I didn't know what to expect when I learned it was a book about books. It's a fable that teaches about the power and appreciation of books.

Although it would typically be a quick read, I found it hard to want to pick up. There were aspects I really liked and others not so much.

“Reading is not just about enjoyment and excitement. Sometimes you have to go line by line, reread the same phrases over and over, and progress slowly and with effort to understand what's written.

There comes a moment when that hard work suddenly broadens your perspective.”

♡＾▽＾♡ Español
Es un libro muy lindo.

No sabía qué esperar cuando decían que era un libro sobre libros. Es una fábula que te enseña sobre el poder y la apreciación de los libros.

Aunque típicamente sería una lectura rápida, se me hacía difícil querer leerlo. Hay aspectos que me gustaron mucho y otros que no tanto.


“—Leer no es tan solo disfrutar y emocionarse. En ocasiones hay que ir línea a línea, releer repetidas veces las mismas frases, y avanzar despacio y con esfuerzo para comprender lo escrito. Llega un momento en el que ese arduo trabajo de pronto nos abre las miras.” ( )

The Cat Who Saved Books, by Sosuke Natsukawa is my annual stab at reading and understanding Japanese fiction. I usually enjoy the books, am fascinated by the cultural differences between life in Canada and life in Japan, and set the finished book down, puzzled but having had a good time. This is the first Japanese novel that has left me unmoved.

The novel focuses on Rintaro, a young adult, whose grandfather has recently passed away, leaving Rintaro his used bookstore. Rintaro and his friend Sayo (who is female) meet a talking cat in the bookstore, a ginger tabby, who takes them through several labyrinths at the back of the store, to solve mysteries and to rescue books from unpleasant fates.

I found this book very difficult to enjoy. In fact, I was bored. Largely my dislike of the book was due to its pedantic nature. It reminded me of "improving" works from the Victorian era, in which plot was secondary to the moral lessons it imparted. I also found that the book's style was hard to access, and whether this was the fault of the author, the translator, or both, it is hard to say. Maybe Japanese people speak in the stilted way of the characters in the book, but I doubt it. (My knowledge of Japanese culture is minimal, I hesitate to add.)

Fans of magic realism might find purchase in this book, but I was disappointed from start to finish. ( )

Sometimes when you go out to eat, especially as a single person, you really want to enjoy your food without being rushed by other diners. This is possible because you have no problem with the fact that you are sitting alone at the table in a restaurant. You take your time, enjoy it, and go home satisfied. Sometimes you have a book, and it's one of those books that makes you forget the whole world around you, and you quickly turn off the sounds on your cell phone because it bothers you, and you read, and read. Until you finish the book. This is such a book. You can't ignore it when you say you are a fan of books, or when you once again fill in the question of which hobbies you have "reading". If you ignore this book, you are actually saying that you read because others think that you should also read a good book. You immediately recognize yourself in Rintaro, follow the Tabby cat with interest and are seduced into thinking that Sayo... well that she (....) I'm not going to reveal it. But the few main characters in this book are each recognizable and easy to embrace. Ultimately, this book is and is one that educates us on the meaning of what empathy actually is. And then you discover how this is lacking in today's society. My conclusion, this book should actually be number 1 in the ranking by the end of this year, read by all members of librarything. I have said. ( )

Libro entretenido y para todas las edades donde deja claro que los libros tienen un algo, una extraña naturaleza que hace que te gusten. ( )

such a cute book! reminded me a lot of The Little Prince. glad I picked it up on a whim. ( )