A Cat, a Man and Two Women

Lauded by both Haruki Murakami and David Mitchell, the influence of Tanizaki is evident, particularly in the work of the former. Much of the joy of reading Tanizaki is in its understated elegance; the author's sharp observations about the mundanities of daily life — from meal rituals to cats. The eponymous cat plays the starring role in this novella. Similar to Henry James' Maisie, Lilly the cat is used as a pawn by the dysfunctional three humans as they attempt to resolve their jealousies and resentments. All are shown to be feckless, cunning and shallow. Lilly has the last laugh, forcing all the protagonists to at least recognise their shortcomings, even if they do not necessarily address them. The novella is as short as it is effective. 7/10.

By Jun'ichirō Tanizaki