First things first, Grandpa’s gone.
Somehow I seem to have started 2022 with a run of books that have turned out to be only so-so. The Cat Who Saved Books was okay, but really it was little more than a simplistic YA story about why reading and books are so good. Yes, it’s heart warming and cute and all of that, but nothing really to sink one’s teeth into. And the cat in question is a pretty mean old ginger to boot!
Borges’ The Library of Babel was an obvious influence on Sōsuke Natsukawa, conscious or otherwise, but this one serendipitous reading connection was not enough to engage me.
The young man, Rintaro Natsuki, in the story is a hikikomori, someone who is an acute social recluse, or on the verge of becoming one. Hikikomori has become a social issue in Japan in the past decade or so as more and more young adults stay secluded in their bedrooms (in their parents home usually) completely withdrawn from the outside world. Numbers are hard to pin down as many parents do not like to admit that their child has become a recluse, but the government is focused on the ‘2030 problem’ when the parents of the hikikomori generation begin to die and reintegration becomes necessary.
The aim of this story is not just to save books, but to save Rintaro. The cat and Rintaro enter a labyrinth hidden behind the walls of the bookshop, where they encounter different challenges and/or people.
Wisdom and sage advice can be found almost on every page.
It’s not true that the more you read, the more you see of the world. No matter how much knowledge you cram into your head, unless you think with your own mind, walk with your own feet, the knowledge you acquire will never be anything more than empty and borrowed.
But I need more than a whole stack of cute aphorisms and tips on how to read, even if I do agree with everything he has to say about the benefits and joys of slow reading and rereading.
Part fable, part fairy tale, part whimsical fantasy. A book that could probably have been reduced to a list of reading ‘do’s and don’t’s’, but then, where is the fun in that? If you’re looking for a light, easy read that confirms all the stuff you know is good about being a reader, then this is the book for you. Otherwise, completely fluffy and forgettable.
Books teach us how to care about others.
Bibliofile:
- If Cats Disappeared from the World | Genki Kawamura
- A Cat, A Man and Two Women | Junichiro Tanizaki
- The Travelling Cat Chronicles | Hiro Arikawa
- The Guest Cat | Takashi Hiraide
- Read/skimmed for Japanese Literature Challenge 15
Title: The Cat Who Saved Books (original title 本を守ろうとする猫の話) Author: Sōsuke Natsukawa Translator: Louise Heal Kawai Imprint: Picador Published: 16th September 2021 (originally published 5th February 2017) Format: paperback Pages: 220
This post was written in the area we now call the Blue Mountains within the Ngurra [country] of the Dharug and Gundungurra peoples. This Reading Life acknowledges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are our first storytellers.
This Reading Life 
Not for me I think, but I might get this for my nieces. They’re just discovering the joys of independent reading. And they like cats!
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They might not like this cat!!
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Haha, that made me LOL!
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Yes, does sound a little lightweight…. 😦
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If you’re in the mood for light & easy this would be perfect, but I was not.
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I am sorry so far all your reads have been “meh”! But I loved your no holds barred review! LOVED it! “completely fluffy and forgettable”!!! I am not going to read the book and I do hope you find something substantial soon. But for now, I am totally entertained by your amazing review!
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Thank you 🙂
I do find that the ‘meh’ reviews are often more fun to write than the ones I love!
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Oh, that’s frustrating when a book is only so-so! Personally, I have been slogging through the latest from Keigo Higashino, a writer I normally adore, and it wasn’t until the last third that I really became intrigued. Anyway, I have this on my list, and perhaps I will enjoy a light and easy read to “read/skim.” ☺️ Of all the other cat ones you listed, I really enjoyed The Travelling Cat Chronicles, which actually caused me to shed a few tears at the end.
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The Travelling Cat Chronicles is my favourite of the five too – definitely a little moisture in the eyes here as well!
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Sorry this one didn’t work for you. I’ve seen so many mixed reviews of this and am interested in its message against the dumbing down of things and such so I will give it a go. Wish the car was less nasty though!
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*cat
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I think as long as you know what to expect from something like this, and you go in with the appropriate expectations, it could be a fine reading experience.
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I do plan to pick this up soon. I’ve had it waiting on my TBR for a few months now🙂
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I don’t watch cute cat videos so I’m probably not a good judge, but there’s probably a whole market out there of young people who do like cats and also books “as long as they’re not too hard”.
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I’m usually a sucker for cute cat videos, but this one was not a cute cat at all!!
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Ah, that’s a shame – it’s quite an eye-catching title. It does sound quite simplistic, though. I see you have quite a collection of cat-themed Japanese literature building up there, so at least it was a good addition to that!
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Yes, and I enjoyed the others much more. Which is probably why my hopes were so high for this one.
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What a cute cover. It would have made me want to peek inside for sure.
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And great title…which is what sucked me in!
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I got this for my daughter for Christmas. Thought I might read it too. But perhaps not now…..
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It’s an easy read if you’re in the mood for something light.
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What a helpful review! Thank you; you have helped me make a decision about this book. 🙂
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You’re welcome Jean! My job is done 😀
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I loved it. But I can see your point about it being more like YA. I even recommended it to my nephew to read aloud to his middle grade and middle school children.
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Being a cat and a book lover, i found The book fun. I was not convinced by The cat.
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