After the success of Sfar’s Rabbi’s Cat, along with receiving the prestigious Jury Prize, the eccentric and entertaining gray cat returns to his usual antics and journeys, while a strong, educating, and meaningful story surrounds him. The Rabbi’s Cat 2 continues on, and increases the humor and fun, but also the fascinating story of this strange cat in North Africa.
In the first story, while the rabbi is away on his own journey, his cat takes a trip with Malka of the Lions, who some believe to be the pious Jew, others a disliked womanizer. The cat meets a talking snake which seems little more than an annoying character, but in a region filled with biblical history, the symbolism and possible subtext of this animal is undeniable.
In the second story, the rabbi’s cat is unimpressed with Zlabya’s husband, but discovers an interesting character in a misplaced Russian escaping from his country because of his ethnicity. At first thought to be a golem, all but the cat are surprised to discover he is still alive after being transported in a box for so long. The Russian befriends the cat for he is able to communicate with it. When the Russian announces the existence of a dark-skinned African people who observe and practice the Jewish faith, along with the rabbi and the sheikh – a cousin of the rabbi – they set off to discover this hidden group.
The Rabbi’s Cat 2 is a worthy sequel, maintaining the entertainment value from the first volume, but also adding a depth of story and meaning that makes the book all the more fascinating.
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Originally written on August 29th, 2008 ©Alex C. Telander.
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