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Fourth Estate Ltd Invisible Kitties.
In this whimsical and inventive debut—perfect for fans of The Guest Cat and Calvino’s Invisible Cities—a young couple’s daily life is disrupted by their newly adopted cat, who soon initiates them into the wondrous world of felines.
Equal parts magical and humorous, Invisible Kitties tells the story of a young couple that one day accidentally comes into possession of a delightful, playful kitten. Bright eyed and bushy tailed, this new companion, aptly named Cat, upturns the routine of the narrator and her husband in their cramped apartment, and soon they find their existence forever altered as they gradually gain insight into the fantastical world of cats.
Every cat contains multitudes... Charting the couple’s ever-evolving relationship with cats –some they live with, others who exist solely in their imagination– Invisible Kitties introduces us to a coterie of extraordinary, physics-defying, death-defying cats. They drop from the sky, they grow from the soil, they transmute. They fly, flow, and evaporate. The young couple’s everyday life, often eclipsed by the drama of cats, offers a gentle glimpse of how joy can suddenly sneak into our lives.
Composed of sixty chapters written in Yu Yoyo’s elegant and witty style and complemented by the author’s own illustrations— Invisible Kitties is a celebration of ordinary life and the felines we love, deftly playing with the invisible boundaries between reality and imagination.
Translated from the Chinese by Jeremy Tiang
Equal parts magical and humorous, Invisible Kitties tells the story of a young couple that one day accidentally comes into possession of a delightful, playful kitten. Bright eyed and bushy tailed, this new companion, aptly named Cat, upturns the routine of the narrator and her husband in their cramped apartment, and soon they find their existence forever altered as they gradually gain insight into the fantastical world of cats.
Every cat contains multitudes... Charting the couple’s ever-evolving relationship with cats –some they live with, others who exist solely in their imagination– Invisible Kitties introduces us to a coterie of extraordinary, physics-defying, death-defying cats. They drop from the sky, they grow from the soil, they transmute. They fly, flow, and evaporate. The young couple’s everyday life, often eclipsed by the drama of cats, offers a gentle glimpse of how joy can suddenly sneak into our lives.
Composed of sixty chapters written in Yu Yoyo’s elegant and witty style and complemented by the author’s own illustrations— Invisible Kitties is a celebration of ordinary life and the felines we love, deftly playing with the invisible boundaries between reality and imagination.
Translated from the Chinese by Jeremy Tiang
256 pages, Paperback
Published October 10, 2024
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3801 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews
September 30, 2024
Yu Yoyo is an award-winning, Sichuanese poet and visual/audio artist, her striking debut novel builds on a life lived in close proximity with cats. Its nameless narrator lives with her partner in a small apartment together with a feline known only as ‘Cat.’ The decision not to name this cat’s a telling one, not rooted in indifference but an underlying rejection of the notion that cats can ever be fully claimed or “owned” by humans. The narrator’s relationship with Cat’s far more intricate, a series of delicate negotiations requiring her to learn ‘Cat’s language, and adapt her behaviour in line with Cat’s expectations. Although Cat’s existence also opens up a series of broader reflections on what it is to live freely, to challenge everyday reality and ways of being.
Yu Yoyo’s narrative’s fragmented and episodic but acutely-observed – very much a poet’s piece. It’s filled with arresting images; chains of association spin out in wholly unexpected directions – there are surreal scenes like the ones in which the narrator coughs up a furball that mysteriously mutates into a cat. The story’s sometimes lyrical, philosophical even, at other points witty or matter-of-fact. Although Yu Yoyo doesn’t entirely evade anthropomorphic musings, she strains against them, presenting an unusually fresh perspective on relationships between humans and companion animals. She also manages to be whimsical without being sentimental or sickly sweet – always a danger with books about animals, particularly cats.
Cats in Yu Yoyo’s story are mercurial, shape-shifting creatures, part phantom in nature. An impression reinforced by Yu Yoyo's evocative, black-and-white drawings which are scattered throughout, her attempt to capture Cat’s fluid movements, forceful character, and all-pervasive presence. I liked this far more than I’d anticipated, it builds slowly to construct a portrait of the characters’ lives, their neighbours, their local surroundings. It’s not a piece that demands to be read straight through from cover to cover, it’s designed to be savoured slowly, each section has the feel of an extended prose poem. Translated by Jeremy Tiang.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher 4th Estate for an ARC
Yu Yoyo’s narrative’s fragmented and episodic but acutely-observed – very much a poet’s piece. It’s filled with arresting images; chains of association spin out in wholly unexpected directions – there are surreal scenes like the ones in which the narrator coughs up a furball that mysteriously mutates into a cat. The story’s sometimes lyrical, philosophical even, at other points witty or matter-of-fact. Although Yu Yoyo doesn’t entirely evade anthropomorphic musings, she strains against them, presenting an unusually fresh perspective on relationships between humans and companion animals. She also manages to be whimsical without being sentimental or sickly sweet – always a danger with books about animals, particularly cats.
Cats in Yu Yoyo’s story are mercurial, shape-shifting creatures, part phantom in nature. An impression reinforced by Yu Yoyo's evocative, black-and-white drawings which are scattered throughout, her attempt to capture Cat’s fluid movements, forceful character, and all-pervasive presence. I liked this far more than I’d anticipated, it builds slowly to construct a portrait of the characters’ lives, their neighbours, their local surroundings. It’s not a piece that demands to be read straight through from cover to cover, it’s designed to be savoured slowly, each section has the feel of an extended prose poem. Translated by Jeremy Tiang.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher 4th Estate for an ARC
October 21, 2024
DNF @50%
Your enjoyment of this book will depend on your expectations, and your tolerance for obsessive anthropomorphic whimsical, and often fantastical, rumination on what it is to be Cat.
The blurb says:
They’re not without charm; they are whimsical, fantastical, imaginative, poetic, and all show a deep appreciation for what it is to be Cat. The presentation is also lovely, with each vignette being matched with a small illustration by the author. And it is an achievement in itself to have created 60 little metaphorical meditations on our feline companions in all their mystery.
But for all of that, I didn’t find it particularly engaging. I stopped reading half way through because I found myself skimming over the text; the poetic nature of the text, and lack of narrative, made continuing a pointless activity if I wasn’t giving it my full attention. This book is almost certainly best appreciated in small morsels. Perhaps while you’re sat in the smallest room in the house. But to say “this would make a good bathroom book” doesn’t feel like much of a recommendation.
My thanks and apologies go to #NetGalley 4th Estate/William Collins, and the author, for the free review copy of Invisible Kitties in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Your enjoyment of this book will depend on your expectations, and your tolerance for obsessive anthropomorphic whimsical, and often fantastical, rumination on what it is to be Cat.
The blurb says:
“When a young couple accidentally comes into possession of a playful kitten, their daily routine (and cramped apartment) is turned upside down. Soon they find their existence forever altered.”This implies that there is narrative structure - but if you’re hoping for a story, you’ll be disappointed. This is not a novel. The book consists of 60 vignettes. While the first 5 contain the essence of a story - where dreaming about a cat becomes the acquisition of Cat - the next 26 (because that’s how far I read) are isolated observations on some aspect of the behaviour or essence of Cat.
They’re not without charm; they are whimsical, fantastical, imaginative, poetic, and all show a deep appreciation for what it is to be Cat. The presentation is also lovely, with each vignette being matched with a small illustration by the author. And it is an achievement in itself to have created 60 little metaphorical meditations on our feline companions in all their mystery.
But for all of that, I didn’t find it particularly engaging. I stopped reading half way through because I found myself skimming over the text; the poetic nature of the text, and lack of narrative, made continuing a pointless activity if I wasn’t giving it my full attention. This book is almost certainly best appreciated in small morsels. Perhaps while you’re sat in the smallest room in the house. But to say “this would make a good bathroom book” doesn’t feel like much of a recommendation.
My thanks and apologies go to #NetGalley 4th Estate/William Collins, and the author, for the free review copy of Invisible Kitties in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
September 27, 2024
3.5
If you've ever owned a cat you will recognise lots of cat behaviours and cat/human interactions in this book. It really is exactly what it says in the title. It is simply the story of a couple who get a cat and then a kitten.
There are some extremely strange parts - the hairball that turns into a kitten; the cats dissolving in water - that I really didn't understand but mostly it's just a lyrical description of how strange but addictive owning a cat can be.
I'd definitely recommend it for cat lovers but I think I was expecting more (although I don't quite know what). The little illustrustrations which adorn nearly all the pages are very sweet though.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the advance review copy.
If you've ever owned a cat you will recognise lots of cat behaviours and cat/human interactions in this book. It really is exactly what it says in the title. It is simply the story of a couple who get a cat and then a kitten.
There are some extremely strange parts - the hairball that turns into a kitten; the cats dissolving in water - that I really didn't understand but mostly it's just a lyrical description of how strange but addictive owning a cat can be.
I'd definitely recommend it for cat lovers but I think I was expecting more (although I don't quite know what). The little illustrustrations which adorn nearly all the pages are very sweet though.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the advance review copy.
2024
October 9, 2025Women in Translation TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVia
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVia
November 20, 2024
Full disclosure: I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
The book is a cat lover's delight! It's not a novel as the term is commonly understood. It's more a series of musings on cats that are not literally true so much as they are poetically true. Yoyo is an actual poet, so this tracks.
For example, from chapter 40 (“Cat Balance”)--the scene is an apartment balcony:
“After a few rounds parading on the balcony railing, Cat's eyes moved from his paws to the cloud before him. Taking a big step forward, then another one, Cat vaulted onto the cloud. With one solid jump and one light skip, he was at its center.”
As a cat owner, I feel the truth of this, even though I know it to be impossible. I live in a house, not an apartment, with no balconies, not anywhere near cloud level, and our cats are indoor cats. But this is absolutely the sort of stunt a cat would pull, and probably successfully too, as they never seem to be bound by the ordinary laws of physics.
I'm not sure that cover is going to come across electronically. It's matte black with black kitties printed in gloss. The contrasting textures are pleasing, and the kitties appear and vanish with the angle of the light hitting them. Both of those things were beyond the range of the average Kindle last time I checked. Obviously, read in whatever your preferred format is. I'm just saying that the full experience is only possible with the physical media version.
Cat lovers will love this book. Anyone else, well, you'll probably at least like it. It's short, fluffy, charming … much like an actual cat, now that I think of it. Recommended!
The book is a cat lover's delight! It's not a novel as the term is commonly understood. It's more a series of musings on cats that are not literally true so much as they are poetically true. Yoyo is an actual poet, so this tracks.
For example, from chapter 40 (“Cat Balance”)--the scene is an apartment balcony:
“After a few rounds parading on the balcony railing, Cat's eyes moved from his paws to the cloud before him. Taking a big step forward, then another one, Cat vaulted onto the cloud. With one solid jump and one light skip, he was at its center.”
As a cat owner, I feel the truth of this, even though I know it to be impossible. I live in a house, not an apartment, with no balconies, not anywhere near cloud level, and our cats are indoor cats. But this is absolutely the sort of stunt a cat would pull, and probably successfully too, as they never seem to be bound by the ordinary laws of physics.
I'm not sure that cover is going to come across electronically. It's matte black with black kitties printed in gloss. The contrasting textures are pleasing, and the kitties appear and vanish with the angle of the light hitting them. Both of those things were beyond the range of the average Kindle last time I checked. Obviously, read in whatever your preferred format is. I'm just saying that the full experience is only possible with the physical media version.
Cat lovers will love this book. Anyone else, well, you'll probably at least like it. It's short, fluffy, charming … much like an actual cat, now that I think of it. Recommended!
September 10, 2024
I love pets. I love when people write about their pets. When I requested this, the blurb suggested this was a story about two humans who embrace guardianship of a cat. When I started reading, I became apparent it wasn’t quite that; instead, it was setting up to be more of a gentle, reflective love letter from the author to their cat. It is in some places. But, mostly, this is the literary equivalent of being cornered by someone who obsesses and overanalyzes everything their pet does while anthropomorphizing and revering them to their point that you’re worried about their wellbeing.
The presentation is beautiful: little paw prints on the pages, hand drawn cats, font styles. But, as I read, I found myself questioning if this works as a published work. Some entries are sweet but many feel cloyingly intimate and private. While I appreciate the author’s deep observation to create 50+ metaphors around every single thing her cat did, this doesn’t make for very interesting or coherent reading. The vignettes are heavily metaphorical (which my literal brain struggles with), repetitive, and injected with heaps of purple prose. This creates a meandering book that becomes a slog as it goes on.
Some of the sections are kinda hard to take: revering discarded cat claws as moons, blowing a the cat’s tail to “inflate” him then pulling it to “deflate” him, a whole chapter waxing lyrical about his testicles and hairballs… parts were embarrassing, others gross or downright bizarre.
Speaking of gross, the way the author describes their house sounds makes it sound filthy!
When I read the author’s note at the end and learned they were a poet/artist, the stylistic choices made a bit more sense to me. The book is tagged as ‘sci-fi’ on NetGalley which doesn’t fit - while it has scientific verbiage in places, it’s not a sci-fi book. I’m not sure it’ll appeal to the ‘cat fiction’ or pet memoir folks due to the inaccessible writing style. It might fare better in a poetry section.
I was privileged to have my request to read this book accepted through NetGalley. Thanks for letting me give this a try, Fourth Estate.
The presentation is beautiful: little paw prints on the pages, hand drawn cats, font styles. But, as I read, I found myself questioning if this works as a published work. Some entries are sweet but many feel cloyingly intimate and private. While I appreciate the author’s deep observation to create 50+ metaphors around every single thing her cat did, this doesn’t make for very interesting or coherent reading. The vignettes are heavily metaphorical (which my literal brain struggles with), repetitive, and injected with heaps of purple prose. This creates a meandering book that becomes a slog as it goes on.
Some of the sections are kinda hard to take: revering discarded cat claws as moons, blowing a the cat’s tail to “inflate” him then pulling it to “deflate” him, a whole chapter waxing lyrical about his testicles and hairballs… parts were embarrassing, others gross or downright bizarre.
Speaking of gross, the way the author describes their house sounds makes it sound filthy!
When I read the author’s note at the end and learned they were a poet/artist, the stylistic choices made a bit more sense to me. The book is tagged as ‘sci-fi’ on NetGalley which doesn’t fit - while it has scientific verbiage in places, it’s not a sci-fi book. I’m not sure it’ll appeal to the ‘cat fiction’ or pet memoir folks due to the inaccessible writing style. It might fare better in a poetry section.
I was privileged to have my request to read this book accepted through NetGalley. Thanks for letting me give this a try, Fourth Estate.
February 5, 2025
Invisible Kitties's charms lies on the fantastical elements of the storytelling and narrative by the author herself, Yu Yoyo on her lives as a cat owner. Rather than a novel, this read more like essays or snapshots of her life with her cats and how she resonates both internally, emotionally and physically with her cat. Her Cat was called Cat and there was no name to it but was rendered as a being, a companion, a part of herself described in various unique ways that she pulled so well in this imagination, malleable reality. As a pet owner (not cat, but rabbits) I can relate to some part of it and it was charming on how she elaborate more on her interactions with her cat, the interesting thoughts of putting her own shoes in her cat's position, the sort of fantastical/magical realism describing her cat in this short chapters.
With beauitfully (albeit haunting) illustrations drawn by the author in black charcoal like drawing, this complements the quirky chapters of each interesting snapshots of her cat's behaviours. From deam transmigrated with her Cat, mixing her Cat into Catsup, getting a kitten to accompany her Cat, Cat purring like a boiling water, compared as Cat to catlike woman by her husband, Cat lives inside of her and all sort compelling symbolism derived from the author's fanciful creativity & whimsical apparitions in the stories
Translated beautifully by Jeremy Tiang, this was a pretty slow read for me but one that I can enjoyed if I take time with it
Thank you @Timesreads for the review copy
With beauitfully (albeit haunting) illustrations drawn by the author in black charcoal like drawing, this complements the quirky chapters of each interesting snapshots of her cat's behaviours. From deam transmigrated with her Cat, mixing her Cat into Catsup, getting a kitten to accompany her Cat, Cat purring like a boiling water, compared as Cat to catlike woman by her husband, Cat lives inside of her and all sort compelling symbolism derived from the author's fanciful creativity & whimsical apparitions in the stories
Translated beautifully by Jeremy Tiang, this was a pretty slow read for me but one that I can enjoyed if I take time with it
Thank you @Timesreads for the review copy
October 21, 2024
"When we look up at the night sky, we remember that Earth is just another celestial body among many others, including the Cat-Ball Planets. They reflect sunlight, making use of the sun's excess energy. Cat loved basking in the sun because his planets needed to absorb sufficient heat and light to blaze at night, like bright stars in the sky."
Peak literature. I aspire to write as wonderfully about cats as Yu Yoyo does in this book.
Peak literature. I aspire to write as wonderfully about cats as Yu Yoyo does in this book.
January 10, 2025
Very cute book!
A very light and heartwarming read but not really exceptionally great for me to give a better rating.
I enjoyed it most of the time. There were few moments where I thought that the book could be a little bit shorter, some chapters seemed repetitive.
Overall, a lovely read :]
A very light and heartwarming read but not really exceptionally great for me to give a better rating.
I enjoyed it most of the time. There were few moments where I thought that the book could be a little bit shorter, some chapters seemed repetitive.
Overall, a lovely read :]
March 17, 2025
This was such a surprise! I received this book as a gift and I had no idea what to expect. It is a love letter (well, book) to cats! It is a whimsical and fanciful account of cats' essence and what it means to live with a cat. The author is a poet and her imagination shines through each chapter. If you love cats and you have or had the privilege to share your home with a feline companion... this book is definitely for you!
August 29, 2025
A cat named Cat
April 25, 2025
If I have to describe this book in a few words I'd say "Whimsical Vignettes for cat lovers" there is a little bit of a story through some of the vignettes and some development in how the characters behave but honestly its mostly just little 2 or 3 page isolated anecdotes or musings on cats and the (unnamed) narrators relation to them (and also how her Husband reacts to cats). The storries are all very whimsical and border on surrealist or magical realisim but most are just every day interactions and musings on cats & how they exist in the world. As someone who likes both Cats and Whimsey this was really fun read for me, I also really liked all the illustrations littered throughout the book.
I will say my only issue with this book is that the synopsis makes it sound like there is more of a plot or throughline to this novel than there actually is. It's not really about the narrator and Husband (both of whom aren't really named) - nor is it about their relationship with eachother or with cats in general, just really them getting used to living with the one Cat.
I will say my only issue with this book is that the synopsis makes it sound like there is more of a plot or throughline to this novel than there actually is. It's not really about the narrator and Husband (both of whom aren't really named) - nor is it about their relationship with eachother or with cats in general, just really them getting used to living with the one Cat.
March 17, 2025
Cuteeeee. Dreamily describes exactly what it's like having a cat!!
3 stars because I felt like it was quiet obvious that the author normally writes poetry, not that that's a bad thing, but I just felt like the longer form content of a book may have been too many pages to fill. Also felt like the writing was quiet childlike, and I loved the childlike wonder at the start, but it did get old after awhile - especially because it was sort of the same dreamy like descriptions over and over.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE CATS but I just wanted more.
No quotes, just vibes.
THE LITTLE DRAWINGS THROUGHOUT THE BOOK ARE SOOOO CUTE!!!!!!!!
3 stars because I felt like it was quiet obvious that the author normally writes poetry, not that that's a bad thing, but I just felt like the longer form content of a book may have been too many pages to fill. Also felt like the writing was quiet childlike, and I loved the childlike wonder at the start, but it did get old after awhile - especially because it was sort of the same dreamy like descriptions over and over.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE CATS but I just wanted more.
No quotes, just vibes.
THE LITTLE DRAWINGS THROUGHOUT THE BOOK ARE SOOOO CUTE!!!!!!!!
December 19, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperVia for the ARC.
This doesn't necessarily have a plot to follow, more a series of short prose pieces about the experience of living with cats. Not so much the literal aspect, more the feelings that come with it. It's told in these surreal segments far removed from reality, using symbolism both commonly used and lesser known (to me). It's brief, but the way it was written kinda forced me to take my time with it. If I tried to speed through it in one sitting, I don't know if I'd like it as much as I did.
This doesn't necessarily have a plot to follow, more a series of short prose pieces about the experience of living with cats. Not so much the literal aspect, more the feelings that come with it. It's told in these surreal segments far removed from reality, using symbolism both commonly used and lesser known (to me). It's brief, but the way it was written kinda forced me to take my time with it. If I tried to speed through it in one sitting, I don't know if I'd like it as much as I did.
January 19, 2025
3 stars
what a light and quick read but it’s just not really great to give a better rating i guess. this book is actually whimsical and very lyrical. i adore how charming and imaginative the writing was. this book offers blend of the reality and the imagination of cats and humans.
as a mother of 5 cats i enjoyed reading this and recognised LOTS OF CAT BEHAVIOURS AND HOW THEY INTERACT WITH HUMANS. it’s very heartwarming. also the little illustrations in this book make it more interesting and i liked it.
the thing in here is probably i was expecting something more but i do still recommend to cat lovers. it could’ve been shorter bcs there’s some chapters are seemed repetitive. also there’s a bit lacking in which direction the narrative wants to go with this story.
overall i enjoyed it and do recommend to people who loves cat.
thank you times reads and ms putri for the copy!!!
what a light and quick read but it’s just not really great to give a better rating i guess. this book is actually whimsical and very lyrical. i adore how charming and imaginative the writing was. this book offers blend of the reality and the imagination of cats and humans.
as a mother of 5 cats i enjoyed reading this and recognised LOTS OF CAT BEHAVIOURS AND HOW THEY INTERACT WITH HUMANS. it’s very heartwarming. also the little illustrations in this book make it more interesting and i liked it.
the thing in here is probably i was expecting something more but i do still recommend to cat lovers. it could’ve been shorter bcs there’s some chapters are seemed repetitive. also there’s a bit lacking in which direction the narrative wants to go with this story.
overall i enjoyed it and do recommend to people who loves cat.
thank you times reads and ms putri for the copy!!!
April 10, 2025
A very cute, very clever metaphorical look into our lives with cats. A short and sweet read :)
November 29, 2024
Invisible kitties is a heartwarming, whimsical story that invites readers to the profoundly adventurous world of cats and the way their presence and playful pursuits as well as quirky cues give us contentment and soothing relaxation.
The arrival of a playful kitten in the lives of a young couple was a transformative experience, one that challenges their daily routine and forces them to re-evaluate their priorities. In the context of Invisible Kitties, this experience serves as a catalyst for a deeper exploration of the human-feline bond and the ways in which it can shape our perceptions of ourselves and the world around us.
On one hand, the introduction of a kitten into a cramped apartment can be a chaotic and overwhelming experience despite their ardent wish for a cat. However, as they adapt to their new circumstances, they soon discover that the cat's presence brings a sense of joy and companionship that they had been lacking.
The magical tale had captured my heart and sparked my imaginations. I know that I will cherish this book and the memories I had created while reading it forever. The author has done a commendable job in exploring the feline world and a cat's presence in a person's life orbiting around the likes and responses from their feline companion.
If you are a reader who loves every cat and their sweet, aloof yet adorable behaviours then this book would be an awesome adventure for you. As Invisible Kitties so eloquently demonstrates, the magic of cats lies not just in their physical presence, but in the ways in which they challenge us to enjoy the moments of life. I highly recommend this book.
The arrival of a playful kitten in the lives of a young couple was a transformative experience, one that challenges their daily routine and forces them to re-evaluate their priorities. In the context of Invisible Kitties, this experience serves as a catalyst for a deeper exploration of the human-feline bond and the ways in which it can shape our perceptions of ourselves and the world around us.
On one hand, the introduction of a kitten into a cramped apartment can be a chaotic and overwhelming experience despite their ardent wish for a cat. However, as they adapt to their new circumstances, they soon discover that the cat's presence brings a sense of joy and companionship that they had been lacking.
The magical tale had captured my heart and sparked my imaginations. I know that I will cherish this book and the memories I had created while reading it forever. The author has done a commendable job in exploring the feline world and a cat's presence in a person's life orbiting around the likes and responses from their feline companion.
If you are a reader who loves every cat and their sweet, aloof yet adorable behaviours then this book would be an awesome adventure for you. As Invisible Kitties so eloquently demonstrates, the magic of cats lies not just in their physical presence, but in the ways in which they challenge us to enjoy the moments of life. I highly recommend this book.
September 13, 2024
A lovely book, irresistible to cat lovers.
In 60 small chapters, the author "explains" a number of typical cat features and quirks. It starts with the author and her husband --conveniently called Husband-- getting a cat, called Cat. Or as any cat lover knows, it is actually Cat who acquires Author and Husband. Later on, a second kitten --Kitten-- completes the family.
Each chapter also contains one small drawing of Cat that basically tries to catch the content of that particular chapter, usually in a very successful way. The images are simple, cute, spot on and sometimes very funny. Likewise, the author shows a great sense of humour in the way she describes certain situations that regularly put a smile on my face. When reading about Cat being buff and engaged in extreme sports like parkour, and at the same time seeing the image of Cat that goes with it, to give just one example, you know that you have something precious in your hands, a book to read, to re-read and to cherish.
Yu Yoyo mixes sharp observation with vivid imagination and as such comes up with explanations for typical cat behaviour (like for instance why cats purr, or the true nature of hairballs) that you never have read in any other cat book before.
Throw out every serious and scientific book about cats you own and read this one instead.
(Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.)
In 60 small chapters, the author "explains" a number of typical cat features and quirks. It starts with the author and her husband --conveniently called Husband-- getting a cat, called Cat. Or as any cat lover knows, it is actually Cat who acquires Author and Husband. Later on, a second kitten --Kitten-- completes the family.
Each chapter also contains one small drawing of Cat that basically tries to catch the content of that particular chapter, usually in a very successful way. The images are simple, cute, spot on and sometimes very funny. Likewise, the author shows a great sense of humour in the way she describes certain situations that regularly put a smile on my face. When reading about Cat being buff and engaged in extreme sports like parkour, and at the same time seeing the image of Cat that goes with it, to give just one example, you know that you have something precious in your hands, a book to read, to re-read and to cherish.
Yu Yoyo mixes sharp observation with vivid imagination and as such comes up with explanations for typical cat behaviour (like for instance why cats purr, or the true nature of hairballs) that you never have read in any other cat book before.
Throw out every serious and scientific book about cats you own and read this one instead.
(Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.)
October 9, 2024
Unapologetically whimsical and surrealistic, sometimes slightly off-putting (), this book explores our relationship with cats as it is in our imaginations. Shed cat nails are little moon replicas and there is a separate entity that inhabits cats, their Mischief, which is almost impossible to see in real time, and only the consequences of their actions can be observed a posteriori. The writing is lyrical and surprising, and a good way to breathe in between books that hurt your feelings.
November 9, 2025
I really liked this book. It feels very calm and homey. It is just the right book to be read on a rainy day, sitting in bed with a cup of tea and a cat by your side. I think the writing is very creative and the author comes up with very unexpected and fun explanations for the different things a cat does.
As a person that has never owned a cat and has always wanted to, it seems to me that the author describes life with a cat very thoroughly. She transforms even the little day to day annoyances into wonderful, magic things that we, humans, are lucky enough to witness.
As a person that has never owned a cat and has always wanted to, it seems to me that the author describes life with a cat very thoroughly. She transforms even the little day to day annoyances into wonderful, magic things that we, humans, are lucky enough to witness.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2024
Published 1st October 2024. A cute little novel - quite short, translated from the Chinese and all about cats. As someone who has owned 4 cats so far - I'm between cats at the moment -these short little chapters transported me back to my own relationship with my cats. The actions that the author describes, I remembered my own cats doing exactly the same things. There is also a touch of magical realism in some of the vignettes as my cats never stretched out to many metres in length (although sometimes it felt like it), nor did inflate like a balloon. However, the descriptions of them chirping at the window as they watch the birds are just so accurate. The author describes the way that she and her husband interact with Cat and latter with Kitten, too. This is like a love song to cats and she often writes/describes almost as if she is dreaming - there is an other-worldly quality to what she describes. There is no plot here, she does not even explain what is going on in the little vignettes, she is purely observing and taking immense pleasure in her cats - and so, as a cat lover and a reader - I do too.
January 11, 2025
I've read a few books over the past few years by poets that I theorise approach writing a novel the same way they write poetry. It's not a style I get on well with, typically, but although this book fits that category, I think it works.
Yoyo clearly adores cats and this is a rather charming, surrealist meditation on cats. It's not entirely my cup of tea, but I can appreciate what she's done here - it's very cute and makes for an enjoyable light read :)
Yoyo clearly adores cats and this is a rather charming, surrealist meditation on cats. It's not entirely my cup of tea, but I can appreciate what she's done here - it's very cute and makes for an enjoyable light read :)
July 15, 2025
While I did not find this to be incredibly poetic or unique, I still enjoyed the surreal, episodic narrative of a simple life as a cat parent.
Perhaps I am simply unable to appreciate the intricacies of Yu Yoyo, poet and visual/audio artist's flavours of art but I enjoyed observing that the experiences of loving a cat are quite universal.
Perhaps I am simply unable to appreciate the intricacies of Yu Yoyo, poet and visual/audio artist's flavours of art but I enjoyed observing that the experiences of loving a cat are quite universal.
February 1, 2025
3.5⭐ A peak into the whimsical world of Cat and Kitten. If you have ever had the pleasure of being 'owned and ruled' by a cat/cats, or have spent any time with a cat/cats, you will enjoy this book. I found myself laughing and nodding in agreement with these vignettes.
February 2, 2025
A curious and yet very soothing read.
I am just not sure I am enough of a catlover to fully enjoy this book.
The cat stories are very relaxing and almost meditative to read. But about 150 or so pages in I honestly started to feel a bit full of cat stories and even a little bit bored.
I am just not sure I am enough of a catlover to fully enjoy this book.
The cat stories are very relaxing and almost meditative to read. But about 150 or so pages in I honestly started to feel a bit full of cat stories and even a little bit bored.
March 15, 2025
In Invisible Kitties, Sichuanese poet Yu Yoyo pens freewheeling chapters that creatively imagines cats as magical beings who are able to manifest metaphysical powers. For example, in one chapter, the protagonist describes her cat as being able to vanish at will; and in another, to turn into gas. 🐈⬛💨
If you think that’s weird, that’s not all. She also describes a virus known as the Cat Virus, and cats that dissolve in water. All these are in good fun, though I wished there were more depth in the story than just a compilation of cat fantasies. 🐱💭
Nevertheless, if you enjoy reading books about cats, this is probably a more unusual read filled with ample tongue-in-cheek humour! 😝
If you think that’s weird, that’s not all. She also describes a virus known as the Cat Virus, and cats that dissolve in water. All these are in good fun, though I wished there were more depth in the story than just a compilation of cat fantasies. 🐱💭
Nevertheless, if you enjoy reading books about cats, this is probably a more unusual read filled with ample tongue-in-cheek humour! 😝
September 5, 2025
Yu is the author of four poetry collections; her debut novel blends autofiction and magic realism with its story of a couple adjusting to the ways of a mysterious cat. They have a two-bedroom flat on a high-up floor of a complex, and Cat somehow fills the entire space yet disappears whenever the woman goes looking for him. Yu’s strategy in most of these 60 mini-chapters is to take behaviours that will be familiar to any cat owner and either turn them literal through faux-scientific descriptions, or extend them into the fantasy realm. So a cat can turn into a liquid or gaseous state, a purring cat is boiling an internal kettle, and a cat planted in a flowerbed will produce more cats. Some of the stories are whimsical and sweet, like those imagining Cat playing extreme sports, opening a massage parlour, and being the god of the household. Others are downright gross and silly: Cat’s removed testicles become “Cat-Ball Planets” and the narrator throws up a hairball that becomes Kitten. Mixed feelings, then.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
September 23, 2024
Thank you to HarperVia and NetGalley for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review
Unfortunately, this one didn't work for me. INVISIBLE KITTIES is not a novel; it's barely even the concept of a novel. What it is is 60 vignettes extolling the author's love for cats. A few are charming, such as the one about how cats draw circles of varying sizes around their owners, and so long as each one exists within the circle together, they can do whatever they want. But even as a cat lover, I quickly became tired of the many ways in which Yu tried to be clever and inventive when describing the quirks of cats.
I'm not sure if I would put INVISIBLE KITTIES under the "cozy cat Asian literature" category, because I feel like appreciators of this subgenre usually want a modicum of a plot.Those who REALLY love cats, don't mind "no plot just vibes" books, value inventive metaphors and other descriptive language, and want to read translated contemporary Chinese literature widely might get along better with this one.
Unfortunately, this one didn't work for me. INVISIBLE KITTIES is not a novel; it's barely even the concept of a novel. What it is is 60 vignettes extolling the author's love for cats. A few are charming, such as the one about how cats draw circles of varying sizes around their owners, and so long as each one exists within the circle together, they can do whatever they want. But even as a cat lover, I quickly became tired of the many ways in which Yu tried to be clever and inventive when describing the quirks of cats.
I'm not sure if I would put INVISIBLE KITTIES under the "cozy cat Asian literature" category, because I feel like appreciators of this subgenre usually want a modicum of a plot.Those who REALLY love cats, don't mind "no plot just vibes" books, value inventive metaphors and other descriptive language, and want to read translated contemporary Chinese literature widely might get along better with this one.
October 2, 2024
Abgebrochen. Ich bin mit der Vermischung aus Fantasie und Realität nicht warmgeworden. Ich mag Katzen sehr, kann diesem Buch aber leider nur wenig abgewinnen.
November 27, 2024
Strange, magical, and wonderful story that encompasses cats and their weirdness. It's broken up into "chapters" that are more so short scenarios and stories with cats in the center.
For those who love cats, and a bit of suspended reading, this was great!
For those who love cats, and a bit of suspended reading, this was great!
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