If cats had wings … – review of the book “Kotolotki”

The name of Great Ursula K. Le Guin has been close to me for a long time. I drowned in its amazing Earthsea (a world that I can boldly compare with Professor Tolkien’s Middle-earth), tried to fraternize with the inhabitants of Ekumen and absorbed many of its shorter forms. However, I never expected that a writer of this format could create something completely out of a different fairy tale, namely a book for children. Supposedly, Tolkien also wrote such, but in this case it did not work for me. Until getting to know Kotolotki . This review is also about this book.

Simple, easy and fun, which is the perfect book for the youngest

 Kotolotki is another omnibus by Prószyński devoted to the long-lost memory of Ursula Le Guin. In this position, he compiles four stories praising a group of cats which have grown wings – the title catkins. As befits the Master’s book, this one was written in an amazing and timeless language, and at the same time very simple and economical – in such a way as to reach the youngest and at the same time depict the described incidents in a very suggestive and stimulating way. Le Guin, unlike Master Tolkien and his stories for children, did not support her stories with her own mythology. The described events have been set in our world – in a city and in the countryside. Judging from the descriptions, it could be any town and village from the first half of the 20th century. There too, in a dingy alley, a cat gave birth to four kittens near the garbage can. Not some ordinary ones, but those with wings – catfish. From the moment they were born, the young aroused curiosity, while at the same time being in great danger. Therefore, their mother ordered them to fly out of town and look for a new home somewhere where no one would threaten them. And that’s all it takes to write about the plot, because subsequent events are too interesting to summarize here, and I don’t like spoilers.

Let’s Fly Before Dawn – JRR Tolkien

 Communing with literature from people like the Master – it is always a kind of catharsis.This is also the case here. There is great depth in this seemingly simple and infantile book. Ursula teaches us what friendship, family, mercy and pure empathy are. Using the example of kittens and their environment, it shows all the harmful and necessary changes that are taking place in our world. It makes us realize that once we leave the house, we will never really return to it. It instills that the world is full of both dangers and good hearts. That there may be different situations that you have to go through and keep going. All this in simple stories for children. Slight in volume, but immeasurable in meaning. The amazing illustrations on the book are also responsible for this perception. Schindler’s line by SD perfectly reflected the incidents described in Kotolotki. She made it possible for the youngest to follow literary and see what happened to their heroes. Applause is also due to the Prószyński publishing house for the insane publication of the items (hardcover, good quality paper, large font) and a great translation. I found no lopsided sentences like those found in Thrawn: Alliances , nor typos or typos. Hats off, ladies and gentlemen.

To sum up, Kotolotki is an ideal position for the youngest whose parents want to encourage them to read. Adults will also enjoy reading, because the language is really beautiful. It is worth reading this book. It’s just worth it.