A boy is left alone when his grandfather dies. He becomes lonely and stops going to school, finding comfort in his grandfather’s book shop instead. He is greeted one day by a talking cat. A friend from school rallies round to help him and together they try to solve some riddles linked to books which the cat says must be solved.. Unfortunately this book didn’t really capture my interest. I found it a bit slow and underwhelming. Thank you to Sosuke Natsukawa, NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a beautifully written novel about a Rintaro Natsuke, a timid and well-read student, who lives with his grandfather. When his grandfather dies, Rinato has the grief of loss, both of his grandfather, and his grandfather’s bookshop, which is being sold. When a talking cats appears, asking for Rintaro’s help to save books, despite his reservations, he launches himself onto a new adventure, expanding his mind, his heart and his life.

This is a relatively short read, but that doesn’t take away from the beauty of this novel which deals with the topic of loss in a very unusual way!

Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this wonderful novel.

Rintaro Natsuki is a quiet boy who shuts himself away from the world inside his grandfather’s antique bookshop. He loses himself in books and stories and the wonderful space his grandfather has created there is a haven for him. Sadly though it cannot last, and he stands to lose it all when his grandfather passes away. Rintaro will have to close down the bookshop for good and go and live with his aunt, starting over again somewhere he doesn’t want to be. He stops going to school, recedes even further from the outside world and gives up all hope, until the day a big, ginger tomcat with a sharp tongue turns up in his shop. He says that only certain people can see him and asks Rintaro to accompany him on a mission to save some books from a terrible fate. Will Rintaro manage it and will he find light in the darkness again?

I really enjoyed this book and its whimsical, easy to read tone. With the four missions Rintaro goes on it put me in mind of Before the Coffee Goes Cold in terms of its structure and the way in which Rintaro grows as a character the the story goes on. I loved Tiger the cat but wanted more from him somehow, especially since he features in the title; the story focuses on Rintaro rather than Tiger so that’s a little misleading in retrospect. I was also constantly worried something was going to happen to Tiger 😆 but thankfully he made it through ok! (Spoiler but animal lovers will thank me!).

It did make me think about the way we treat books too, and I came away feeling like I ought to reread the ones I love most in my own collection. I get a bit precious and don’t want to damage the covers or bend the spines etc but books are there to be read! All in all I didn’t love it as much as the BTCGC books but it’s in the same vein so if you liked those you’ll enjoy this too. It’s a nice, short read that’s uplifting and I’d recommend it if you’re looking for something a bit unusual, quick and quirky.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for kindly providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.
One of my 2021 reading goals that I didn’t fare too well with was to read more translated fiction. So at the end of the year I decided to pick up this slim volume to try and rectify my poor translated fiction stats for the year.
I haven’t read all that much Japanese translated works, and I’m not a big fantasy/magical realism kind of reader either, so maybe you’d think this wasn’t the book for me. But I love books (obviously) and I love cats (I’m a veterinary nurse) so I decided to give it a try. And this small book was the biggest love letter to books and reading there ever was. I did find it a bit of a wild and wacky ride at times but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I felt it explored the theme of grief and loss very sensitively and movingly.
I read the digital arc for this book, however I have seen the physical copy of the book and it is a thing of beauty- really well designed and put together and I just thought I had to mention that.
I feel inspired now to take further tentative steps into the world of Japanese translated works, and I thoroughly recommend this book for anyone wishing to join me on that journey.

A book with a talking cat and a bookstore is almost irresistible for a book lover :)

A very quick and charming read, beautifully translated by Louise Heal Kawai. Would definitely recommend to everyone who enjoys stories such as "Before the Cofee gets Cold".

The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa (Translated by Louise Heal Kawai) is a powerful book about books. It is also a journey of self-discovery and growing in character.
We learn the value of books. They are to be savored. They are written to be read and not locked away in display cases, never to be touched again. Stories can teach us things. They can also fire up our imaginations.
We see that the richest people are those who have friends. The love of money will always lead to dissatisfaction as we strive to get more, more, more. “Once you got thinking about money there was no end to it.” When the grasping of money rules your life, you will never have enough.
In contrast, to have compassion is priceless. We need to be able to see life through the eyes of others.
I really loved The Cat Who Saved Books and read it in just one sitting. I cannot wait to read more by this author.
I received a free copy via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

A real disappointment. I usually love translated fiction, especially this particular genre of cat-centred literature, but this book was a real chore. Preachy, pompous and full of superiority, the challenges were dull and the endless monologues on the right way to read were exhausting. Also not entirely sure of the audience, it reads as rather dreary middle grade and is incredibly repetitive.

I loved this book it was quirky, funny, light hearted, and a wonderful story for someone who likes cats and is a book lover. Translated well also.

A quirky parable about the power of books and how we should identify and funnel that power. The novel is targeted at adults even though the central character is a talking cat called Tiger. A clever cat though. Unfortunately, only a select few people can see him.

The story is told from the perspective of a boy whose grandfather has died. He struggles to come to terms with this event as his grandfather was his carer so his life will be changed completely and plans are that he goes to live with his aunt. His grandfather was also the owner of a small second-hand bookshop, which now becomes the boy's.

The cat's role is to take the boy to three labyrinths to discuss the variations interpretations of the power and value of books. It is a thought provoking read although, if targeted at adults as the publishers claim, the discussions could have had more depth and took on a more philosophical debate. Interesting nonetheless, the novel can be enjoyed by younger readers. The boy's journey sees him increase in confidence and gives his life focus and purpose.

I didn't quite get the tingle of the fantasy worlds as they were described but perhaps some of the magic is lost in translation. However, this is a lovely and original book well worth reading.

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Combining two of my favourite things, cats and books, “The Cat Who Saved Books” by Sosuke Natsukawa was a pleasant surprise indeed.
After the death of his grandfather, the owner of a secondhand bookshop, Rintaro Natsuki is preparing to shut shop and move away when a tabby cat called Tiger enters the shop, and pulls Rintaro away on a quest to rescue “imprisoned” books. Tiger is such a wonderful character, who doesn’t love a talking cat with an attitude?
Throughout their adventures, the unlikely duo meet many weird and wonderful characters. Tiger has deemed each of these characters to have imprisoned, harmed or treated books badly and therefore should be corrected, and the books rescued.

Author Sosuke Natsukawa, a Japanese doctor, has really captured my imagination and my heart with this story.
It is simply but beautifully written, initially, Rintaro is a bit of a confused and lost soul, often repeating “Grandpa, this is messed up” to himself as he tries to come to terms with his grandfather’s passing, but by the end of the story he gains strength and purpose. The wonderful (yet sassy) Tiger is a catalyst for Rintaro’s growth as a person. Their friendship is such a simple yet lovable dynamic.
Overall, “The Cat Who Saved Books” is a beautiful story that I’ll be recommending to friends and fellow book lovers for years to come.

Magical.

Philosophical.

Joyful.

Wonderful.

A book for true book lovers. It reminded me somewhat of The Little Prince which is one of my favourite books, and The Cat Who Saved Books, has also captured a piece of my heart.

Heart-warming and life affirming. Simply gorgeous.

I love weird and whimsical books and I love books about books - this combined both.
If you are a bibliophile, this will appeal.
Teen Rintaro Natsuki inherits a bookshop from his grandfather and he is visited by a talking cat who convinces him to help him save books. Then the unlikely duo get up to all sorts of hijinks, saving books that have been mistreated. There are some satirical moments (like when the duo meets a publishing drone who literally just wants to publish terrible but popular books) and some darker moments which prevent the book from being too fluffy or without substance. Overall, a charming read.

A charming and whimsical adventure, in which our teenage loner Rintaro inherits his grandfather's secondhand bookstore. As is only natural, one day he finds a talking cat who asks him for his help in solving book dilemmas: the man who hoards books but never reads them; the man who, in trying to condense books to their essence, is ultimately destroying them; the publishing house which is changing books and bookselling into bland nothingness....

Perfect for booklovers, this is a gentle and heart-warming tale, with a nice little romance thrown in. Wonderful.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.)

If ever there was a combination of words put together that spoke to my soul, then this is it. This is the second Japanese novel I’ve read and they are just magical. There is a style and a flow to the writing that you just don’t get with writers from other cultures.

After Rintaro Natusuki’s grandfather passes away he is very much alone. Apart from a few nosy classmates and a shop full of books that is. Rintaro’s life is turned upside down when in comes a talking tabby cat named Tiger and requests that Rintaro help him set imprisoned books free. The main theme of the story is what a love of books really means. Rintaro discovers his truth after adventures in three very different labyrinths.

“A book that sits of a shelf is nothing but a bundle of paper. Unless it is opened, a book possessing great power or an epic story is a mere scrap of paper. But a book that has been cherished and loved, filled with human thoughts, has been endowed with a soul.”

The author has produced a fabulous story that hits on a lot of different themes, but ultimately it’s about escapism and the joy that books can bring. I think it also highlights that books and the love of books is different for everyone. That doesn’t mean that one way is wrong or right.

Ultimately, this is a fabulous story that humanises books. It is really a refreshing, reaffirming book. I have no other words, than you must read it.

High school student Rintaro’s grandfather has passed away, leaving him alone to look after his beloved second hand bookshop. One day a talking cat named Tiger appears in the shop, and recruits Rintaro on his quest to save all the unwanted books in the world. Together they embark on a journey, visiting different labyrinths on their quest to rescue books.

Lots of bookworm related lessons are unravelled here, to do with enjoying reading and books and also addressing wider topics such as grief.
I love books about books, and/or set in bookshops so this was really the perfect read for me. Add in a talking cat and it really should have been my favourite book of the year! I wanted to love it more than I actually did though.
I think I’ll have to take the advice given within this story and reread it at a later time, taking my time and not speed reading, to properly enjoy and take it in more. It’s beautifully written but sometimes when you’re not in the right frame of mind, you miss things you would love if you focussed more.

I really enjoyed this book, it was a really heartwarming and fun read. Well written with good flow well-developed characters. Highly recommended.

"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."

Sosuke Natsukawa has written a sweet and charming book that will appeal to readers of all ages.

Rintaro Natsuki is a reclusive adolescent boy who lives with his grandfather in their second-hand bookshop. When the old man dies, Rintaro is faced with moving away, but then has a surprising encounter with a sassy talking cat, who encourages the boy to accompany him into a series of labyrinths, all of them populated by people who are in some way mistreating books.

As he successfully navigates his way through each of the labyrinths, Rintaro gains in confidence and begins to find his own voice. By the end of the story, he is able to determine his future and not have decisions made for him.

Rintaro has a persistent and straight-talking female friend, Sayo, who enables him to become less introverted and this also helps him grow as a person.

I loved how this story used books as a metaphor for how people behave, and in particular how they enable us to have empathy for others. One quote is that 'reading a book is a lot like climbing a mountain' - it may take a while but the effort is rewarded by the sense of achievement.

The book has been translated from Japanese and is quite simple in its language, yet is profound at the same time. There are a lot of insights that are shed on reading and the way in which books can almost be taken for granted. We are all custodians of books and need to treat them well. The author realises this and the book, therefore, acts a kind of modern-day parable.

I was sent an advance review copy of this book by Pan Macmillan, in return for an honest appraisal.

This book was as strange as it was good! I love the idea of a talking cat that teaches us lessons - and uses books to do that. It takes the reader on quests to discover the true meaning of books and reading, and what that looks like for each of us individually. As an avid reader I was upset by the challenges that Rintaro faced and was rooting for him to overcome them. A great short read and a must for all book lovers ❤

I've picked this as one of our store picks for Christmas as I love it so much. I love cats, I love books, I love the world of reading - what wasn't to love! It's a bit whacky, but that made it even more endearing!

This is a short and quick read about a boy who has to save books with a mysterious tabby cat after the death of his grandfather and taking over the bookstore.