This was a quirky little read & it was enjoyable, albeit somewhat strange. Heartwarming, magical & everything book!

When Rintaro Natsuki's grandfather dies, he inherits his secondhand bookstore. On the verge of closing it for good , he is visited by a talking cat called Tiger, asking Rintaro to embark on a journey with him to save books!

Many thanks to Netgalley for my ARC in return for my honest review.

𝗜 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 3 ⭐ 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴

The Cat Who Saved Books By Sosuke Natsukawa

Set in Japan, we meet Rintaro who's grandfather has just passed away. His grandfather ran a second hand bookshop and this is how Rintaro's love for books began.

After his grandfather passed away he becomes the propertier of the bookshop. This is when we meet a talking cat who tells Rintaro that he must go through several labyrinths and save books that are being imprisoned or harmed.
So they go through several missions to save books.

Overall the message from the book is that books should be loved and we shouldn't mistreat them.
I'd recommend to anyone who wants a quick read and loves bookshops and cats!

Thank you netgalley for this copy for an honest review.

I was initially drawn to The Cat Who Saved Books for three reasons; 1) I’m always keen to read more translated fiction, 2) the title - I love cats and I love books so there’s a lot to love here and 3) the gorgeously bookish cover. (The covers for other markets are equally stunning!)

This is a heart-warming magical story that deals with themes of grief (and loss of identity in the wake of grief), friendship and the magic of books. In it, we follow Rintaro following the loss of his bookseller grandfather who was his guardian. Having recently lost my own grandfather, I could relate to Rintaro’s grief but felt that the discussion of grief and loss was dealt with in a very warm and sensitive way. You can see that Rintaro has lost much more than just a loved one and yet the nature of the book forces him to focus on the present and the future, to find hope, purpose and friendship at the darkest of times. I even found myself healing in the process.

As you’d expect, the central focus of this book is on books in general. The Cat Who Saved Books will challenge your ideas of what being a booklover looks like by looking at various reading habits and how they can be harmful. I’m guilty of hiding in books to escape reality so the grandfather’s message of “It’s all very well to read a book, but when you’ve finished, it’s time to set foot in the world” had a big impact on me.

One of the reasons that I enjoyed this book so much is that it reminded me a lot of some of my favourite books. The idea of saving books took me back to Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s Cemetery of Forgotten Books. And while I can’t figure out why, The Cat Who Saved Books also reminded me of A Wrinkle in Time. Possibly because of how both books made me feel throughout.

I do, however, feel that the cat doesn’t have a large enough role to truly warrant being the centre of the title. But I guess The Teenager Who Saved Books doesn’t have carry the same weight or selling factor.

Overall, this was a delight to read. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for something hopeful without being too heavy or anyone who enjoys reading books about books, books featuring cats (who don’t die!) or books with quest-based storylines.

This is a short book but a great one. I was at first attracted to the cover as it is so outstanding. The description however does not do this book justice. There are a number of challenges that have to be completed in the book and each one has a real moral tale. This is a book lovers book and book lovers will understand the challenges well.
I must admit it took me longer to read this than I first imagined as there are lots of references to other books throughout the book and I ended up looking up and buying many of them to add to my to be read pile (that continues to grow!).
Overall I loved this book like many of the Japanese books I have read they have a message that the reader can take from it. Overall an excellent book that is highly recommended.

A lovely little book that has a deeper meaning and makes you think……. Perfect short read if you love books, cats and adventure!

I will admit that I chose this title because it contained two of my favourite things, cats and books. I wasn’t sure what to expect but the mixture of fantasy and reality works very well. The book will appeal to anyone who likes books, reading and second hand book shops. The book is also about a lonely boy who grows into a wise man. The importance of friendship and relationships is an important theme.

A beautiful little book, translated from Japanese. It you love books this is for you. If you love cats there is a bonus. The story is magical, with some philosophy added. Loved the references to literature, Austen and Steinbeck amongst others. A few Japanese words left for you to look up. Definitely a book for the 21st century.

The only thing wrong with this book is the cover: its not a ginger cat, Tiger’s a tabby with white chest and tummy. It says so right when we first meet him!

And for me, that was the only thing wrong with the Cat Who Saved Books. It is perfect in every other way. Intriguing, enthralling, intelligent, mystifying, visual, heartwarming, mildly scary… Everything you could want in a book, all wrapped up with some lovely characters, even they are a perfect examples of extremes!

Sometimes when Tiger the Tabby led us down mysterious stacks of books into a white lit strange world, I was reminded of Wrinkle in Time. Maybe it is a mashup between Wrinkle in Time, Alice in Wonderland and the Ninja Librarian. But it is a wonderful mashup with its own voice, its own heroes in Rintaro, and the class rep turned good friend, Sayo.

The reasoning that goes on in order for Rintaro to solve the puzzles was my favourite bit. It’s hard to defy false logic and see through to the heart of a problem. There is a lot here for a thoughtful middle grade reader. There’s a lot here for an older reader too, who will see the problems only too clearly, since they are at the heart of our society and our calamities at present. And the final problem shows that it is indeed not so easy to solve these problems as Rintaro first thought. But they can be solved… if we try hard enough and hold firm.

I love this book. I will probably buy a copy to read again, and then hand on to someone younger than me!

Anyone who loves books is going to be intrigued by the title of this book and I'm happy to say their curiosity will be rewarded. The story is centred round the Natsuki bookshop of which, following the death of his grandfather young Tintaro finds himself the proprietor. Fortunately Tintaro loves books and, being by nature reclusive, he is quite content to enjoy the peace and quiet of this tiny traditional bookshop and to skip school.
However his solitude is interrupted by a talking ginger cat, who seeks Tintaro's help in resolving issues all to do with saving books for real readers. So we join Tintaro and the cat in a series of missions which all require that Tintaro persuade people to re-evaluate their attitudes to literature. This process, in turn, gives Tintaro focus and confidence in how he sees his own future as well as that of the Natsuki bookshop
A charming tale that provides a gentle escape from the pace and immediacy of the 21st century.

It's absolutely magical! Bookshop, cat and a lonely kid..

I love how this is a fairy tale with a talking cat, where the whole setup seems to be childish in a way... but in a good way.

It's a cute little story, but it's full of wisdom and bright ideas. I couldn't put it down.

I find it hard to pinpoint, but it just makes you feel calm and shows that everything is solvable, even when it seems not to be.

It is full of little gems, but I don't want to get into the details so as not to spoil it.

If this novel was intended only for teenagers, then they probably don’t know when they are being spoiled.

A thrice-bereaved High School boy, Rintaro, comes to terms with the death of his grandfather who has looked after him since the death of his parents, by going on alarming adventures with a strange talking cat. The cat is, by Japanese standards, really quite rude and blunt, but that’s just what Rintaro needs. Each adventure is a fable giving a different perspective on the meaning and nature of books. The adventures take place in “labyrinths”, created either by the personality or the will of the character whom Rintaro is going to confront, but all are sustained by the power of truth. The way, the only way, for Rintaro to resolve issues is to find a way in which the character in that labyrinth is lying (perhaps to themselves) or under a misapprehension. If he can get his “adversary” to recognise and correct the lie, then the process immediately becomes non adversarial: things resolve themselves and books are freed. The last labyrinth, though, is created by someone far older and far more powerful than the others. And there is much more at stake than Rintaro’s own existence or happiness. He has to show how books give hope even if their power is waning in the modern world. And he needs all the insight and understanding he has gained from his adventures to answer that one.

Truth is the key, not just for the successful execution of Rintaro’s missions but also for his love-life, because Sayo, whom he doesn’t even see as his friend to begin with, sees through everything and is completely unimpressed by the High School’s star pupil and sportsman, whom even Rintaro loves a bit.

This novel was translated by Louise Heal Kawai.

Genre: Fiction | Literary Fiction | New Adult Fiction
Release Date: Expected 16th September 2021
Publisher: Picador | Pan Macmillan
Translated from Japanese

"First things first, Grandpa's gone. The tale that follows is pretty outrageous, but he knows that one fact is absolutely real."

Rinato Natsuki was perfectly average. He didn't speak very much or have many friends. He didn't do particularly well or bad at school. He was as normal as could be. But after the death of his beloved Grandfather, Rinato is left devastated and faced with a bleak future - closing Natsuki books, the perfect sanctuary he'd spent years in with his Grandfather and moving far away to live with his aunt who he's only recently met.

But then a curious thing happens - a tabby cat called Tiger appears in the store and asks for his help. He needs someone who truly understands books to help him rescue trapped books from people who have misunderstood and mistreated them. And so the pair enter the mysterious labyrinth to begin their journey ... but Rinato will have to finish this rescue mission alone.
"So, this cat turns up out of nowhere, asking for help, then says it's going to bitterly disappointed if I don't agree..."
The Cat Who Saved Books was a beautiful dreamscape of a story. I always love a book about books - and this one truly captured the soul of a book lover, asking us important questions. Should we always push to read more in the pursuit of knowledge? Is it essential to keep reading classics so they don't fade away? Is it better to know about lots of a books rather than really reading just a few?

The story was simple yet surreal, and we watched Rinato grow and learn not only about himself but the world around him. Quick and so easy to read all at once, I was not only drawn into a heartwarming story about a young boy trying to find his way through a great loss, but a magical adventure that matched the epic stories they were trying to protect along the way. Both stories blended expertly together and neither faded in the background. The characters were masterfully crafted and while some the friends we meet along the way may seem slightly prickly, they were so easy to fall in love with instantly. I could see Rinato growing in front of my eyes into a young man who is realising he has more of his Grandfather still with him than he ever thought possible.

This was a spellbinding tale about loss, love, friendship ... and of course, the magic of a good story.

"Unless it is open, 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."

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to Sosuke Natsukawa, Picador and Netgalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

A young Japanese boy of thirteen goes through a series of unworldly experiences connected to his love of books and reading. This is present day Japan, and with it come the concerns of a young boy, his school life, friends, or lack of them, and what is important to his future after his grandfather’s death. He has a friendly aunt who offers him a life somewhere else, although the daily routine in his grandfather’s bookshop continues to draw him there. With a cat and a concerned schoolfriend in tow he explores other worlds to find meanings in life today.
I did enjoy reading this, and finding parallels with current concerns about how we spend resources and time. Somehow the traditions and feel of a much earlier Japanese culture persists through this tale of meaning in the modern world.

This book could be sold as a Young Adult book. It is about the philosophy of books. I have thought about the following more than once since finishing the book: "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."

It is an adventure story with fantasy that reminds me of Antoine Laurain's writing. It is a gentle, thought provoking read.

Firstly, a huge thank you to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for the opportunity to read this e-arc in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

I would say I'm definitely more of a dog than a cat person, but that's a whole other story that I won't bore you with, but I have always admired the independence and self-reliance of a cats, and their whole 'humans are here to serve them' approach to life. When I saw this book, I'll be honest the cat thing felt like a bit of a gimmick, but the idea of saving books drew me in.

However, this beautifully written, concise book is highly deceiving. On the surface, it's the story of a boy and a cat, and the adventures they go on, but there is so much more to this. Yes, the cat can talk. Natsuki, the protagonist has just suddenly lost his grandfather and is an introvert on the verge of living an hermitic life, skipping school and avoiding all human contact. Now he's been forced into a position where he has to make a decision, does he keep going down this road? Without his grandfather's guidance and support, Natsuki feels very alone in this world and can only see a future where he will be forced to live with an aunt he hardly knows.

It is at his lowest point that Natsuki is visited by a talking cat who tells him that he needs Natsuki's help to save books...and where this story reveals it's onion like properties! This book has layers, and as Natsuki travels with the cat to save books, it reveals what is actually a modern day parable of self-love, empathy, faith, belief and of course love, not just romantic love, but love for books and more.

There are so many beautiful quotes and lessons in this book, that it is definitely one to recommend...if only for the talking cat. Truly, this book delivers a story that will touch your soul and will definitely make you reflect on yourself and your life choices. I absolutely loved this book and think it is one that I would recommend to anyone 12+ for both the story and the lessons that it provides.

This was a super fun and quick read! It is basically a talking tabby cat called Tiger that urges a young boy to save books through different portals and expeditions. If anything I’ve marked it down as I wanted it to go deeper and be longer.
I obviously can’t speak the original language but this made sense so I’m assuming the translation is good to

Rintaro Natsuki spent his days in his grandfather's wonderful second-hand book shop, which was crammed from floor to ceiling with wonderful books. He isn’t an outgoing teenage boy as he was more of a recluse, or as it is called in Japan, Hikomori. He prefers spending his days lost in books than being at school socialising with his class peers.

One morning he found his grandfather had passed away leaving Rintaro devastated and all alone and having to consider making the sad decision to move in with his aunt and close the bookshop. Until Tiger, a ginger tabby cat appeared requesting his help to save books. Yes, this is a talking cat! Rintaro and Tiger soon embark on three adventurous missions into three different labyrinths in order to save books from people who imprison them, mistreat them and betray them, with one final mission which Rintaro must embark on alone.

This is an unusual book with very prominent messages. It’s a book for all book lovers, one which makes you think and question your reason for reading, sharing, collecting etc books. I am not a huge fan of fantasy novels, and this is definitely a philosophical fantasy, but on the lighter side, which makes it enjoyable and easy to read. It’s also only just over 200 pages, making it an intriguing and unique quick read. And, I have to say I adored Tiger, he is a brilliant character, one which made me laugh out loud a few times.

Rintaro Natsuki has inherited a bookshop from his grandfather who has just died. Listless and grief-stricken, a tabby cat named Tiger appears one day who demands that Rintaro journey with him on his quests to save books from their neglectful owners. Travelling through various labyrinths, Rintaro must break out from his shell to be successful in his missions.

I love Japanese literature but this one fell flat for me. The premise sounds exciting on paper but the execution felt aimless and the plot too loose. I felt that the book was trying to make some profound statement about death and grief and there was a sweet message there, but it was nowhere near as profound as it wanted to be. Not overly much I can say about this book, just that it wasn't really for me.

A wonderful escapist novel set in a bookshop in Japan. The story is based on an orphaned schoolboy being set book-related, philosophical challenges to determine his future. The atmosphere, characters and detail result in a warm, endearing tale that will appeal to readers who appreciate books.

An odd little tale about a boy who loves books, and how he uses this to save them in a labyrinth by the side of a cat...