Book Review: 'The Cat Who Saved Books' by Sosuke Natsukawa

✰✰✰✰✰ Nerdy Rintaro Natsuki is a high school hikikomori (a person who has decided to shut themselves away from society). All Rintaro wants is to be left alone, so he can read books. However, when is grandfather dies shortly before Christmas, Rintaro suddenly finds himself more alone than he ever thought possible. Soon he'll be expected to pack up his home and his grandfather's bookshop to go live with a distant aunt he barely knows. As Rintaro finds solace in stepping into his grandfather's shoes and managing Natsuki Books, he is startled by an ordinary looking tabby with an extraordinary skill. The cat can talk, and it needs Rintaro's help. Rintaro is intrigued, and because he has nothing to lose, he agrees to help. He follows the cat into a labyrinth and is confronted by a challenge in a seemingly different dimension. Although Rintaro is plagued by self-doubt, the cat is there to bolster his confidence. 

As Rintaro completes each labyrinth, he learns to believe in himself more and more. And although not everyone can hear the cat talk, it turns out there is someone else who can, his classmate, Sayo. As they pair up with the cat to solve more challenges and rescue more books, Rintaro comes out of his shell. Just when he thinks the adventure is over, it turns out the most challenging labyrinth awaits, and the stakes are higher this time. Rintaro must solve the challenge alone if he wants to save his new friend. With time running out, Rintaro must use every bit of knowledge, courage, and feeling he has or risk losing it all. 

The Bottom Line: I don't often read fantasy fiction; however, this book reignited my interest in the genre. This quick read whisks one away to a completely differently world filled with riddles, young love, angst, self-doubt, and learning to find your calling. The main character is an unwitting hero as he helps save books from an awful end. Along the way he learns to trust his gut and also learns to trust others. This book was enjoyable and the translation kept some Japanese words, which I appreciated. This story is a bit reminiscent of Greek mythology with the use of the labyrinths as well. Highly recommended reading for those who enjoy Fantasy, Japanese literature, and mysteries. I would love to see this made into a movie. 

[Note: Added notes from both the translator, Louise Heal Kawai, and the illustrator, Yuko Shimizu, were interesting, and I wish more books included this kind of additional information.] 

Details: The Cat Who Saved Books: A Novel by Sosuke Natsukawa. Translated by Louise Heal Kawai. Hardcover English translation edition published by HarperVia in 2021. [Original published as Hon wo mamorou to suru neko no hanashi by Shogakukan in 2017.] 208 p. ISBN: 978-0-06-309572-4