Reviews with content warning for Death - Als katten van de wereld verdwijnen

I really liked how he questioned himself and looked at those around them to think that although this may not affect me it effects people I care about and in the grand scheme of things we are not more important than other species or collectives as each holds a special meaning to individuals

Content Warnings

hoiyan's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

if you were given a chance to live another day in exchange for making something in the world disappear, would you take that deal?

this was a nice and short read. mixing in elements of fantasy with mortality was refreshing. i went into this book 100% expecting to bawl my eyes out, but i thankfully did not.

i think the (nameless) mc being a bit emotionally detached from his reality, along with the story's pacing and language barrier/translation helped to removed an extra layer of potential heartbreak. the writing focused more on exploring what the meaning of life, death, and everything that could come im between meant rather than the grief and messy stages of emotions that come with it. i think i would've enjoyed this a lot more if it explored his stages of grief + how he came to accept his own death, if ever.

i wasn't sure if this was an issue on my part, but a lot of the book's narrative "thoughts" on death were things i thought were common in everyone's mind. it didn't seem to break any new standards or show new revelations for me, but again, it might be my own issue. i've thought a lot about everything both the mc and the devil brought up throughout the book's timeline, so it didn't seem overly existential for me (haha...). i really wish i was able to read the original book in Japanese to see all the missing contexts and details that English can't quite capture, but the translators really did an amazing job.

all in all, i enjoyed the writing and banter with the mc and devil (funny dude), and the exploration of pets, specifically cats, and their relationship with humans. or rather, our relationships with cats. i made sure to hug my cat after turning over the last page.

i was annoyed at the mc at first for not choosing/bargaining objects that would be better off earth, but halfway in, i realized the objects he chose were intimately connected to him directly. it added a bit more depth, and more to the world-building/schematics of the devil's deal. the devil didn't simply pick and choose random objects — of course not, he's the devil — he specifically handpicked things connected to the human's memories and life. in our mc's case,

phones, movies, clocks, and almost cats.

i thought that was pretty clever even if the mc didn't notice it himself. i think if the logistics of the devil's offer were explored/explained more, i'd be able to really ground myself into the world and the risks of each object disappearing. i had a lot of questions of the other 107 people who accepted, and how their objects affected the world leading up to our mc. it seemed to be missing a whole system of how this entire thing works in the first place.

the reveal at the end with this entire book being the letter to his father did choke me up a bit. it made a little more sense after that — the style of writing, the quick jumps, and the lack of emotional writing. the mc is trying to reconcile with his dad through this letter post-mortem, and he sure as hell won't be spilling all his emotions when all he's known their relationship to be was stoic and emotionless. it all just really connected for me after that.

honestly, i'd like to strike a deal with this devil if given the chance. would you?

Content Warnings

joaura's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Content Warnings

juliaisnotalright's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.25

Which objects are you willing to let them disappear for one more day alive ?(does that sentence even make sense?)
In this novel the protagonist is going to die but then makes a pact with the devil.
I learned a lot about life and death and that everything will be gone eventually. In general I love Japanese literature and enjoyed most of the book as well.
The ending left me kind of unsatisfied but I know why the author did that.
In general quick read and would recommend

Content Warnings

aia_r's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

a strange, funny and melancholy book that deals with questions about life. a young man learns that he has a short time left to live, so he makes a deal with the devil that earns him an extra day. he reflects on his own life; his family, his lovers, his friends. he wishes he had done certain things sooner and realises that it’s too late for them now. however strange a book this is, it’s very moving in my opinion.
you never know when it’s time for you to leave this life, so tell the people you love that you love them, tell the people you dislike why you dislike them, forgive because life is too short for grudges, don’t care about what others might think or say about you, because it truly does not matter since we’re all going to die eventually. be kind, be rebellious sometimes. listen to music and dance as if no one’s watching, or even better, dance with a friend! you don’t want to be on your death bed regretting and wishing you had done more. live life to its fullest, and do the best you can do because that’s the best anyone can do.

Content Warnings

americattt's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

"Next to all the movies that play on a loop inside my head sit the images of friends, lovers, and family who were with me when I watched them. There are also the countless films that I've recorded in my own imagination― the memories that run through my head that are so beautiful, they bring tears to my eyes when they replay in my mind. I've been stringing together the movies I've seen like rosary beads. All that human hope and disappointment held together by a thread."

Content Warnings

froggybooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Content Warnings

More...