A Novel About a Cat and a Boy (A Review of "The Cat who Saved Books" by Sousuke Natsukawa)

 

"In our stifling daily lives, we're all so occupied with ourselves that we stop thinking about others.

When a Person loses their own heart, they can't feel another's pain. They lie, they hurt others,

use weaker people as stepping stones to get ahead--they stop feeling anything.

The world has become full of those kinds of people."

So here’s an odd question: what would you do if a cat appeared in your grandfather's bookshop and asked for your help? Rintato Natsuki would never have thought this to be a serious question until it happened to him. High schooler Rintaro is a hikikomori, especially after his grandfather passes away suddenly, but peacefully; leaving the local bookshop without an owner. Rintaro decides not to go to school and looks after the shop until his aunt is ready to take him in, and he’s ready to go with her. One day after he closes the store, a cat appears asking for his help. Tiger, the ginger-colored tabby, needs Rintaro's help saving some books. They'll travel through three labyrinths to save books from three men.One doesn’t understand the enjoyment of rereading books, another who thinks reading takes too long, and the last who only wants the ones who are guaranteed to make the bestsellers list. Rintaro and Tiger have to help them see books from another perspective, or risk millions of books going to waste. What I just summarized is a novel called The Cat who Saved Books written in 2017 by Sousuke Natsukawa. Natsukawa isn’t really known outside of Japan, but he’s known for his debut novel (and later: series), Kami-sama no Karute (“God’s Medical Records”) which was adapted into a live action movie starring Sho Sakurai and Aoi Miyazaki in 2011. These novels were based on his experience as a physician at a small hospital. At the time of writing this, neither the books nor the film have been licensed here in the US.

I enjoyed this novel. It’s emotionally satisfying in a surprising way. Yes, it starts with a death, but has a positive conclusion. The ending is predictable and cute, and the story itself can come off simplistic, but I think that’s a part of the charm. The premise itself: a talking cat and a high school boy convincing people that books are more than just words on a page sounds simultaneously fantastical and down to earth especially nowadays where people prefer watching to reading. It’s the best case for “reading is fundamental” that I’ve seen in recent memory. Due to this premise it has a feel similar to a shounen manga which I think broadens its appeal. Rintaro and Tiger’s banter slowly brings Rintaro out of his shell while finding his unique voice, creating an unlikely duo of recovering teenage recluse and his talking cat with an attitude. It might be off-putting to some as Rintaro’s sass can come off as mean spirited, but I believe it’s needed for Rintaro to open up and become his best self. Tough love at its best. Tiger obviously cares about the kid, but there’s more to life than moping and obsessing over what one no longer has.

The novel is broken up in a way that makes it feel like a set of films or a short series. This makes the 208-page read easier to digest. It also makes the story that much more timeless. For kids and teens, it gives a new perspective on appreciating books and for adults, especially book lovers, they get a heartwarming reminder of what they love about reading. I found myself nodding along to all the points made as a kid who grew up reading books and as an adult who has little time for them. The book reminded me of another series I read a couple years ago called Wizard for Hire by Obert Skye. They’re both about a teen boy and a talking animal going on a journey, but where The Cat who Saved Books is serious to an extent and aimed more towards young adults, Wizard for Hire is much more comedic and aimed at a younger audience, so I’d recommend checking that out too if you’ve got a minute; it’s a trilogy.

Some reviews I read after completing the novel seemed really harsh. Many mentioned how Tiger acted too harshly towards Rintaro or how it was too childlike for their tastes. While I can see their perspective, I personally think they’re overlooking the larger perspective. Without giving away too much, at its core it’s a tale of cherishing books, people and memories. Rintaro’s journey with Tiger is meant for him as much as it is for the people he helps. He realizes things he already knew deep down, but had forgotten in his grief. Rintaro comes out of his shell the more he realizes he doesn’t have to suffer alone and he can rely on others without feeling like a burden, a relatable lesson even today. That being said, you shouldn’t just take my word for it, check it out yourself! 

The Cat Who Saved Books was released in 2017 by Shogakukan in Japan, but here overseas it was translated by Louise Heal Kawai and released in 2021 by HarperVia, a part of HarperCollins that releases international literature. I both listened to the audiobook and read the ebook, but there are physical copies, so however you enjoy reading, it’s available in any format. It’s been great being able to write about a novel rather than an anime or a manga for once and I hope I get the chance to do it again! I had to do a bit of research to learn about Natsukawa’s other works and now I’m even more curious about Kami-sama no Karute. In addition to the aforementioned movie, there was a short TV series for it in 2021, of course it’s not licensed, but that implies there's still interest for it somewhere. Anyway, that’s enough of my ramblings for today. I have a whole library of books and manga I’ve been meaning to read and there’s no cat to help me get through them. Remember, books have feelings too, which is summed up well by this quote from the book:

 

 "Books are filled with human thoughts and feelings. People suffering, people who are sad or happy, laughing with joy. By reading their words and their stories, by experiencing them together, we learn about the hearts and minds of other people besides ourselves. Thanks to books, it's possible to learn not only about the people around us every day, but people living in totally different worlds."

 Thanks for reading this, and stay well-read everyone.