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If Cats Could Talk ... Would They Cry?
A modern "Metamorphosis" that speaks to the themes of our time: isolation, identity and desperation for connection.
If Cats Could Talk...Would They Cry? introduces Julie Galles. An introvert in an extrovert’s world, Julie is stuck in a rut, until the day she wakes up as a cat. Can a feline perspective help her to reconnect with humanity?
Beautifully illustrated with playful vignettes by Spanish artist Félix Diaz de Escauriaza.
If Cats Could Talk...Would They Cry? introduces Julie Galles. An introvert in an extrovert’s world, Julie is stuck in a rut, until the day she wakes up as a cat. Can a feline perspective help her to reconnect with humanity?
Beautifully illustrated with playful vignettes by Spanish artist Félix Diaz de Escauriaza.
115 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 28, 2020
117 people are currently reading
876 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
October 13, 2020
3.5 stars
One day in Paris, Julie wakes up and discovers that she has been transformed into a cat. She quickly contacts her friend to try to help her figure things out. At least Julie can still talk. She finds out that being a cat isn't all that bad. Through a series of flashbacks we find out what has been happening in the recent past in Julie's life.
This charming novella includes a handful of delightful watercolor illustrations that accompany the story. The story itself was a fairly quick read (being a novella!) and had a touch of Kafka's Metamorphosis with a sprinkling of modern day worries and pondering. The story didn't evenly hold my interest throughout but overall I enjoyed the story.
I won a copy of this book in a GoodReads Giveaway. Thank you to the author!
One day in Paris, Julie wakes up and discovers that she has been transformed into a cat. She quickly contacts her friend to try to help her figure things out. At least Julie can still talk. She finds out that being a cat isn't all that bad. Through a series of flashbacks we find out what has been happening in the recent past in Julie's life.
This charming novella includes a handful of delightful watercolor illustrations that accompany the story. The story itself was a fairly quick read (being a novella!) and had a touch of Kafka's Metamorphosis with a sprinkling of modern day worries and pondering. The story didn't evenly hold my interest throughout but overall I enjoyed the story.
I won a copy of this book in a GoodReads Giveaway. Thank you to the author!
February 8, 2022
If cats could read would they read this book?
This book is what you would have gotten if "Metamorphosis" had been written by a female college freshman, majoring in sociology because that is totally cool. By the time she is a junior she will be in business where she belongs and she will have apologized to her cat.
I received this book free from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.
This book is what you would have gotten if "Metamorphosis" had been written by a female college freshman, majoring in sociology because that is totally cool. By the time she is a junior she will be in business where she belongs and she will have apologized to her cat.
I received this book free from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.
June 18, 2020
One morning Julie wakes up and finds she is now a cat….a little ginger cat with white paws.
There’s no real sense of panic as she settles for a doze…..
Her friend arrives and after a brief faint, she calls Julie’s mother and they take a trip to the park. Here they meet Julie’s sister and park warden, Patrice, as they try to work out how and why Julie is now a cat.
This is a charming read, it’s a short novella but full of gentle philosophy. What it is to be human, what our lives mean to us and how we perceive those close to us.
Lovely illustrations throughout too. A gentle, thought provoking read.
Thank you to Ben at Cameron Publicity and Marketing for the opportunity to read this for free. This is my honest and unbiased review.
There’s no real sense of panic as she settles for a doze…..
Her friend arrives and after a brief faint, she calls Julie’s mother and they take a trip to the park. Here they meet Julie’s sister and park warden, Patrice, as they try to work out how and why Julie is now a cat.
This is a charming read, it’s a short novella but full of gentle philosophy. What it is to be human, what our lives mean to us and how we perceive those close to us.
Lovely illustrations throughout too. A gentle, thought provoking read.
Thank you to Ben at Cameron Publicity and Marketing for the opportunity to read this for free. This is my honest and unbiased review.
June 1, 2020
Interesting book. I’ve always said I’d like to spend a couple of days living the life of my cats.
June 19, 2020
A tale of our times, loved it!
There are a few books able to catch my attention from the very first moment, and ''If Cats Could Talk...Would They Cry?'' is one of those.
It is a story of a woman, Julie, who one day wakes up as a cat and instead of freaking out, embraces her new form and uses the new perspective to see things with different eyes.
A modern metamorphosis that talks about the search for identity, the weight of old fears, the need to belong in a world that often feels foreign.
Beautifully written, this novella will make you wonder, laugh at times and think a lot.
There are a few books able to catch my attention from the very first moment, and ''If Cats Could Talk...Would They Cry?'' is one of those.
It is a story of a woman, Julie, who one day wakes up as a cat and instead of freaking out, embraces her new form and uses the new perspective to see things with different eyes.
A modern metamorphosis that talks about the search for identity, the weight of old fears, the need to belong in a world that often feels foreign.
Beautifully written, this novella will make you wonder, laugh at times and think a lot.
May 28, 2020
It's a pleasure to read. Great characters and story.
June 29, 2020
I’m not entirely certain how to review If Cats Could Talk… Would They Cry? because I found it a really curious read. I’m not sure if I fully understood all its meanings it , but I found it curiously hypnotic so that I had to read it in one sitting.
On one level Anatoli Scholz has produced an entertaining, straightforward narrative (if that can be said of a story where an adult protagonist becomes a cat over night) set within quite traditional boundaries of time, one day, and place, Paris, that is resolved highly satisfactorily. But saying that is to do an injustice to a novella packed with symbolism, allegory and meaning. I found it fascinating. I also thought the illustrations were wonderful because they convey considerable meaning and emotion in their simplicity.
It is Julie’s transformation into a cat that helps the reader develop a clear picture of what she is like as a person. Her emotional distance from meaningful relationships, her attitude to her father, mother and sister, her habitual workaday life are all very prosaic and familiar and yet there is a poignancy that generates real empathy. She needs this curious metamorphosis to understand herself and those around her. I found this a moving aspect of If Cats Could Talk… Would They Cry?.
I thoroughly enjoyed the feline elements of If Cats Could Talk… Would They Cry? too because, as a passionate cat lover, they felt highly authentic to me. Julie’s heightened senses illustrate just what we frequently miss in our daily lives so that not only is this Julie’s story, but it is one from which we can all learn.
If Cats Could Talk… Would They Cry? is an unusual novella. I suspect my reading has only scratched the surface of its possibilities. The symbolism is intelligent and engaging and I think each reader will bring their own interpretation and understanding. For example, I have no idea if the tunnels of the catacombs were intended to represent rebirth, but that’s what they signified to me. To say too much more about plot and action and my interpretations would spoil the read for others, but it is highly thought provoking.
I found If Cats Could Talk… Would They Cry? intriguing. It won’t suit all readers but I’d strongly recommend reading it for yourself to find the answer to the title!
On one level Anatoli Scholz has produced an entertaining, straightforward narrative (if that can be said of a story where an adult protagonist becomes a cat over night) set within quite traditional boundaries of time, one day, and place, Paris, that is resolved highly satisfactorily. But saying that is to do an injustice to a novella packed with symbolism, allegory and meaning. I found it fascinating. I also thought the illustrations were wonderful because they convey considerable meaning and emotion in their simplicity.
It is Julie’s transformation into a cat that helps the reader develop a clear picture of what she is like as a person. Her emotional distance from meaningful relationships, her attitude to her father, mother and sister, her habitual workaday life are all very prosaic and familiar and yet there is a poignancy that generates real empathy. She needs this curious metamorphosis to understand herself and those around her. I found this a moving aspect of If Cats Could Talk… Would They Cry?.
I thoroughly enjoyed the feline elements of If Cats Could Talk… Would They Cry? too because, as a passionate cat lover, they felt highly authentic to me. Julie’s heightened senses illustrate just what we frequently miss in our daily lives so that not only is this Julie’s story, but it is one from which we can all learn.
If Cats Could Talk… Would They Cry? is an unusual novella. I suspect my reading has only scratched the surface of its possibilities. The symbolism is intelligent and engaging and I think each reader will bring their own interpretation and understanding. For example, I have no idea if the tunnels of the catacombs were intended to represent rebirth, but that’s what they signified to me. To say too much more about plot and action and my interpretations would spoil the read for others, but it is highly thought provoking.
I found If Cats Could Talk… Would They Cry? intriguing. It won’t suit all readers but I’d strongly recommend reading it for yourself to find the answer to the title!
October 1, 2020
This is a strange little book. It's an interesting concept about seeing things from a different perspective, about wanting to escape, about understanding past human moments while no longer human and about encountering someone else with a similar experience. I suspect that there is much more to this that I did not get but it did make an engrossing read. In addition, I really liked the descriptions of the city and the unexpected ending (although I suspect I should have been anticipating it).
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
October 31, 2020
Delightful escape
Julie wakes to find she has turned into a cat. Julie has always felt out of place. As a cat she begins to have a different perspective on people and her life in general. Suspend your disbelief and accept that not only has turned into a cat but is still able to speak. She learns to adjust being a cat and how to survive in both forms. Enjoy.
Julie wakes to find she has turned into a cat. Julie has always felt out of place. As a cat she begins to have a different perspective on people and her life in general. Suspend your disbelief and accept that not only has turned into a cat but is still able to speak. She learns to adjust being a cat and how to survive in both forms. Enjoy.
January 3, 2024
The first few pages were ok, but then the book got so boring and I had to force myself to sit down and read it. I did not enjoy the ending because I feel like I just wasted my time.
March 1, 2025
"whether human or cat, there was no conceivable rush to get up."
so real
so real
June 30, 2020
Update the Metamorphosis, but let's say in a more reasonable, 21st-century way that retains all of the whimsical romance that you would expect of human transgressing to animal, but the sharp tongue-in-cheek sense of 'city-traffic fumes' in the atmosphere that makes Anatoli's philosophical observations and witticisms so directly relevant to our own lives. It's a story portrayed through a woman's inner psyche, but indeed maybe that makes it a book that's even MORE for men, than for women.. ha. Playful, but sharp -- his style is very sincere, and clear, which balances nicely with the supernatural jesting of the storyline and concept.
Beyond man and woman, it's a story for all: this beautiful & elegant distanced perspective that allows us such a playfully-snide (if we want) critique of how us humans are. Of course the animal perspective is the ultimate perspective of otherness, and this degree of otherness allows that distance needed for a gentle sense of critique. It's the truly, other, perspective, which shines a floodlight of lucidity on all of the manners & behaviours that we commonly carry throughout a typical human life.
And that's not to mention how much more a girl's life makes sense for her, once she starts thinking and feeling herself as feline. miaooww;)
Beyond man and woman, it's a story for all: this beautiful & elegant distanced perspective that allows us such a playfully-snide (if we want) critique of how us humans are. Of course the animal perspective is the ultimate perspective of otherness, and this degree of otherness allows that distance needed for a gentle sense of critique. It's the truly, other, perspective, which shines a floodlight of lucidity on all of the manners & behaviours that we commonly carry throughout a typical human life.
And that's not to mention how much more a girl's life makes sense for her, once she starts thinking and feeling herself as feline. miaooww;)
September 22, 2020
Homage to Kafka?
If Samson Gregor were a cat... But no, our changling is a much more likeable character. Quick read. And enjoyable, especially if you like cats. Much better than cockroachs.
If Samson Gregor were a cat... But no, our changling is a much more likeable character. Quick read. And enjoyable, especially if you like cats. Much better than cockroachs.
June 30, 2020
Anyone who has cats will have said at one time, or another, that they wished they could live their life as a cat. My two are perfectly spoiled felines who have everything they need, want and desire. But would I really want to swap places with either Jaffa or Timmy just for the day....
Julie wakes up one morning and stretches in bed only to find that she has paws instead of legs and without really panicking she discovers that whilst she is still Julie, she has been changed into a cat who can speak. Considering this rather unusual event with remarkable acceptance what then follows is how Julie accepts that her life has changed in a very unusual way. By living as a cat Julie is given the opportunity to view life and observes what it means to be human in a unique experience.
With more than a nod towards Kafka's Metamorphosis, If Cats Could Talk… Would They Cry? takes us on a journey of discovery, and in Julie's case allows her to see, and interact, with the people she knows on a very different level.
I enjoyed this novella and read it over the space of an afternoon. The author has a perceptive way of writing and throughout the story he creates a very plausible set of circumstances. Scattered amongst the narrative are coloured drawings which are beautifully simple and which encapsulate the story perfectly.
Quirky and unique, If Cats Could Talk… Would They Cry? made me ponder all the more about what cats think about the world around them. I am sure if both Jaffa and Timmy could talk, they would never shut up ! 😸
Julie wakes up one morning and stretches in bed only to find that she has paws instead of legs and without really panicking she discovers that whilst she is still Julie, she has been changed into a cat who can speak. Considering this rather unusual event with remarkable acceptance what then follows is how Julie accepts that her life has changed in a very unusual way. By living as a cat Julie is given the opportunity to view life and observes what it means to be human in a unique experience.
With more than a nod towards Kafka's Metamorphosis, If Cats Could Talk… Would They Cry? takes us on a journey of discovery, and in Julie's case allows her to see, and interact, with the people she knows on a very different level.
I enjoyed this novella and read it over the space of an afternoon. The author has a perceptive way of writing and throughout the story he creates a very plausible set of circumstances. Scattered amongst the narrative are coloured drawings which are beautifully simple and which encapsulate the story perfectly.
Quirky and unique, If Cats Could Talk… Would They Cry? made me ponder all the more about what cats think about the world around them. I am sure if both Jaffa and Timmy could talk, they would never shut up ! 😸
June 3, 2020
Cats and philosophizing
I have mixed feelings about this little fable. On one hand, all the cat talk, especially in the opening scene, was extremely charming (and fun to read as my own cats wandered around my room), and the impressionistic paintings interspersed throughout the book were a delight. On the other hand, I didn't find the characters likeable or the themes engaging (to be fair, I've never read Kafka and generally don't read literary fiction, this is a "me" problem). So my feelings are in between: 3 stars.
Many thanks to Goodreads and Anatoli Scholz for the chance to read a copy of this book.
I have mixed feelings about this little fable. On one hand, all the cat talk, especially in the opening scene, was extremely charming (and fun to read as my own cats wandered around my room), and the impressionistic paintings interspersed throughout the book were a delight. On the other hand, I didn't find the characters likeable or the themes engaging (to be fair, I've never read Kafka and generally don't read literary fiction, this is a "me" problem). So my feelings are in between: 3 stars.
Many thanks to Goodreads and Anatoli Scholz for the chance to read a copy of this book.
June 15, 2020
I wanted to read this book as it intrigued me, the way a woman called Julie wakes up as a cat, it is a unique story as I have never read anything like this before. I found it slightly weird but also intriguing, Julie goes on a mission as a cat to help her understand humans. I have a cat so every time I was reading this story I was looking at him wondering what he was thinking about. There are some nice illustrations in this book too which surprised me but in a good way as it breaks the story up a little. I would say it is quite a short story but one I have really thought about afterwards. Now I am always wondering what my cat is thinking.
February 3, 2023
Poorly written and not a particularly interesting story
The book does not tell an interesting story; and if the author was trying to make a point, it was not obvious what that point was. So, on that basis alone I would not recommend the book.
Also there are many typos, misused words and grammatical errors. I wondered:
1. Was the book written in a language other than English and then translated (poorly)?
2. Or was the author simply not fluent in English?
3. And finally, why wasn’t the book properly edited and proofread prior to publication?
The book does not tell an interesting story; and if the author was trying to make a point, it was not obvious what that point was. So, on that basis alone I would not recommend the book.
Also there are many typos, misused words and grammatical errors. I wondered:
1. Was the book written in a language other than English and then translated (poorly)?
2. Or was the author simply not fluent in English?
3. And finally, why wasn’t the book properly edited and proofread prior to publication?
January 24, 2022
Cat lover
I picked this book as I am a cat lover called julie.not my usual reading material at all😂it was ok ,but needed more detail about how a cat would behave and more philosophy.😁
I picked this book as I am a cat lover called julie.not my usual reading material at all😂it was ok ,but needed more detail about how a cat would behave and more philosophy.😁
January 15, 2024
Meh. Kind of cute, very pointless, the second half was pretty boring and the end felt rushed. The final outcome was disappointing.
June 8, 2024
this was not a memorable or enjoyable experience for me
all i could think when reading was that the author was trying too hard to sound philosophical and thought provoking.
all i could think when reading was that the author was trying too hard to sound philosophical and thought provoking.
February 8, 2025
Nor what I was expecting and not a very interesting story either
October 17, 2020
This is a peculiar novella. It begins with our heroine waking up as a cat though she went to bed as a human! Oddly enough, she just takes this in stride, never once in the entire book showing any interest in how she ended up a cat.
Flashbacks give us glimpses into Julie's history but don't seem to have any real bearing on the story itself or the reason she has become a cat. Julie believes herself to be a misfit though this isn't shown in the memories we are privy to while reading. The story is disjointed which lends to the confusing perspective which may be the author's intention.
Flashbacks give us glimpses into Julie's history but don't seem to have any real bearing on the story itself or the reason she has become a cat. Julie believes herself to be a misfit though this isn't shown in the memories we are privy to while reading. The story is disjointed which lends to the confusing perspective which may be the author's intention.
February 1, 2025
Be a Cat for a Day = CAT-HARTIC
This was definitely a psychological experience—much of which had me completely befuddled as to what was going on. I wasn’t completely blown away by this story, but it had some interesting reflective moments that were meaningful to me, like the story of the guy who went on this huge adventure to find treasure, only to discover he already had what mattered most. I imagine that being a cat would certainly give you time to think and reflect on what matters most in our own lives.
This was definitely a psychological experience—much of which had me completely befuddled as to what was going on. I wasn’t completely blown away by this story, but it had some interesting reflective moments that were meaningful to me, like the story of the guy who went on this huge adventure to find treasure, only to discover he already had what mattered most. I imagine that being a cat would certainly give you time to think and reflect on what matters most in our own lives.
May 5, 2022
4/5☆
Definitely one of my favourite books!
It made me question my thinking and think about (my or in general) life. There are many quotes I really liked and the author has a beautifully detailed and descriptive writing style!
I think the ending leaves it up to your own imagination what really happened (or that is just me not fully understanding it yet)
All in all, I think this book deserves more attention!
Definitely one of my favourite books!
It made me question my thinking and think about (my or in general) life. There are many quotes I really liked and the author has a beautifully detailed and descriptive writing style!
I think the ending leaves it up to your own imagination what really happened (or that is just me not fully understanding it yet)
All in all, I think this book deserves more attention!
January 5, 2024
The author obviously had a lot of fun writing about the perspective of a cat. There were moments in the novel when I didn't understand the purpose or it felt slow, considering its 115 pages only covering one day. It also felt repetitive at points. I can appreciate this though, since I believe that the ending shows the true purpose for this writing style. Solid, fun novel.
dnf
July 17, 2023Did not finish the book. Stopped at 36%.
Where the hell was this whole plot going? Like, what?! I'm so confused.
Where the hell was this whole plot going? Like, what?! I'm so confused.
December 6, 2023
I don’t get it.
December 28, 2023
I enjoyed this book and the meaning behind it. I rated it lower because of poor editing that made it hard to read, at times.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews