Review: Kiki's Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono

Kiki's Delivery Service
(Kiki's Delivery Service #1)
Eiko Kadono
Release: July 7, 2020
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Nostalgic fans of the Miyazaki film and newcomers alike--soar into the modern classic about a young witch and her clever cat that started it all!

Half-witch Kiki never runs from a challenge. So when her thirteenth birthday arrives, she's eager to follow a witch's tradition: choose a new town to call home for one year.

Brimming with confidence, Kiki flies to the seaside village of Koriko and expects that her powers will easily bring happiness to the townspeople. But gaining the trust of the locals is trickier than she expected. With her faithful, wise-cracking black cat, Jiji, by her side, Kiki forges new friendships and builds her inner strength, ultimately realizing that magic can be found in even the most ordinary places.

Blending fantasy with the charm of everyday life, this enchanting new translation will inspire both new readers and dedicated fans.

Review:
One of my favorite Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli movies is Kiki's Delivery Service so when I saw this new translation up on Netgalley I just had to request it. Y'all! I loved it so much! It was absolutely magical! This book differs from the movie but still has the same understated level of delightful whimsy. Reading it gave me the same joy as when I first saw the movie even though they are different. Like with Howl's Moving Castle, I think this is one of those cases that you can appreciate and love both for being different.

But when it comes down to it, they both are really a heartwarming story about growing up and the difficulties that come with it. It's about a witch striking out on her own for the first time with her talking cat. We watch Kiki start her business and use her ability to fly to make deliveries. She may be magical but she's still an ordinary girl besides. We see her deal with the worries and disappointments that life can bring. And we also get to live her joys with her and get a chuckle seeing her grapple with the realization that someone may like her like her for the first time. I loved Jiji's sarcasm and I lived for their comments!

The story is a short one where each chapter had an episodic feel to it. But I was utterly charmed for the whole of the book watching as Kiki finds her place in her new town. And I loved how it kept This translation is actually the first book in a series and I really hope that the publisher decides to translate the rest because I really need them in my life and on my shelves. 

I ended up reading this one to my nephews and introduced them to the movie for the first time after. They loved it as much as I did and keep asking when we can read more about Jiji and Kiki. I would highly recommend this if you're looking for a great middle grade/YA fantasy book for all ages.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley

    

  5 / 5 Stars

Recommended for fans of:
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones