The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natskawa

 

Seventeen-year-old Rintaro is not only dealing with the grief of having lost the grandfather who raised him, but he's also having to say farewell to the bookshop his grandfather owned. In his final days there, a talking cat arrives, insisting he needs Rintaro's help.

I'm not sure why it has taken me so long to get around to reading The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa. The combination of books and cats sounds absolutely perfect to me. I am only just discovering translated Asian fiction, and just like the few others I've read, this is a magical and mystical tale.

When we first meet Rintaro, he's struggling with grief. The grandfather who raised him has recently died, and he is now going to live with his only other relative, an aunt. Moving means leaving the bookshop his grandfather owned and loved. Having been raised surrounded by books, it is easy to understand Rintaro's love of literature. Rintaro is also very introverted; he's happiest on his own in the bookshop.

Magical things begin to happen when a cat appears in the shop. The cat introduces himself as Tiger the tabby. As if a talking cat wasn't surprising enough, he explains to Rintaro that he needs his help to save books from a variety of labyrinths.

As Rintaro journeys with Tiger, we see how books are undervalued and even destroyed. The lovely descriptions feel as if you are seeing everything through Rintaro's eyes as he travels from one challenge to the next. Thankfully, Rintaro has never forgotten the wisdom imparted by his beloved grandfather: 'Books have tremendous power' and 'They'll inspire and support you'. With each new confrontation, we see Rintaro grow in confidence and also realise that he's not alone in the world.

I'm already looking forward to reading the sequel, The Cat Who Saved The Library.

Author Details

Sosuke Natsukawa is a Japanese physician and novelist. He graduated from the Shinshu University medical school and practises medicine at a hospital in the largely rural prefecture of Nagano. His multi-volume debut novel, Kamisama no Karute (God's Medical Records), has won several prizes and has sold over three million copies in Japan. He is the author of the internationally bestselling The Cat Who Saved Books. The Cat Who Saved the Library is the second book in his series featuring Tiger the talking tabby cat.