cute and whimsical rather than dealing with any serious themes. If you wanted a cute and whimsical book about a cat, there are plenty out there. This is not one of them. Joann Sfar, who wrote these Rabbi’s cat graphic novels, is an award winning author precisely because of his themes.
Communication is a central theme of this novel. There is a Russian character who isn’t understood by the other humans when he first arrives, yet the Russian and the Rabbi’s cat had no problem communicating. It’s pointed out in this book that the ability to communicate is based on the ability to listen. This may seem obvious, but failure to listen is a common problem in all types of communications. This means that even when there is no language barrier, humans are incapable of understanding each other when they aren’t listening. A translator is found for the Russian, but he still isn’t always understood.
Since the Russian is an artist, this book also deals with the orientation of Judaism and Islam toward art. So the question arises as to whether art is idolatry, and if so under what circumstances. The Russian artist also has an interesting response on the subject. He tells us that each art work is a prayer addressed to God. I have always been interested in the dilemma of Jewish artists, and interpretation of the second commandment which forbids graven images.
This is definitely the most interesting graphic novel that I have read in 2014.
For my complete review see http://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/20...
Communication is a central theme of this novel. There is a Russian character who isn’t understood by the other humans when he first arrives, yet the Russian and the Rabbi’s cat had no problem communicating. It’s pointed out in this book that the ability to communicate is based on the ability to listen. This may seem obvious, but failure to listen is a common problem in all types of communications. This means that even when there is no language barrier, humans are incapable of understanding each other when they aren’t listening. A translator is found for the Russian, but he still isn’t always understood.
Since the Russian is an artist, this book also deals with the orientation of Judaism and Islam toward art. So the question arises as to whether art is idolatry, and if so under what circumstances. The Russian artist also has an interesting response on the subject. He tells us that each art work is a prayer addressed to God. I have always been interested in the dilemma of Jewish artists, and interpretation of the second commandment which forbids graven images.
This is definitely the most interesting graphic novel that I have read in 2014.
For my complete review see http://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/20...
February 5, 2014
http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2243568.html[return][return]A compilation of two albums telling two quite different stories. The first, "Heaven on Earth", is a bit of a meditation on stories and telling them through the mysterious figure of Malka, the Rabbi's cousin whose companion is an aging lion, set against the real background of the rise of an anti-Semitic regime in Algiers in the mid-1930s. In the second, "Africa's Jerusalem", the Rabbi, his cat and friends set off to explore their continent, taking an improbably indirect route from Algiers to Ethiopia which brings them into contact with another icon of bande dessin�e who happened to be in the neighbourhood, ie Tintin.[return][return]I read this in English translation, which was just as well as the second volume also features a lost Russian character (who is able to talk to the cat) and I might not have got the linguistic nuances in the original French.[return][return]Sfar says in his introduction to the second album that he was trying to write about racism. I'm not sure that he quite managed to address colonialism or race - there are various scenes of the urbanised rabbi and friends (and cat) dealing with tribes which seemed a bit cliched - but he did at least widen his canvas.
June 8, 2009
The cat is back, and this time, he is in search of the lost Jerusalem. No matter what adventures the cat and his rabbi may have, beneath the surface of the adventures there is sly and not so sly commentary on issues that were relevant then and, as Sfar gently points out, relevant today. Yes, Tintin and his "moron" dog are made fun of, but watch for the story of the British colonialist, lost in a world that has passed him by and made him foreign to everyone and everything. Overall, Rabbi's Cat 2 is not as relationship-focused as the first book, but expands out into the wider world. The journey focuses on the danger of dreams and unshakable beliefs, and where those beliefs can take you, both good and bad. For a cat, the main character has a remarkably humanistic view of people and how and why we treat each other the way we do. This is what makes this book valuable. I recommend this book highly.
October 29, 2019
Sfar's illustrations are lovely and liquid as ever. There's a different sort of magic in his art. But the words felt a bit heavy-handed to me this time. At least the translation did. The first half of the book was also mildly confusing but that's where the illustrations come handy no matter what. Kept me on because the second half where the Russian man and our rabbi and his cat go on this adventure to find the *real* Jerusalem in Africa is simply fantastic. That one page on Tintin was funny as well.
January 8, 2009
This delightful little book is the second of the delightful series. In turns made me teary-eyed, giggle with dirty laughter, read closely again on a new philosophical idea, and learned a ton of history and culture and Aramaic and Russian and Hebrew in the process. I'm not Jewish and I think this book could be valuable for absolutely everyone (adult age, anyway). I read it in one sitting and literally couldn't put it down.
October 27, 2009
This contains the fourth and fifth chapters of Sfar's continued tales of the rabbi's cat who gained, and then lost, the gift of speech. Like the latter half of the first book, these chapters focus less on the cat than on the stories and doings of the humans he travels with. Racism and religious intolerance are dealt with here, but again, the philosophical dueling of the cat is missing. I didn't find this book as engaging as the earlier volume.
August 12, 2019
So this is part two of the Rabbi's Cat and even though it was not as good as the first book, it still was good. I believe book 2 was definitely more serious in nature as it has to do with racism and people's obsession with being right especially when it comes to religion. The cat is still a funny, engaging character who of course loves the rabbi's daughter. The story starts off with a storyteller who has a lion and a snake as friends. The cat travels with them and begins to witness how individuals preach hatred towards Jewish and Arab people. Page 38 was a little scary to read since it reminded me unfortunately of how U.S. leaders speak of different cultures in a similar way. Later on in the story a man arrives by crate who speaks Russian. The Rabbi does not believe the man is Jewish and seems to not care for him much until he learns he is Jewish, even though he speaks a different language. The man wants to find the Black Jews and the characters form a crew to try to find this place that most don't believe exist. Through it all the man falls in love with a Black woman and witnesses the death of two men who fought over which religion is better Judaism or Islam. The ending I thought was very interesting since it once again showed how people can be closed minded and hateful towards others who are different from them. My only problem with this book is that the print is so small!! I had to get a light to read the words. The drawings are not fancy but are calm and soothing to look at. Of course I love the way the cat is drawn. He doesn't look like a cat. I will be checking to see what Sfar comes up with next.
June 30, 2017
In this volume's first story, Cat travels with Malka and his lion, observing how their role in the world is changing as they age and how they might cope with the changes. Cat is not his prickly, philosophical self, and the story could've been told by any cat. The second story sees Cat accompany new and returning characters on a quest to a mythic religious city. There's much more adventure and philosophic wonder, as well as satisfying developments in the series' larger plot. Neither story feels as poetic or organically sculpted as the stories in volume 1. I don't feel compelled to seek out the third volume.
March 27, 2018
It's every bit as good as the first Rabbi's Cat book. Sfar does a great job capturing the nuances of cultural and religious differences, commenting on religious intolerance and racism without preaching. Beautiful art, recommended.
++++++++++++
I just have to re-affirm that this book is brilliant, providing intelligent and humorous commentary on the stupidity of racial, ethnic and religious prejudices.
++++++++++++
I just have to re-affirm that this book is brilliant, providing intelligent and humorous commentary on the stupidity of racial, ethnic and religious prejudices.
October 29, 2024
It’s still a pleasure to follow the rabbi and his cat (or is it the other way around?), this time on a road trip across Africa in search of an African Jerusalem. In Congo, they encounter a rather irritating Belgian reporter who looks quite familiar — a nod that adds to the humor. This is just one of many delightful scenes in the book. Sfar’s art style elevates the story beautifully, making it all the more engaging.
August 27, 2019
This is a follow-up to the highly successful first book. The old rabbi and his lovely daughter are relatively minor characters in this book, and the short stories contained in this book all seem like outlandish Jewish parables. Overall, the art is stylish and well done, but I absolutely hated the scratchy cursive lettering by the American translator.
January 24, 2024
oh my god....... so beautiful writing and art wise....... i think this might be one of the most beautiful series i've ever read. definitely a comfort series. addresses issues about family, religion, and philosophy so so beautifully. have re read this entire series so many times. may joann sfar live the happiest life for blessing us with these comics
August 31, 2024
This second edition of the Rabbi's Cat Graphic Novel collection was much more serious. It also illustrated racism from several points of view. I wish there would have been more about the Rabbi's daughter and how her marriage fared and I wish our cat would have shared more of his insight, but it was still a good read.
August 16, 2025
It was a decent sequel, and I do give credit to the author for clearly addressing complex themes and societal issues with nuance and intelligence, but honestly, I wasn't as engaged in the plot of this one as I was in the first. Overall, the books are well-done, but I was more hooked by the story of the first one than the second.
November 18, 2018
The second collection of stories about the Rabbi's Cat doesn't disappoint. Sweet and funny and sad, with memorable characters, most especially the cat (who will remain nameless). If you've read the first one, definitely pick this one up as well.
July 16, 2019
This is the second book I've read by Joann Sfar.
I really love the cat in this graphic novel and love hearing his stories. The only thing that could have been better was the size of the print. Some of the print was way too small for me to see properly.
I really love the cat in this graphic novel and love hearing his stories. The only thing that could have been better was the size of the print. Some of the print was way too small for me to see properly.
June 13, 2022
A great follow-up with some unexpectedly touching moments. I'm not sure any of the later volumes have been translated to English, so I'm now debating with myself whether my French is good enough to keep going with the series.
CW: antisemitism, racism, suicide, death, racial and ethnic slurs
CW: antisemitism, racism, suicide, death, racial and ethnic slurs
May 9, 2017
I enjoyed the first book, but liked this one even more. The last story was especially wonderful. I loved the journey and the mix of all the different religions. Very interesting stuff.
May 12, 2017
It's a work of art. I can't find another way to explain it. It looks simple, it reads simple, but it resonates deeply.
May 20, 2017
Didn't live up to the first one, but still fun to follow the cat's adventures! I also love the rabbis preaching of oneness and praying to the same God
July 5, 2017
The story continues and gives us a look at culture in other parts of Africa, including a city of black Jews. It involves prejudice and the problems it causes.
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