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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Not really sure how I feel about this book. I liked the premise a lot; man finds out he’s gonna die and Devil offers him a deal to remove something from the world in exchange for an extra day of life.
The writing was… okay? It was translated to English and maybe that wasn’t done the best? Though the writing felt a little juvenile and simple. I don’t think simple writing is inherently bad, but it has to speak to me more than this book did. I have a hard time putting into words to how this book made me feel and this review is more of a review for the sake of writing a review.
I liked the exploration, be it a little short, of the first and third thing that was removed and it did make me look inwards and say “Maybe I need to try and live my life a little more like this.” Simple things were removed, but still things I might have not thought about living without and maybe, just maybe, would be better off without.
I think The Devil did not work in the way that the author was hoping. He was trying to be a comedic character mixed with a sort of ominousness and apathy that kinda fell flat for me. His structure in the story felt a little funny.
Also, as a recent father of two brother cats, I personally would not remove cats to gain an extra day of life. No way Jose.
The writing was… okay? It was translated to English and maybe that wasn’t done the best? Though the writing felt a little juvenile and simple. I don’t think simple writing is inherently bad, but it has to speak to me more than this book did. I have a hard time putting into words to how this book made me feel and this review is more of a review for the sake of writing a review.
I liked the exploration, be it a little short, of the first and third thing that was removed and it did make me look inwards and say “Maybe I need to try and live my life a little more like this.” Simple things were removed, but still things I might have not thought about living without and maybe, just maybe, would be better off without.
I think The Devil did not work in the way that the author was hoping. He was trying to be a comedic character mixed with a sort of ominousness and apathy that kinda fell flat for me. His structure in the story felt a little funny.
Also, as a recent father of two brother cats, I personally would not remove cats to gain an extra day of life. No way Jose.
emotional
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:
Complicated
reflective
emotional
funny
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
“For me, cats are no different from the sun or the ocean or the air we breathe.” 🥺🥺
I often say that I would die for my dog and cats. And I truly think that I would. But how well do I really know myself? If I was actually in a situation where I had to choose between my life and my cats', which would I choose?
The narrator of Genki Kawamura's slim novel If Cats Disappeared from the World must grapple with this very question. The protagonist is a young postman who suddenly discovers that he has a tumor and is about to die - the very next day, in fact. Alone, in shock and despair, with his cat Cabbage, he tries to come up with a bucket list of things to do before he dies.
But while he's thinking about what he would even put on such a list, the Devil shows up and offers to cut a deal. The Devil will extend the narrator's life by one day, in exchange for making one thing completely disappear from the world.
After some deliberation, the narrator agrees, and the next days follow him as he wraps up his time on earth and discovers what he can and cannot trade for his own life.
What really shines in this book is not so much the philosophical ruminations on what is important in life, but the relationships between humans and animals that make life worth living and dying for.
The narrator of Genki Kawamura's slim novel If Cats Disappeared from the World must grapple with this very question. The protagonist is a young postman who suddenly discovers that he has a tumor and is about to die - the very next day, in fact. Alone, in shock and despair, with his cat Cabbage, he tries to come up with a bucket list of things to do before he dies.
But while he's thinking about what he would even put on such a list, the Devil shows up and offers to cut a deal. The Devil will extend the narrator's life by one day, in exchange for making one thing completely disappear from the world.
After some deliberation, the narrator agrees, and the next days follow him as he wraps up his time on earth and discovers what he can and cannot trade for his own life.
What really shines in this book is not so much the philosophical ruminations on what is important in life, but the relationships between humans and animals that make life worth living and dying for.
hopeful
inspiring
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:
No
4 stars for me! It's a short novel that feels both heartwarming and bittersweet while also being weird (in a very good way) and surprisingly fun!
If Cats Disappeared from the World follows a young man as he finds himself dealing with the fact that he has months to live at best. As he tries to come to terms with the news, the Devil shows up and offers him a deal: one more day to live in exchange for something disappearing from the world.
I found this book truly enjoyable to listen to! This portrayal of the Devil is a delight, and I really liked the way he presented himself and the explanation behind it. I adored Cabbage too. Such a tiny, loving gentleman! I have never had the honor of having a cat as a companion, but I do have experience with a dog and this book did a wonderful job describing the way you can feel loved by and feel love for your fluffy fellow.
I found the main character to be almost infuriating at times, but the more I read on the more I realized it was because I could recognize a lot of bad habits and fears I too have in him. He is, after all, just a normal person - one who doesn't live life at its fullest because it's hella hard to do so, one with regrets and unfinished business because there will always be time to deal with them later, won't it? By the end, I appreciated so much his flawed nature and the way he matured throughout the story. And I don't even know his name!
Overall, it's a very cute read, but also one that makes you think some more about what life should actually be about. It's hard to bring change to one's life, undoubtedly, but while reading this, I found myself wanting to do just that. To change things as much as I can so that when the time comes (because it comes for everyone), it's going to feel like I've lived a good life. This is, undoubtedly, one of this book's merits.
If Cats Disappeared from the World follows a young man as he finds himself dealing with the fact that he has months to live at best. As he tries to come to terms with the news, the Devil shows up and offers him a deal: one more day to live in exchange for something disappearing from the world.
I found this book truly enjoyable to listen to! This portrayal of the Devil is a delight, and I really liked the way he presented himself and the explanation behind it. I adored Cabbage too. Such a tiny, loving gentleman! I have never had the honor of having a cat as a companion, but I do have experience with a dog and this book did a wonderful job describing the way you can feel loved by and feel love for your fluffy fellow.
I found the main character to be almost infuriating at times, but the more I read on the more I realized it was because I could recognize a lot of bad habits and fears I too have in him. He is, after all, just a normal person - one who doesn't live life at its fullest because it's hella hard to do so, one with regrets and unfinished business because there will always be time to deal with them later, won't it? By the end, I appreciated so much his flawed nature and the way he matured throughout the story. And I don't even know his name!
Overall, it's a very cute read, but also one that makes you think some more about what life should actually be about. It's hard to bring change to one's life, undoubtedly, but while reading this, I found myself wanting to do just that. To change things as much as I can so that when the time comes (because it comes for everyone), it's going to feel like I've lived a good life. This is, undoubtedly, one of this book's merits.
