A review by the_reading_wren
The Cat Who Saved Books by Sōsuke Natsukawa

adventurous mysterious 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

3.75

This book feels like a children’s book in the way things are over-explained (possibly the translation), and it seems like it was written simply for the author to get a message across. But the points made were interesting, particularly the discussions around the publishing industry and social status attached to reading. I’m glad I stuck with the book because it grew on me as the mystery developed and the background to the magic revealed near the end made me reflect on the story in a more heartfelt way. 

“Reading a book is a lot like climbing a mountain.”

The overall messages I took away from this book were the one stated clearly - the power of books is to help us feel empathy and teach us to turn that into compassion. And not to resign myself to “it’s just how the world works” but to act true to myself.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings