“Kiki’s Delivery Service” by Eiko Kadono, translated by Emily Balistrieri

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Rating: 5/5 Stars

An excellent book about the adventures of Kiki, a young witch who is coming of age, and her cat, Jiji, as they move to a new town, hoping to fit in and become an accepted part of the town. Through an unexpected meeting, she makes her first impromptu delivery and decides to put to good use her skills in flying on a broomstick by providing a delivery service.

Through episodic adventures, the book gradually shows Kiki becoming used to making deliveries, learning about how to fit in with the people of the town and even making a difference as her abilities as a witch that flies allows her to do some jobs in rather strange ways. And in the end, we see how Kiki discovers that she has really found her place in the town while remaining true to herself, even as she misses being with her family.

Most people may be familiar with the Studio Ghibli version of the story (based on the book). While similar in tone (a journey of discovery), there are differences in the adventures Kiki has but presents the same conclusions. The book (and the movie) are equally enjoyable to read and watch.

Book read from 2020/08/31 to 2020/09/03