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novella42's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I think this book was not for me. I nearly stopped reading when he brought out the damsel in distress trope, especially considering Sayo was the most interesting character but it was a short enough book I was able to finish it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Kidnapping, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, Ableism, Fatphobia, and Abandonment
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Misogyny
hello_lovely13's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I did not expect this to hit as hard as it did. This is definitely for the book lovers (and I mean LOVERS). Even the simplest of sentences (i.e.: “do you love books?”) had such an impact on me that it made me tear up out of nowhere. I liked the writing style and each of the characters. The first two labyrinths were definitely the strongest writing-wise. The third was good, but I think it was a bit too short so while the first two had very clear messages, the third was harder to pin down as it didn’t feel as fleshed out. Part of the reason why I didn’t enjoy the third labyrinth as much is because the first two had flashbacks of advice and wisdom from Rintaro’s grandfather, where that was absent in the third . The story overall of Rintaro working through his grief is well done and subtle enough not to be all consuming, but also prevalent enough that the payoff is satisfying and we are happy and can clearly see Rintaro’s character development. One of the main reasons this isn’t a five star read for me (other than the dip in enjoyment during the third labyrinth because it felt too short) is because the progression isn’t exactly what I wanted it to be. In my ideal world, the story would have unfolded extremely similar to how it did. I was extremely disappointed that Akiba wasn’t included in the adventures, only mentioned and interacting with Sayo at school during the chapter featuring the third labyrinth. I would have preferred the story to go this way: the first labyrinth with just Rintaro and the cat; the second with Rintaro, the cat, and Sayo; the third with Rintaro, the cat, Sayo, and Akiba; and the final labyrinth with just Rintaro. This is extremely similar to how it actually occurred, and I just think that it missed out a bit by not including Akiba on the adventures (this would have improved the found family aspect even more while still having Rintaro’s character development and confidence increased by having him complete the final labyrinth alone). Overall, I really loved this; if only there was that one tweak in the story, this could have been a solid 4.5, if not 5 star read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death
Moderate: Death of parent
warlocksarecool21's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Cat Who Saved Books is a clever story about the power of books and reading, but also about finding yourself after experiencing a great loss. We follow Rintaro Natsuki, a teenage boy who lived with his grandfather taking care of their bookshop until the grandfather passed away. After, he is facing an imminent move with a distant aunt and a life without the bookshop until he meets a talking cat who requires his help to save books. This story is whimsical and funny, but it has profound messages about what books mean to us and the impact they have on their lives.
The writing was simple and rather direct (which may be a feature of it being a translated work) but I think it serves the narrative well for the topics explored. I also listened to the audiobook and the narrator Kevin Shen was very good and I didn’t mind the writing style that way.
The story itself is clever and witty, the labyrinths Rintaro goes through representing various discourse you often see in the book & publishing community. While I won’t spoil what exactly happens, Rintaro has to face people that only see books for their marketability, as commodities and status symbols instead of powerful gateways to other worlds and the universal experience of humanity. These discussions gave me a lot to reflect on and really made me appreciate how often we take books for granted.
I think the most important component of this story is Rintaro’s character development. He’s mourning the loss of his grandfather (although his grief doesn’t manifest how you would expect it) and what that means for his life, but over the course of the novel you see him grow into his personality and realize what’s important to him. I also really enjoyed how in each of the labyrinths Rintaro would reflect on what his grandfather taught him and how he shaped Rintaro’s life even though he is gone now.
The Cat Who Saved Books is a charming and heartwarming story that I think any book lover would enjoy.
The writing was simple and rather direct (which may be a feature of it being a translated work) but I think it serves the narrative well for the topics explored. I also listened to the audiobook and the narrator Kevin Shen was very good and I didn’t mind the writing style that way.
The story itself is clever and witty, the labyrinths Rintaro goes through representing various discourse you often see in the book & publishing community. While I won’t spoil what exactly happens, Rintaro has to face people that only see books for their marketability, as commodities and status symbols instead of powerful gateways to other worlds and the universal experience of humanity. These discussions gave me a lot to reflect on and really made me appreciate how often we take books for granted.
I think the most important component of this story is Rintaro’s character development. He’s mourning the loss of his grandfather (although his grief doesn’t manifest how you would expect it) and what that means for his life, but over the course of the novel you see him grow into his personality and realize what’s important to him. I also really enjoyed how in each of the labyrinths Rintaro would reflect on what his grandfather taught him and how he shaped Rintaro’s life even though he is gone now.
The Cat Who Saved Books is a charming and heartwarming story that I think any book lover would enjoy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Death
lindseyhall44's review
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“Im the kind of person who tends to dwell on the past, and I give up way too easily, but somehow I’ve made it this far because books have kept me going.”
———
A truly beautiful, read. It never failed to remind my why I love books so much!
———
A truly beautiful, read. It never failed to remind my why I love books so much!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, and Death of parent
2busyreading's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
shirarweiss's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a beautiful book. It took me some time to get into it, but by the second labyrinth, I was hooked. It made me think without ever getting too intense. It was a cozy, thoughtful, funny, delightful read. I loved imagining the bookstore and worlds of the different labyrinths and I think this would make a fantastic movie. It was interesting to read a translated book; I enjoyed learning some Japanese words and cultural concepts.
I love the idea that books have a soul. Rintaro’s love for books was beautiful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
saracat's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I liked the idea behind this story a lot. I just wish there were some more answers as to why things happened. But, if someone can just get lot in the story without needing to know the how's and why's of a world, they'll probably enjoy this book even more than I did.
While I liked the three main characters, I didn't always feel like I could understand their relationship to each other.
Every person processes grief differently, so I think depending on how a person processes loss of someone they care about, reading this could be a kind of catharsis, seeing another person in their way of processing - though most of it is through indirect means.
Even though I didn't read this in Japanese, I did appreciate how the translator chose what to translate and what to keep in the original language; conveying the cultural norms without over explaining, etc.
While I liked the three main characters, I didn't always feel like I could understand their relationship to each other.
Every person processes grief differently, so I think depending on how a person processes loss of someone they care about, reading this could be a kind of catharsis, seeing another person in their way of processing - though most of it is through indirect means.
Even though I didn't read this in Japanese, I did appreciate how the translator chose what to translate and what to keep in the original language; conveying the cultural norms without over explaining, etc.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death and Grief
carolinebl's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I read this book in 2 days and probably could have in even less. The structure of the labyrinths made it refreshingly straightforward and there was no attempt to disguise the moral of each challenge. I thought the ending tied the book together in a sophisticated manner though it was simple otherwise. A fun, easy read (slightly ironic since it promotes difficult books) which could cure a reading-slump. ‘Booktok’ should read this.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
phantompansy's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death
Moderate: Death of parent