Review: The Dalai Lama's Cat

The Dalai Lama's Cat by David Michie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I confess: I am not a cat person. I've always believed them to be arrogant and they don't give you anywhere near the same level of affection as a dog does. Does are happy all the time whereas cats are jerks pretty much all the time. I'm also allergic, so yeah that makes me a bit biased towards dogs, too.

So this was surprisingly adorable and I didn't mind His Holiness's Cat at all! HHC is still arrogant and is far too preoccupied with food to give out any major doses of affection, but she was an entertaining voice. I've never read a book written by a cat before.

It's a relatively short and simple story - a few little happenings to drive the story, but most of all this is a small glimpse into spiritual enlightenment, and how you can make small changes to the way you think in order to lead a happier, more fulfilling life. The knowledge is shared via overheard conversations and are accompanied by a feline metaphor to show the growing wisdom of our MC (Main Cat). It's a work of fiction, but the principles are true enough, and I'd be fascinated to know how much research and reality went into the composition of this novel.

As a story, there's not a huge amount of substance, but for those looking for more in their lives who maybe aren't too keen on delving into the genre of self-help/development or spiritual, this is a great read. It shares some fantastic ideas and inspirations but because our friend HHC is just an ignorant cat, it never comes across as preachy.

A delightful little story with a unique narrator and some profound ideas for furthering self development. Highly recommend. Even if you're not a cat person, like me.

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