A World Without Color: A True Story Of the Last Three Days With My Cat by Bernard Jan- Review
I received a free eBook copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
Writing: 5/5
Originality: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Firstly, I would live to give a huge thank you to Bernard Jan, the author of this incredible and heart-lifting novel, for sending me a review copy!
A World Without Colour: A True Story Of the Last Three Days With My Cat is an emotional novella and memoir about his last three days with his cat. This was a short read which only made it more enjoyable- it made it honest and not exaggerated. I truly enjoyed the main concept of this novella and how truthful it was. The author placed his raw thoughts into words and produced a moving read.
The novella felt poetic and moved me to tears. The way each thought and feeling was described was simply incredible. It takes a lot of skill to describe emotions and Bernard Jan has mastered this skill!
“My love, if you go away in a few days, the world will lose its colors and darken like the land of Mordor. If you go away and leave me to wander aimlessly, alone in this sea become wild, like a ship with a broken rudder and drowned sailors, and if I don't find comfort in the warmth of your body, clutched in my embrace at the end of the day, I'm afraid I won't survive.”
I myself have grown up with many pets including cats. This truly had me re-evaluate my own experience when several of my cats died and had me realise how tragic it truly was. I then understood why my family was so upset. Animals are speechless but have feelings and emotions just as a human might do and Bernard Jan has proven that.
“And wherever I go, whatever I do, I will try to let you also feel a touch of the world through which we will walk together. I’ll be your eyes. My heart will beat for you. My lungs will soak up the scents of the seasons, and the music from the radio will lull us to sleep together.”
The second-person writing style made the novella more persona and, as a reader, I could see things from Marcel’s (the beautiful cat) point of view.
I was so captivated by the author’s description of pain. It was beautiful yet tragic and this was truly incredible.
“But I care about you, as I would care about my brother if I had the chance to get to know him- an immediate family member, or a loyal friend to whom this faithless world gave birth. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but their words won’t hurt me. What I’m not sure about, but would like to know, is if I have been at least half as faithful to you as you have been faithful to me. Will you forgive me the moments I have devoted to others, which were rightly yours?”
“Sometimes the animals are so sick they walk on the edge of the abyss, but they don’t have the strength to jump into it. They wait for us to push them over the edge and for that they are grateful. Little one, I hope your fall wasn’t painful.”
My thoughts are with Bernard Jan and his family. The events he went through have honestly moved me and it was very difficult to read this book in one sitting!
I highly recommend this book and I hope that everyone takes a chance to read it! I also hope to hear more from this incredible author who has become one of my greatest inspirations.