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The Cat Who... #1
Кот, который любил книги
Старшеклассник Ринтаро Нацуки собирается закрыть букинистический магазин, который унаследовал от любимого дедушки. Но однажды самым обычным днем среди стеллажей появляется говорящий кот по имени Тигр. Он увлекает подростка за собой в захватывающее путешествие, цель которого – спасение книг. Сначала от интеллектуала, запирающего сотни томов в шкафу, затем от профессора, маниакально кромсающего страницы ножницами… Что ждет юного Ринтаро и его подругу Юдзуки на этом пути и как им спасти все книги, оказавшиеся в опасности?
224 pages, Hardcover
First published February 5, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 13,218 reviews
November 12, 2024
Why I chose to read this book:
1. I love cats and books;
2. I saw it rated and reviewed highly by GR friends; and,
3. my hold became available through my local library.
Positives:
1. I liked the overall message - the love of reading and the love of books! Tiger, a talking tabby cat, sends MC high school student, Rintaro, on various adventures to save books; and,
2. Rintaro's (now deceased) grandfather's wise words about the trials and rewards of reading were heartfelt and thought-provoking.
Niggles:
1. Like I said, I love cats, but Tiger was not very likeable at all! He's downright nasty!;
2. the title is very misleading! I would have liked for Tiger to play a much larger role in the adventures! Instead, he occasionally seemed clueless in these situations, or he leaves Rintaro to fend for himself. Essentially, Tiger takes Rintaro to a new dimension and that's pretty well it for him;
3. I never got the impression that the missions were "dangerous", even though Rintaro was warned that they would be so. Rintaro didn't say or do too much to miraculously convince the wrongdoer to change his ways of handling books; and,
4. perhaps wording was lost in translation, but some phrasing sounded awkward to me.
Overall, this story contains a wonderful message about respecting books and reading, but it just didn't move me like I hoped it would.
1. I love cats and books;
2. I saw it rated and reviewed highly by GR friends; and,
3. my hold became available through my local library.
Positives:
1. I liked the overall message - the love of reading and the love of books! Tiger, a talking tabby cat, sends MC high school student, Rintaro, on various adventures to save books; and,
2. Rintaro's (now deceased) grandfather's wise words about the trials and rewards of reading were heartfelt and thought-provoking.
Niggles:
1. Like I said, I love cats, but Tiger was not very likeable at all! He's downright nasty!;
2. the title is very misleading! I would have liked for Tiger to play a much larger role in the adventures! Instead, he occasionally seemed clueless in these situations, or he leaves Rintaro to fend for himself. Essentially, Tiger takes Rintaro to a new dimension and that's pretty well it for him;
3. I never got the impression that the missions were "dangerous", even though Rintaro was warned that they would be so. Rintaro didn't say or do too much to miraculously convince the wrongdoer to change his ways of handling books; and,
4. perhaps wording was lost in translation, but some phrasing sounded awkward to me.
Overall, this story contains a wonderful message about respecting books and reading, but it just didn't move me like I hoped it would.
May 9, 2024
‘Books have tremendous power. But take care. It’s the book that holds the power, not you.’
I love books. I suspect you do, too, seeing as you are here on goodreads reading about books, and I love that for you. ‘Books keep me going,’ admits the shy, young and recently orphaned protagonist in The Cat Who Saved Books, a lovely little novel sure to warm the hearts of bookworms by Sōsuke Natsukawa, and I can confess to the same. And not simply because they are my livelihood, working days in the public library and evenings in a charming, little independent bookstore (I often joke with locals you can’t get a book in this town without going through me), but there have been many times books have quite literally given me the emotional strength to keep going. To keep learning, to keep thinking, to keep believing it’s worth dancing through the absurdity of life and enjoying the beautiful moments. So while the worst I could say about this book is it can be a bit over sentimental and idealistic, it is a sentiment worth getting soppy over and an ideal worth striving for and I spent a few days blissfully exploring the labyrinth along with the characters in their quest to protect the love of books. When teenage Rintaro’s guardian and grandfather passes, he is left alone as proprietor of their second-hand bookstore, something he soon must leave behind to live with a distant aunt. Suddenly Tiger, a magical cat on a mission, appears to whisk Rintaro away on adventures to save books and, in turn, learn he has a strength inside he never knew. Wonderfully translated by , this is a joy to read and also makes for an excellent reading list with all the nods to older literature, most of which are Western classics. The Cat Who Saved Books is an endlessly charming read, as empowering as it is entertaining while reminding us there are many ways to love reading and that books are worth protecting.
‘Human beings don’t live alone, and a book is a way to show them that.’
This is a breeze of a read, in both the sense that you can be turning pages hardly noticing the passing of time and that it is like an idyllic breeze blowing over your bibliophile being. In many ways I could see this being sort of like but for book-love, with the way it is pretty endlessly quotable along the life-affirming plotline. I was wary going into it for this reason, as I wasn’t big on Alchemist (wrote about it here) but ended up really enjoying this (it was a birthday gift from my 3 year old, who loves the cover with its lovely art by and would grab it off the shelf and carry around every time she came to see me at the bookstore…a place she definitely assumes is just an extension of her own home and I like to cultivate that). It does tip towards idealism, though many of the “opponents” that Rintaro must face in the various labyrinths do confront him with harsh opinions based in reality that he has to overcome. And he also must learn to overcome himself in ways. Described as a hikikomori—which roughly translates to extreme social withdrawal—we experience Rintaro try to become more of a person in the world, aided not only by his adventures with Tiger but the support from Sayo, the class president who has taken it upon herself to give Rintaro a much needed push.
‘Don’t give in to loneliness. You aren’t alone. ’
The charm of the characters really help this book sink in. They are a bit generic at times—the shy bookish boy, the overachiever girl, the athlete with an inflated ego—but they really mesh well and drive the story all the same. Tiger the cat is a delight in all his blunt, no-nonsense ways, though unfortunately he is a bit under utilized. Still, they all makes for a rather pleasing read as they come together to support one another. For Rintaro, we see he must accept ‘books can't live your life for you’ and, like the dreamer in White Nights by , must put himself out into the world to truly live.
Books are an excellent tool, but without experiencing life as well as books, we just become ‘an old encyclopaedia, his head stuffed with out-of-date information,’ wasting away on the shelf of our own lives without the lessons being of use to anyone.
‘A book that sits on a shelf is nothing but a bundle of paper. Unless it is opened, a book possessing great power or an epic story is mere scraps of paper. But a book that has been cherished and loved, filled with human thoughts, has been endowed with a soul.’
Throughout the book, Rintaro must navigate different labyrinths each with their own book-villain minotaur at the center (one can argue there is a larger, overall labyrinth of himself he is also questing through), though we see how in each the person does truly believe they are doing what is right. We have a publisher that only sells cookie-cutter bestsellers, a man who tries to condense every book to a single sentence to save people time, or a man who keeps books locked away as an aesthetic. ‘Your feelings about a book don’t determine its value,’ he is told, such as when the publisher states ‘in our society it is the banknote that is the arbiter of value.’ The difficulty is there is a lot of truth to what they tell him, but Rinato must remember ‘logic and reason are never the best weapons in an irrational world.’ What matters is loving books. Sure, and , but to a book lover, does that make a little known, indie published book that truly touched their heart any less of an impact on them? No. And that’s what matters most. Also, as said in her National Book Foundation we need to ‘know the difference between production of a market commodity and the practice of an art.’
There were times this book gets a bit overly precious about books, but the heart is in the right place. Love books the way you love books. Dog ear and underline to your hearts content if that makes you happy despite what the haters say (I personally do it a lot, I think books look all cool and punk and loved that way), make art from your books, keep them in a special place, give them away, collect as many editions of your favorite, have way more than you’ll ever read (or even intend to read), just do you. And there are many ways to enjoy them and I’m not into gatekeeping reading. Don’t let anyone make you feel less of a reader for what you enjoy. Only like graphic novels, GREAT, they are just as valid. Prefer audiobooks? Just as valid as well, listen until your heart is content. Like to read only for easy pleasure? ENJOY! Read only YA books despite being an adult? Dive right in. Only like fantasy? Have a magical time. Only read the classics? Do it up! If a book, any book (that isn’t like…pro genocide or something, I gotta draw a line somewhere) makes you happy, that is what counts. There is some great stuff in here about difficult books though, which the grandfather compares to climbing a mountain:
Which is all very lovely. I’m reminded of writing about wrestling with the great, dense classics ‘when the great masters struggle against that something, that something that terrifies us all, that something that cows us and spurs us on, amid blood and mortal wounds and stench,’ but that its all worth it because ‘reading is pleasure and happiness to be alive or sadness to be alive and above all it's knowledge and questions. (from 2666).
‘What's important is the ability to have empathy for another human being--to be able to feel their pain, to walk alongside them in their suffering.’
Though perhaps the biggest power of books is the way it helps us see outside ourselves, to learn and understand not just about the world but each other. There are many studies showing that reading , part of the reason it is important to read to children to . ‘I think the power of books is that - that they teach us to care about others,’ Rinato discovered, ‘it's a power that gives people courage and also supports them in turn…Empathy - that's the power of books.’ Which is a beautiful sentiment, one that I’d like to just let sit there and flourish. ‘A cherished book will always have a soul. It will come to its reader’s aid in times of crisis,’ Tiger says, and I like to believe this is true.
‘Even if you try to destroy a book, it doesn’t disappear that easily. Right now, in places all over the world, people have connections to books.’
This is why it is important to protect books. In the US where I am, this is becoming a serious issue with book challenges and bans occurring at rapidly rising rates. In 2022 there were (I wrote about this extensively here). But we can overcome the hateful (it also reminds us that those wishing to destroy books often truly believe they are doing it for honorable reasons), especially seeing as . So protect books, friends. Support your libraries and bookstores. And of course I was going to love a book about a little bookstore that could--I spend all my time in one. I’m writing this from the store right now.
‘In the same way that music is made up of more than notes, books are more than just words.’
So, bookworms everywhere, if you are ready to dive into a magical adventure about the love of books, The Cat Who Saved Books is for you. While it can be a bit sentimental and cliched at times, it has such a heart and love for the printed word that you can’t help but fall in love with it. A fun and quick read that filled me with joy.
3.75/5
‘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.’
I love books. I suspect you do, too, seeing as you are here on goodreads reading about books, and I love that for you. ‘Books keep me going,’ admits the shy, young and recently orphaned protagonist in The Cat Who Saved Books, a lovely little novel sure to warm the hearts of bookworms by Sōsuke Natsukawa, and I can confess to the same. And not simply because they are my livelihood, working days in the public library and evenings in a charming, little independent bookstore (I often joke with locals you can’t get a book in this town without going through me), but there have been many times books have quite literally given me the emotional strength to keep going. To keep learning, to keep thinking, to keep believing it’s worth dancing through the absurdity of life and enjoying the beautiful moments. So while the worst I could say about this book is it can be a bit over sentimental and idealistic, it is a sentiment worth getting soppy over and an ideal worth striving for and I spent a few days blissfully exploring the labyrinth along with the characters in their quest to protect the love of books. When teenage Rintaro’s guardian and grandfather passes, he is left alone as proprietor of their second-hand bookstore, something he soon must leave behind to live with a distant aunt. Suddenly Tiger, a magical cat on a mission, appears to whisk Rintaro away on adventures to save books and, in turn, learn he has a strength inside he never knew. Wonderfully translated by , this is a joy to read and also makes for an excellent reading list with all the nods to older literature, most of which are Western classics. The Cat Who Saved Books is an endlessly charming read, as empowering as it is entertaining while reminding us there are many ways to love reading and that books are worth protecting.
‘Human beings don’t live alone, and a book is a way to show them that.’
This is a breeze of a read, in both the sense that you can be turning pages hardly noticing the passing of time and that it is like an idyllic breeze blowing over your bibliophile being. In many ways I could see this being sort of like but for book-love, with the way it is pretty endlessly quotable along the life-affirming plotline. I was wary going into it for this reason, as I wasn’t big on Alchemist (wrote about it here) but ended up really enjoying this (it was a birthday gift from my 3 year old, who loves the cover with its lovely art by and would grab it off the shelf and carry around every time she came to see me at the bookstore…a place she definitely assumes is just an extension of her own home and I like to cultivate that). It does tip towards idealism, though many of the “opponents” that Rintaro must face in the various labyrinths do confront him with harsh opinions based in reality that he has to overcome. And he also must learn to overcome himself in ways. Described as a hikikomori—which roughly translates to extreme social withdrawal—we experience Rintaro try to become more of a person in the world, aided not only by his adventures with Tiger but the support from Sayo, the class president who has taken it upon herself to give Rintaro a much needed push.
‘Don’t give in to loneliness. You aren’t alone. ’
The charm of the characters really help this book sink in. They are a bit generic at times—the shy bookish boy, the overachiever girl, the athlete with an inflated ego—but they really mesh well and drive the story all the same. Tiger the cat is a delight in all his blunt, no-nonsense ways, though unfortunately he is a bit under utilized. Still, they all makes for a rather pleasing read as they come together to support one another. For Rintaro, we see he must accept ‘books can't live your life for you’ and, like the dreamer in White Nights by , must put himself out into the world to truly live.
‘It’s not true that the more you read, the more you see of the world. No matter how much knowledge you cram into your head, unless you think with your own mind, walk with your own feet, the knowledge you acquire will never be anything more than empty and borrowed.’
Books are an excellent tool, but without experiencing life as well as books, we just become ‘an old encyclopaedia, his head stuffed with out-of-date information,’ wasting away on the shelf of our own lives without the lessons being of use to anyone.
‘A book that sits on a shelf is nothing but a bundle of paper. Unless it is opened, a book possessing great power or an epic story is mere scraps of paper. But a book that has been cherished and loved, filled with human thoughts, has been endowed with a soul.’
Throughout the book, Rintaro must navigate different labyrinths each with their own book-villain minotaur at the center (one can argue there is a larger, overall labyrinth of himself he is also questing through), though we see how in each the person does truly believe they are doing what is right. We have a publisher that only sells cookie-cutter bestsellers, a man who tries to condense every book to a single sentence to save people time, or a man who keeps books locked away as an aesthetic. ‘Your feelings about a book don’t determine its value,’ he is told, such as when the publisher states ‘in our society it is the banknote that is the arbiter of value.’ The difficulty is there is a lot of truth to what they tell him, but Rinato must remember ‘logic and reason are never the best weapons in an irrational world.’ What matters is loving books. Sure, and , but to a book lover, does that make a little known, indie published book that truly touched their heart any less of an impact on them? No. And that’s what matters most. Also, as said in her National Book Foundation we need to ‘know the difference between production of a market commodity and the practice of an art.’
There were times this book gets a bit overly precious about books, but the heart is in the right place. Love books the way you love books. Dog ear and underline to your hearts content if that makes you happy despite what the haters say (I personally do it a lot, I think books look all cool and punk and loved that way), make art from your books, keep them in a special place, give them away, collect as many editions of your favorite, have way more than you’ll ever read (or even intend to read), just do you. And there are many ways to enjoy them and I’m not into gatekeeping reading. Don’t let anyone make you feel less of a reader for what you enjoy. Only like graphic novels, GREAT, they are just as valid. Prefer audiobooks? Just as valid as well, listen until your heart is content. Like to read only for easy pleasure? ENJOY! Read only YA books despite being an adult? Dive right in. Only like fantasy? Have a magical time. Only read the classics? Do it up! If a book, any book (that isn’t like…pro genocide or something, I gotta draw a line somewhere) makes you happy, that is what counts. There is some great stuff in here about difficult books though, which the grandfather compares to climbing a mountain:
‘“Reading isn’t only for pleasure or entertainment. Sometimes you need to examine the same lines deeply, read the same sentences over again. Sometimes you sit there, head in hands, only progressing at a painstakingly slow pace. And the result of all this hard work and careful study is that suddenly you’re there and your field of vision expands. It’s like finding a great view at the end of a long climbing trail.’
Which is all very lovely. I’m reminded of writing about wrestling with the great, dense classics ‘when the great masters struggle against that something, that something that terrifies us all, that something that cows us and spurs us on, amid blood and mortal wounds and stench,’ but that its all worth it because ‘reading is pleasure and happiness to be alive or sadness to be alive and above all it's knowledge and questions. (from 2666).
‘What's important is the ability to have empathy for another human being--to be able to feel their pain, to walk alongside them in their suffering.’
Though perhaps the biggest power of books is the way it helps us see outside ourselves, to learn and understand not just about the world but each other. There are many studies showing that reading , part of the reason it is important to read to children to . ‘I think the power of books is that - that they teach us to care about others,’ Rinato discovered, ‘it's a power that gives people courage and also supports them in turn…Empathy - that's the power of books.’ Which is a beautiful sentiment, one that I’d like to just let sit there and flourish. ‘A cherished book will always have a soul. It will come to its reader’s aid in times of crisis,’ Tiger says, and I like to believe this is true.
‘Even if you try to destroy a book, it doesn’t disappear that easily. Right now, in places all over the world, people have connections to books.’
This is why it is important to protect books. In the US where I am, this is becoming a serious issue with book challenges and bans occurring at rapidly rising rates. In 2022 there were (I wrote about this extensively here). But we can overcome the hateful (it also reminds us that those wishing to destroy books often truly believe they are doing it for honorable reasons), especially seeing as . So protect books, friends. Support your libraries and bookstores. And of course I was going to love a book about a little bookstore that could--I spend all my time in one. I’m writing this from the store right now.
‘In the same way that music is made up of more than notes, books are more than just words.’
So, bookworms everywhere, if you are ready to dive into a magical adventure about the love of books, The Cat Who Saved Books is for you. While it can be a bit sentimental and cliched at times, it has such a heart and love for the printed word that you can’t help but fall in love with it. A fun and quick read that filled me with joy.
3.75/5
‘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.’
September 16, 2024
Happy publication day!
Showing a clear love for books and standing for ideals, this almost fairytale like book was genuinely uplifting and endearing
Books can't live your life for you. The reader who forgets to walk on his own two feet is like an old encyclopaedia, his head stuffed with out-of-date information. Unless someone else opens it up, it's nothing but a useless antique.
Rintaro Natsuke, the protagonist of inherits a bookshop when his grandfather dies. From here things turn magical, with a talking cat, and four labyrinths filled with books to crack. The book reminded me of with the going through a portal on a quite videogame like quest. Also Studio Ghibli's work definitely comes to mind, and I feel the bookshop that features in this book is closer to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books from in feel than the original depiction in that novel.
The quests offer moral lessons to Rintaro on the relationship one can have with books. Not too get lost into books, or see them just as a means to status (books as decoration) and knowledge of others. To see and live in the world, instead of isolate oneself. Too not use ultra speedreading of summaries but see the value of reading difficult books. The risk of atomizing of research on texts. That the publishing industry should love books instead of sales targets, and return to old classics instead of what sells easily. And the general importance of joy in reading.
Meanwhile there is a budding relationship with a class president and a growing confidence in Rintaro.
The gap between idealism and reality is not seriously examined, in many ways this feels quite a YA book, but nonetheless I definitely felt this novel worked well and that , while plain, was effective in conveying a genuine love of books.
Showing a clear love for books and standing for ideals, this almost fairytale like book was genuinely uplifting and endearing
Books can't live your life for you. The reader who forgets to walk on his own two feet is like an old encyclopaedia, his head stuffed with out-of-date information. Unless someone else opens it up, it's nothing but a useless antique.
Rintaro Natsuke, the protagonist of inherits a bookshop when his grandfather dies. From here things turn magical, with a talking cat, and four labyrinths filled with books to crack. The book reminded me of with the going through a portal on a quite videogame like quest. Also Studio Ghibli's work definitely comes to mind, and I feel the bookshop that features in this book is closer to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books from in feel than the original depiction in that novel.
The quests offer moral lessons to Rintaro on the relationship one can have with books. Not too get lost into books, or see them just as a means to status (books as decoration) and knowledge of others. To see and live in the world, instead of isolate oneself. Too not use ultra speedreading of summaries but see the value of reading difficult books. The risk of atomizing of research on texts. That the publishing industry should love books instead of sales targets, and return to old classics instead of what sells easily. And the general importance of joy in reading.
Meanwhile there is a budding relationship with a class president and a growing confidence in Rintaro.
The gap between idealism and reality is not seriously examined, in many ways this feels quite a YA book, but nonetheless I definitely felt this novel worked well and that , while plain, was effective in conveying a genuine love of books.
July 5, 2022
A story about books, a cat, a friendship, a relationship, a grandfather, an auntie, fantasy, a bookstore, and many more.
Quotes that I like in this book...
"Books have made me the man I am today"
"You're finished after reading them once? You don't want to re-read....?"
"Books can't live your life for you. The reader who forgets to walk on his own two feet is like an old encyclopedia, his head stuffed with out-of-date information. Unless someone else opens it up, it's nothing but a useless antique."
"Books teach us how to care for others."
"Empathy - that's the power of books."
Sometimes I choose to read something difficult.
"If you find a book easy to read, that means it's all stuff that you already know," "That's why it's easy. If you find it difficult, then that's proof it's something brand new."
I learn a lot about this book after reading it. I am grateful that we can read what we want to read in the free world.
Quotes that I like in this book...
"Books have made me the man I am today"
"You're finished after reading them once? You don't want to re-read....?"
"Books can't live your life for you. The reader who forgets to walk on his own two feet is like an old encyclopedia, his head stuffed with out-of-date information. Unless someone else opens it up, it's nothing but a useless antique."
"Books teach us how to care for others."
"Empathy - that's the power of books."
Sometimes I choose to read something difficult.
"If you find a book easy to read, that means it's all stuff that you already know," "That's why it's easy. If you find it difficult, then that's proof it's something brand new."
I learn a lot about this book after reading it. I am grateful that we can read what we want to read in the free world.
May 17, 2022
Una especie de fábula sencilla y bonita que nos hace replantearnos nuestra manera de entender los libros y la lectura.
Por su ligereza es perfecta para leer entre lecturas más sesudas, aunque consigue dejar su poso.
Muy del estilo de Momo, El principito o Alicia en el país de las Maravillas, aunque creo que esta tiene menos pretensiones que aquellas.
El gato es lo mejor del mundo.
Por su ligereza es perfecta para leer entre lecturas más sesudas, aunque consigue dejar su poso.
Muy del estilo de Momo, El principito o Alicia en el país de las Maravillas, aunque creo que esta tiene menos pretensiones que aquellas.
El gato es lo mejor del mundo.
November 3, 2021
I really thought I would love this book about a boy and a talking cat and how together they were going to save book, however it fell flat for me.
After his grandfather's passing, introvert Rintaro skips school and hides away in his grandfather's secondhand bookstore immersing himself in his favourite books. A talking tabby cat appears and asks for his help to save all books by completing three quests.
On each quest Rintaro must stop someone from doing what is perceived as mistreating books, by debating his views. He draws on ideals taught by his grandfather to complete these quests of words and principles.
I found the quests quite boring and the problems encountered not really that monumental. Maybe I'm missing the big picture but for me it was marred by airs of superiority. If we don't read classics, over and over, we don't love books?
There were some wonderful quotes about books teaching us compassion and empathy and how through books we can learn about other people and other places.
I enjoyed Rintaro's growth, through the quests he gained confidence and started to think about his own life differently and believe in himself.
Faultlessly translated by Louise Heal Kawai the words flowed effortlessly.
I am certain this philosophical Japanese fantasy will be loved by many. Just not me!
I received my copy from the publisher
After his grandfather's passing, introvert Rintaro skips school and hides away in his grandfather's secondhand bookstore immersing himself in his favourite books. A talking tabby cat appears and asks for his help to save all books by completing three quests.
On each quest Rintaro must stop someone from doing what is perceived as mistreating books, by debating his views. He draws on ideals taught by his grandfather to complete these quests of words and principles.
I found the quests quite boring and the problems encountered not really that monumental. Maybe I'm missing the big picture but for me it was marred by airs of superiority. If we don't read classics, over and over, we don't love books?
There were some wonderful quotes about books teaching us compassion and empathy and how through books we can learn about other people and other places.
I enjoyed Rintaro's growth, through the quests he gained confidence and started to think about his own life differently and believe in himself.
Faultlessly translated by Louise Heal Kawai the words flowed effortlessly.
I am certain this philosophical Japanese fantasy will be loved by many. Just not me!
I received my copy from the publisher
April 23, 2023
i fucking love books
March 29, 2022
I find it hard to pinpoint exactly what I did not like about this book. I’m sad to admit it but I found it quite boring. I’m not sure whether it’s the story itself that did not carry enough weight or that the writing seems like each word is dragged out but it made me uninterested in picking it back up once I had put it down. Things are repeated over and over again, such as almost having a whole re-introduction of the cat, each time it was mentioned. Also the constant repetition of the characteristics of the very few protagonists, as if we had time to forget that one is a hermit and the other is bubbly and full of life, could have been forgotten in 200 pages… For such a short story, it manages to drag on and only be repetitive which is rarely a good sign.
The cat is a bully and although I usually enjoy a slightly mean and sassy protagonist, this cat was just plain rude. I love the personification of animals but this one did not work for me.
The lessons learned by our main protagonists were just not deep enough and slightly boring, supposing to be heart-warming conclusions but their lack of depth render them flat and meaningless. Even for a book lover, I didn’t really see much of the love for books except in thrown out big statements such as book have souls and books are people’s feelings and thoughts. Needless to say, didn’t have much feelings towards this book except a deep boredom which I guess is a thought and feeling so maybe the author was right about that one.
Which brings me to my last point and maybe a reason that can partly explain my previously mentioned issues. I’m a bit confused as to why does it read so middle grade… I don’t think it is advertised as a children’s book so that’s a bit confusing. Either the marketing wasn’t done right or the translation got some things wrong because it’s way too childish and lacking depth for an adult novel and way too reflective and lacking the whimsical element to be a children’s novel. I’m utterly confused as to the targeted audience, and therefore, couldn’t appreciate it at all. Maybe, if I went into it having different expectations I would have given it a better rating but more likely I wouldn’t have picked it up at all….
The cat is a bully and although I usually enjoy a slightly mean and sassy protagonist, this cat was just plain rude. I love the personification of animals but this one did not work for me.
The lessons learned by our main protagonists were just not deep enough and slightly boring, supposing to be heart-warming conclusions but their lack of depth render them flat and meaningless. Even for a book lover, I didn’t really see much of the love for books except in thrown out big statements such as book have souls and books are people’s feelings and thoughts. Needless to say, didn’t have much feelings towards this book except a deep boredom which I guess is a thought and feeling so maybe the author was right about that one.
Which brings me to my last point and maybe a reason that can partly explain my previously mentioned issues. I’m a bit confused as to why does it read so middle grade… I don’t think it is advertised as a children’s book so that’s a bit confusing. Either the marketing wasn’t done right or the translation got some things wrong because it’s way too childish and lacking depth for an adult novel and way too reflective and lacking the whimsical element to be a children’s novel. I’m utterly confused as to the targeted audience, and therefore, couldn’t appreciate it at all. Maybe, if I went into it having different expectations I would have given it a better rating but more likely I wouldn’t have picked it up at all….
November 24, 2021
A real joy to real - fun, delightful, bizarre and heartwarming. Definitely a book for booklovers.
January 28, 2025
“Healing” fiction irritates me so much, which I think is the exact opposite of what's supposed to happen but whatever. It's so preachy and smug and saccharine and weird and just not my type of literature at all, but sometimes a reading challenge throws a “book that is considered healing fiction” prompt at me and so I pick the shortest one I can find and suck it up. I initially thought I might enjoy this one, seeing as how the words “cat” and “books” both appear in the title (two of my favorite topics!), but … nope. I almost certainly would have DNF'd it at the start of the third chapter if it wouldn't have meant that I'd have to read another (likely longer) book for the prompt instead. This novel made no sense whatsoever. Who was the cat? Where did he come from? Why was he so intent on saving books? Who was the woman at the end of the final labyrinth? What was the point of the entire thing? I finished this book at 2 a.m. and was so annoyed that I couldn't fall asleep. And then when I finally did fall asleep, my dog immediately woke me up to go outside and so then I fumed about it some more until I fell asleep again.
So, yeah, not my thing. 2.25 stars, rounded down.
So, yeah, not my thing. 2.25 stars, rounded down.
February 19, 2023
To by?a naprawd? ciep?a i cudowna historia o mi?o?ci do ksi??ek. Prawdopodobnie nie ka?dy pokocha, ale ja polubi?am na pewno!
Want to read
October 16, 2024my happiness means having a constant supply of japanese lit fic about cats
December 29, 2021
It looked like your average ginger tabby—a rather large, plump cat."
And with that sentence in The Cat Who Saved Books, my beautiful ginger cat Chloe hissed at the Kindle and leapt from my lap, where she had been reading along with me.
"I am crushed that you would read such rubbish, such lies!" she cried. She turned from me and began licking her tail, acting as though I had ceased to exist.
After a few minutes in which I spent not reading but trying to placate my now only slightly overweight cat (who has been on a strict diet for the last two years after reaching an unhealthy weight), she finally stopped licking and sniffed, "Well, I suppose there is some truth to that statement".
Now, you might be thinking, That's silly, cats don't read or speak English! Ok yes, I lied about Chloe reading. She doesn't read.. but she does speak.
Ok, maybe not in English, but she speaks in Felinese so it's not a complete lie. And maybe you think it's impossible for a human to understand their language, but if you live with a cat long enough, you start to discern between the meows and moans with all their various pitches and intonations.
There's the adorable purring meow where Kitty looks sweetly at you with half closed eyes and whiskers forward, where she's telling you she loves you and is so happy you live with her and feed her and generally be her slave.
Then there's the insistent higher pitched meow that is repeated every few seconds that says, I demand you bring me food or clean the poo in my litter box. Now.
And when that gets ignored, there's the terrible moaning, groaning caterwaul that sounds like a twelve hundred pound cow giving birth. This last is often in the middle of the night and it is your no longer adorable Kitty telling you she is dying of hunger and she can't believe you would treat her so abominably and lie in bed trying to sleep when she is suffering so horribly. Or maybe just needs some attention.
Cats say many more things than this, but these are the three you will most often hear.
Now, if you've been reading this far, it probably means you enjoy reading about cats and reading in general. If that is indeed the case, then you might also enjoy reading The Cat Who Saved Books.
It's a quick read about a talking ginger tabby who enlists the help of a teen boy whose grandfather has just died. The two set off to save books from monstrous people who are destroying them for various reasons.
The Cat Who Saved Books is whimsical, magical, and charming. It pays homage to books and those who love reading them. It's uplifting and sweet, a sort of modern fairy tale. Not my usual type of book but because there's a talking ginger cat, I couldn't resist. Recommend to book lovers and cat lovers and the lovers of both.
And before I go, I should admit I also lied about Chloe sitting on my lap. She never has, probably never will, not to read nor to cuddle. It's only in my imagination that she's a lap cat.
But I love her nonetheless.
December 11, 2022
?Leí este libro solo porque tenía un gato en su portada? Sí.
Es una historia muy sencilla que nos habla de lo poderosos que son los libros. Sus diversas formas de ser maestros y guías, sin olvidar las conexiones que nos permiten generar con otras personas.
Rintaro hereda la librería de su abuelo recién fallecido. Y ha tomado la decisión de cerrarla para siempre, hasta que un gato aparece para cambiarle la vida.
La empatía y el duelo son los grandes pilares de esta novela.
Se me fue muy rápido porque cada laberinto que recorremos es entretenido. Además, ?HAY UN GATO QUE HABLAAAA!
Claro, tiene sus detallitos. La trama no tiene un gran desarrollo, sus personajes femeninos no están bien construidos y su aporte a la historia es mínimo. Y la librería, me hubiera gustado que fuera otro personaje de esta historia, pero también quedó reducido a unas cuantas descripciones.
Lo más relevante de este libro son sus frases sobre los mismos libros.
Yo disfruto mucho leer cómo otros perciben la lectura, es por eso que me gustó esta novela, escrita por un autor japonés.
Es una historia muy sencilla que nos habla de lo poderosos que son los libros. Sus diversas formas de ser maestros y guías, sin olvidar las conexiones que nos permiten generar con otras personas.
Rintaro hereda la librería de su abuelo recién fallecido. Y ha tomado la decisión de cerrarla para siempre, hasta que un gato aparece para cambiarle la vida.
La empatía y el duelo son los grandes pilares de esta novela.
Se me fue muy rápido porque cada laberinto que recorremos es entretenido. Además, ?HAY UN GATO QUE HABLAAAA!
Claro, tiene sus detallitos. La trama no tiene un gran desarrollo, sus personajes femeninos no están bien construidos y su aporte a la historia es mínimo. Y la librería, me hubiera gustado que fuera otro personaje de esta historia, pero también quedó reducido a unas cuantas descripciones.
Lo más relevante de este libro son sus frases sobre los mismos libros.
Yo disfruto mucho leer cómo otros perciben la lectura, es por eso que me gustó esta novela, escrita por un autor japonés.
June 3, 2023
Preachy, patronising, paternalistic, and just plain smug. The author's love for books is everywhere evident, but unfortunately so is his belief that there is a particular way to enjoy them, and that other ways are wrong and hurt the books, ignoring, for example, neurodivergence, differences in taste, and personal preference.
The characters are largely likeable broad-strokes types, which is a reasonable choice - This is a fantasy story and it lends itself well to archetypes and stylisation. Where this is more detrimental is when it comes to the adversaries of each story. The book is based on a set of debates with a series of strawmen for problems which do not seem to exist. Classics are not disappearing, they are easier to access now than they ever have been! It is difficult to take the book's claim that few bookshops stock Complete Works of Shakespeare seriously, and digests and abridged versions of books have been around for millennia, but they have never supplanted the originals. The Cat Who Saved Books is left saving them from a melodramatic clutch of non-issues.
There is admittedly some lovely prose, and Louise Heal Kawai and Yoko Tanji each deserve praise for, in the former case, providing a translation which flows and sounds natural, and, in the latter, producing a beautiful cover. They cannot, however, make up for the book's fundamental flaws. It aims to be an ode to books and book enthusiasts, and just hits elitism. It implores the inhabitants of this modern, (apparently) book-hating world to show some empathy and I am just left thinking: you first.
The characters are largely likeable broad-strokes types, which is a reasonable choice - This is a fantasy story and it lends itself well to archetypes and stylisation. Where this is more detrimental is when it comes to the adversaries of each story. The book is based on a set of debates with a series of strawmen for problems which do not seem to exist. Classics are not disappearing, they are easier to access now than they ever have been! It is difficult to take the book's claim that few bookshops stock Complete Works of Shakespeare seriously, and digests and abridged versions of books have been around for millennia, but they have never supplanted the originals. The Cat Who Saved Books is left saving them from a melodramatic clutch of non-issues.
There is admittedly some lovely prose, and Louise Heal Kawai and Yoko Tanji each deserve praise for, in the former case, providing a translation which flows and sounds natural, and, in the latter, producing a beautiful cover. They cannot, however, make up for the book's fundamental flaws. It aims to be an ode to books and book enthusiasts, and just hits elitism. It implores the inhabitants of this modern, (apparently) book-hating world to show some empathy and I am just left thinking: you first.
April 19, 2022
Rintaro Natsuki es un joven introvertido al que le cuesta relacionarse. Cada día más encerrado en su propio mundo, pasa el tiempo en la librería de segunda mano que regenta junto con su abuelo. Entre libros Rintaro se encuentra seguro, a través de ellos viaja y descubre otros mundos, pero siempre desde la seguridad que le aporta la destartalada librería donde pasa la mayor parte de su vida. De pronto, su abuelo fallece, y Rintaro se encuentra solo ante un mundo que le obliga a abrirse poco a poco ante él. Un día un gato llamado Tora, aparecerá por la tienda y le pedirá su ayuda, y este será el inicio de un viaje mágico y muy especial.
No sé si ha influido mucho o poco el hecho de que llevaba una racha malísima en lecturas y, prácticamente las cuatro últimas lecturas me han parecidos un tostón, pero el caso es que “El gato que amaba los libros” ha llegado a mis manos justo en el momento que más lo necesitaba. Me ha sacado de esta racha, ?y de qué manera! Si tuviera que definirlo diría que es como si metemos en una cazuela una pizquita de “El principito”, unos granitos de “El castillo ambulante" y unas gotitas de “Alicia en el país de las maravillas”, sumándole a todo esto un toque tierno a lo Kazumi Yumoto, con una narración cómoda y relajada, pero preciosa como solo los japoneses saben hacer, y a?adiéndole, además, gatos que hablan y un amor por los libros que se palpa en cada página. Si mezclamos todo esto y lo calentamos a fuego lento nos encontramos con “El gato que amaba los libros”.
Es una de esas historias que se vuelve muy especial para mí, demuestra que un libro no tiene que ser complejo o enrevesado para llegarte, para emocionarte. Es un libro muy sencillo, con una narración sencilla y directa y con un toque juvenil, pero que guarda mucha verdad en sus palabras. Es de esos libros que prácticamente puedes subrayar entero, porque todo él en sí mismo es una gran cita. Y es que el libro de Sosuke Natsukawa es una increíble oda a los libros, al amor que los lectores sentimos por ellos, a lo que nos ense?a y como crecemos a través de ellos, ayudándonos a desarrollar la más valiosa de las cualidades humanas: la empatía.
Creo que tiene muchas reflexiones super interesantes, expresadas de una manera muy sencilla, pero que transmiten mensajes muy directos. Por ejemplo, habla de esta época en la parece que hay como una capa de postureo en relación a todo lo que tenga que ver con los libros, donde prima más los adornos bonitos que se le a?aden a estos o la cantidad de lecturas, más que la calidad de estas (calidad para cada gusto personal, nunca verdades absolutas, nunca pedantería). Todo lo que se le a?ada a un libro está estupendo, pero lo principal, lo esencial, es el contenido del libro en sí mismo, lo que te transmite, lo que te hace sentir.
Es un libro que promete ternura y da ternura. He tenido sentimientos muy similares a los que tuve cuando conocí a Kazumi Yumoto, ese punto de superación ante la pérdida, de resiliencia, pero nunca plasmado desde un punto de vista dramático, al contrario. Es de esos libros que te aportan felicidad al leerlos, que te dan un poquito de alegría y es algo que yo valoro tremendamente. No os esperéis un libro complejo, porque no lo lees, no es un libro presuntuoso, que pretenda ir de muchas cosas, pero si es un libro con el que cualquier lector que ame realmente la lectura puede sentirse identificado, no solo con ese amor, sino también con ese joven que se siente más comprendido y seguro entre libros, que en la calle entre personas.
No sé si ha influido mucho o poco el hecho de que llevaba una racha malísima en lecturas y, prácticamente las cuatro últimas lecturas me han parecidos un tostón, pero el caso es que “El gato que amaba los libros” ha llegado a mis manos justo en el momento que más lo necesitaba. Me ha sacado de esta racha, ?y de qué manera! Si tuviera que definirlo diría que es como si metemos en una cazuela una pizquita de “El principito”, unos granitos de “El castillo ambulante" y unas gotitas de “Alicia en el país de las maravillas”, sumándole a todo esto un toque tierno a lo Kazumi Yumoto, con una narración cómoda y relajada, pero preciosa como solo los japoneses saben hacer, y a?adiéndole, además, gatos que hablan y un amor por los libros que se palpa en cada página. Si mezclamos todo esto y lo calentamos a fuego lento nos encontramos con “El gato que amaba los libros”.
Es una de esas historias que se vuelve muy especial para mí, demuestra que un libro no tiene que ser complejo o enrevesado para llegarte, para emocionarte. Es un libro muy sencillo, con una narración sencilla y directa y con un toque juvenil, pero que guarda mucha verdad en sus palabras. Es de esos libros que prácticamente puedes subrayar entero, porque todo él en sí mismo es una gran cita. Y es que el libro de Sosuke Natsukawa es una increíble oda a los libros, al amor que los lectores sentimos por ellos, a lo que nos ense?a y como crecemos a través de ellos, ayudándonos a desarrollar la más valiosa de las cualidades humanas: la empatía.
Creo que tiene muchas reflexiones super interesantes, expresadas de una manera muy sencilla, pero que transmiten mensajes muy directos. Por ejemplo, habla de esta época en la parece que hay como una capa de postureo en relación a todo lo que tenga que ver con los libros, donde prima más los adornos bonitos que se le a?aden a estos o la cantidad de lecturas, más que la calidad de estas (calidad para cada gusto personal, nunca verdades absolutas, nunca pedantería). Todo lo que se le a?ada a un libro está estupendo, pero lo principal, lo esencial, es el contenido del libro en sí mismo, lo que te transmite, lo que te hace sentir.
Es un libro que promete ternura y da ternura. He tenido sentimientos muy similares a los que tuve cuando conocí a Kazumi Yumoto, ese punto de superación ante la pérdida, de resiliencia, pero nunca plasmado desde un punto de vista dramático, al contrario. Es de esos libros que te aportan felicidad al leerlos, que te dan un poquito de alegría y es algo que yo valoro tremendamente. No os esperéis un libro complejo, porque no lo lees, no es un libro presuntuoso, que pretenda ir de muchas cosas, pero si es un libro con el que cualquier lector que ame realmente la lectura puede sentirse identificado, no solo con ese amor, sino también con ese joven que se siente más comprendido y seguro entre libros, que en la calle entre personas.
November 19, 2021
A book about a bookstore and a talking orange tabby named Tiger? Sign me up! This is a relatively short read that ponders the power of books. Why do we read books? Does the one who reads the most wins? Can we save time by providing one sentence or paragraph synopses? Should only the most popular books be published?
Rintaro Natsuki is seventeen and has embraced being a hikiomori. That's your new vocabulary word for the day in case you are looking. His grandfather, the owner and proprietor of Natsuki Books has recently died. Rintaro is going to have to leave the store behind and go live with an aunt. Before he can close down the business, Tiger comes to visit and takes him on four adventures. Each time Rintaro enters a different labyrinth and is exposed to a way that books are being misused, misunderstood, or mistreated. During their trips Tiger always refers to Rintaro as Mr. Proprietor and allows one other person to join them -- Sayo, a classmate who has been bringing Rintaro his homework and encouraging him to come back to school. The two students begin to bond over books and the labyrinth. One of the most exciting trips occurs on Christmas Eve making this a good holiday read. I enjoyed this book, but not as much as others that have been translated from Japanese. This one seemed a bit awkwardly worded at times. It is still worth a read to remind us of the treasure to be found in even the oldest of books.
Thank you to HarperVia and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Rintaro Natsuki is seventeen and has embraced being a hikiomori. That's your new vocabulary word for the day in case you are looking. His grandfather, the owner and proprietor of Natsuki Books has recently died. Rintaro is going to have to leave the store behind and go live with an aunt. Before he can close down the business, Tiger comes to visit and takes him on four adventures. Each time Rintaro enters a different labyrinth and is exposed to a way that books are being misused, misunderstood, or mistreated. During their trips Tiger always refers to Rintaro as Mr. Proprietor and allows one other person to join them -- Sayo, a classmate who has been bringing Rintaro his homework and encouraging him to come back to school. The two students begin to bond over books and the labyrinth. One of the most exciting trips occurs on Christmas Eve making this a good holiday read. I enjoyed this book, but not as much as others that have been translated from Japanese. This one seemed a bit awkwardly worded at times. It is still worth a read to remind us of the treasure to be found in even the oldest of books.
Thank you to HarperVia and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2023
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... ???? ??? ?? ????????? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ???? ?? ??? ????????? ?????. ??? ???? ???? ??? ???? ???? ???? ?? ????? ????? ???? ??? ???? ?? ???? ?? ??????? ????
? ??! ??? ??? ?? ?? ????? ???? ???? ????? ?????. ?? ?? ???? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ???? ??????????? ?? ??? ?? ??????? ?? ???? ????????? ? ???? ???????? ?? ???? ?????? ????? ??? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ???????.
??? ?????? ???? ???? ??? ????? ?? ???????? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ?? ?? ???? :) [ ??? ?? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ?????? :)) ]
?? ????? ?? ???????? ??????? ??? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ??? ?? ???? ????? ??? ????? ???? ????? ? ???????? ??? ????? ??????? ?????? ?? ?????? ????? ???? ? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ????.
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??? ???? ?? ???? ??_?? ???? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ????? ???. ?? ???? ?? ???? ???? ??? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ?????? ?? ?????!
?? ???? ?? ???? ??? ????? ?? ??? ???? ? ????? ?? ???????? ????????? ??????.
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"??? ?????? ?? ???? ?? ??? ????? ???? ?? ???? ??????? ?? ??? ????? ??????. ???? ??????? ?? ???????? ?? ???? ????? ??????? ? ??? ?? ??? ??? ????? ?? ???? ?? ????? ??? ??????? ?? ?????? ?????? ???? ?? ???????? ?????? ????. ??? ?? ?????? ?? ??????? ????? ????? ???? ???????? ???? ????? ? ?? ???? ????? ?? ?? ??? ???? ?? ?? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ???? ???? ?? ??? ???..."
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???? ??? ?? ??? ?? ??? ?? ?? ????????? ??????? ?? ??? ??????? ?? ??? ?? ??? ?? ?? ???? ?????? ?? ?? ???? ?????? ????? ????.
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?? ???? ???? :) [shame on me]
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???? ??? ??? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ? ???? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ?????? ?? ???????? ?????? ?? ??????? ????? ???? ?? ????.
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?????? ??????? ???? ???? ??? ??? ????? ?? ????? ???? ??? ???? ?? :)
????? ?? ??? ?? ????? ?? ????? ???????? ????? ? ?? ??????????? ? ????????? ?????.
??? ????? ????? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ?? ???? :)) ?? ????? ?? ?? ???? ??? ???? ???? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???? ?? ????. (??? ???? ??? ??? ???? ???????? ????? ???? ?????.)
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" ?? ?????? ?? ???? ????????? ????? ?? ????? ??????? ?? ???? ???? ???? ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ??? ????????? ?? ????????? ?? ????? ??????? ?? ????? ???????. ?? ?? ?????? ??? ????????? ?? ???? ????? ???? ?? ???????? ?? ???? ?? ??? ??? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ???????. ?? ??????? ????????? ?? ????? ??? ???? ????? ???????. ????? ?? ???? ?????? ????? ?????. ???? ???? ?????? ????? ??? ???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?? ??? ???? ??????? ????? ???? ??? ?? ????? ?? ???? ??????? ?? ???? ?? ?????."
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" ??? ??? ????? ???? ?? ??????? ????? ??????? ?? ????? ???? ????? ?? ????????. ??? ???? ?????? ?? ??????? ?? ????? ?????? ???????? ????? ?? ???? ?? ??? ????? ???????? ???????. ???? ?????? ?? ???? ??????? ????????? ?? ???? ?? ?????..."
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???? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ??? ?? ???? ???? ? ??? ????? ??????????. ????????? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ?? ????? ????? ?????...
? ????? ??????? ???????? ?? ?? ??? ????? ??? ???? ????? ??? ????? ?? ????? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???? ????? ???? ????? ???????? ?? ??????? ?????.
?. ??? ????? ????? ?? ??? ??????? ????????? ? ??? ?? ?? ?? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ???????? ? ??????? ????!
?????? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ?????
?? ??? ??? ??? ???? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???. :)
December 8, 2021
3.5 The second of four books about books I'll read this month. Rintaro and his grandfather run a musty, old bookstore. A store that cherishes older books and their authors. When his grandfather dies, Rintaro is left alone and is now going to live with an aunt he doesn't really know. Rintaro is a hikikomori, a shut in, he seldom goes to school, his life, the bookstore that he must now leave. Until a talking cat appears, a tabby named Tiger, who claims he needs Rintaro's help to save some misused books.
So now the fable, adventure begins as the cat leads Rintaro through three different labyrinths, meeting different people, all whom use books in a less than ideal fashion. Another book using a mythical journey to highlight the importance of books and what they mean to readers. In the process of saving books, Rintaro will learn about himself.
"A book that sits on a shelf is nothing but a bundle of paper. Unless it is opened, a book possessing great power or an epic story, is a mere scrap of paper. But a book that has been cherished and loved, filled with human thoughts, has been endowed with a soul."
As I gaze at all my unread books on my shelves, lol!
A feel good story that takes place during the weeks leading up to Christmas.
So now the fable, adventure begins as the cat leads Rintaro through three different labyrinths, meeting different people, all whom use books in a less than ideal fashion. Another book using a mythical journey to highlight the importance of books and what they mean to readers. In the process of saving books, Rintaro will learn about himself.
"A book that sits on a shelf is nothing but a bundle of paper. Unless it is opened, a book possessing great power or an epic story, is a mere scrap of paper. But a book that has been cherished and loved, filled with human thoughts, has been endowed with a soul."
As I gaze at all my unread books on my shelves, lol!
A feel good story that takes place during the weeks leading up to Christmas.
July 17, 2024
2.5??
High school student Rintaro Natsuki is grieving over the loss of his grandfather who was his only close family. Rintaro is described and also refers to himself as hikikomori (a Japanese term referring to people who shut themselves away from society, rarely venturing outside to school or work). He believes that he has no true friends , his loneliness being compounded by the death of his grandfather and the impending sale of his grandfather’s second hand bookstore, Natsuki Books, before he has to move to a different town with a distant aunt . He stops attending school , spending all his time in the bookstore, his only visitors being his class president Sayo Yuzuki who visits him to deliver his schoolwork and Ryota Akiba who is senior to him in school and shares Rintaro’s love for books and the bookstore.
Enter Tiger, the talking tabby, a “ginger tabby; a rather large, plump cat with an orange and yellow striped coat”, who takes him into a mystical world of labyrinths on a mission to rescue books from entities who mistreat them. Rintaro’s love for books and the wisdom shared by his late grandfather play a huge role in not only saving books from the hands of those who would distort their meaning and threaten their very existence but also in bringing about a change in the attitude and perceptions that were at the very root of the problem . Rintoru’s journey is not just about rescuing books but also coming to terms with his own situation and the loss of his grandfather, in the process opening up to the people and the world around him.
“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.”
With humor and emotion the author explores themes of loss, friendship and the power of books and literature in enhancing one’s life experiences. The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa, (translated by Louise Heal Kawai) is a charming story with an interesting premise. I am particularly fond of stories based in libraries or bookstores. Add a talking cat and magical realism to the mix and I just had to read this book. But somehow, this book did not live up to my expectations. In the author’s depiction of Rintaro’s adventures he is seen to encounter situations that are related to topics that us readers enjoy debating on such as hoarding versus actual reading, quantity versus quality of books read, reading abridged/condensed editions, an overall diminished interest in reading and so on. I do not agree that these can be considered or interpreted as mistreatment of books rendering them in need of rescue and that is where this story lost some of its initial appeal. I feel this book is better suited for a younger audience and maybe the translator was trying too hard but I felt that some passages could have been shorter and the tone less preachy. But yes, like Rintaro I do love reading and believe in the profound impact of books on our lives .While I totally agree that books are precious and should be preserved with love and respect, I feel that passing judgment on whether, when, how and what people read might not be the best way to express that sentiment. This is an entertaining story that does have its appeal, but I’m probably not the right audience for it.
High school student Rintaro Natsuki is grieving over the loss of his grandfather who was his only close family. Rintaro is described and also refers to himself as hikikomori (a Japanese term referring to people who shut themselves away from society, rarely venturing outside to school or work). He believes that he has no true friends , his loneliness being compounded by the death of his grandfather and the impending sale of his grandfather’s second hand bookstore, Natsuki Books, before he has to move to a different town with a distant aunt . He stops attending school , spending all his time in the bookstore, his only visitors being his class president Sayo Yuzuki who visits him to deliver his schoolwork and Ryota Akiba who is senior to him in school and shares Rintaro’s love for books and the bookstore.
Enter Tiger, the talking tabby, a “ginger tabby; a rather large, plump cat with an orange and yellow striped coat”, who takes him into a mystical world of labyrinths on a mission to rescue books from entities who mistreat them. Rintaro’s love for books and the wisdom shared by his late grandfather play a huge role in not only saving books from the hands of those who would distort their meaning and threaten their very existence but also in bringing about a change in the attitude and perceptions that were at the very root of the problem . Rintoru’s journey is not just about rescuing books but also coming to terms with his own situation and the loss of his grandfather, in the process opening up to the people and the world around him.
“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.”
With humor and emotion the author explores themes of loss, friendship and the power of books and literature in enhancing one’s life experiences. The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa, (translated by Louise Heal Kawai) is a charming story with an interesting premise. I am particularly fond of stories based in libraries or bookstores. Add a talking cat and magical realism to the mix and I just had to read this book. But somehow, this book did not live up to my expectations. In the author’s depiction of Rintaro’s adventures he is seen to encounter situations that are related to topics that us readers enjoy debating on such as hoarding versus actual reading, quantity versus quality of books read, reading abridged/condensed editions, an overall diminished interest in reading and so on. I do not agree that these can be considered or interpreted as mistreatment of books rendering them in need of rescue and that is where this story lost some of its initial appeal. I feel this book is better suited for a younger audience and maybe the translator was trying too hard but I felt that some passages could have been shorter and the tone less preachy. But yes, like Rintaro I do love reading and believe in the profound impact of books on our lives .While I totally agree that books are precious and should be preserved with love and respect, I feel that passing judgment on whether, when, how and what people read might not be the best way to express that sentiment. This is an entertaining story that does have its appeal, but I’m probably not the right audience for it.
September 22, 2024
I don't know if it's the translation or the writing which I find a little flat for me. It just couldn't hold my attention for long. For such a short book and a really easy read, I was just thinking about getting over the book soon and I was really getting impatient when I reached half the book.
Overall, I enjoyed the bookish talk and discussions as well as the unexpected characters and events that were happening in the entire story.
A short read. Pick it up if you want to read something short but different.
Overall, I enjoyed the bookish talk and discussions as well as the unexpected characters and events that were happening in the entire story.
A short read. Pick it up if you want to read something short but different.
January 31, 2022
Absolutely gorgeous cover! I'm going to put this art on my desktop! (update: the art is by Yuko Shimizu)
The story, well, it was okay, I guess? a light read, with a bit of simple adventure and book magic. This is definitely book for teens and for younger teens to that. It's just not for me... So if you're like 12 y.o. and love books and talking cats - this is something you'll love too.
The story, well, it was okay, I guess? a light read, with a bit of simple adventure and book magic. This is definitely book for teens and for younger teens to that. It's just not for me... So if you're like 12 y.o. and love books and talking cats - this is something you'll love too.
February 11, 2023
I so wanted to love this book. The cover is charming. The idea of a talking cat and a boy working together to rescue books is charming.
Well, I liked it, but I didn't love it. It does have charm, and I think a large body of readers will enjoy it. However, it reminded me too much of The Little Prince or Jonathan Livingston Seagull—one of those books that's supposed to reveal cosmic truths, but just doesn't seem all that cosmic.
I would gladly pay for a book offering a collection of the illustrator's charming work, but the story, not so much.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
Well, I liked it, but I didn't love it. It does have charm, and I think a large body of readers will enjoy it. However, it reminded me too much of The Little Prince or Jonathan Livingston Seagull—one of those books that's supposed to reveal cosmic truths, but just doesn't seem all that cosmic.
I would gladly pay for a book offering a collection of the illustrator's charming work, but the story, not so much.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
February 16, 2022
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September 24, 2022
?Котаракът, който спасяваше книги“ е една необикновена книга, която говори с много обич и топлота за книгите като цяло и необходимостта от тяхното четене.
Като чуя за Япония + котка, незабавно се сещам за ?Кафка на плажа“ на Харуки Мураками и ?Котката и градът“ на Ник Брадли – две силно любими ми книги, но общото между тях и ?Котаракът, к??йто спасяваше книги“ свършва дотук.
Творбата на Сосуке Нацукава е история от съвсем различно ниво и носи съвсем друго изживяване. Когато Ринтаро Нацуки губи своя дядо и наследява от него малката им семейна книжарница с антикварни книги, бива посетен от един говорещ котарак, който има няколко задачи за Ринтаро. И така котаракът, Ринтаро и неговата съученичка Сайо се озовават в няколко лабиринта от книги, които трябва да бъдат спасени.
Историята е разгърната в 4 разказа, в които героите се сблъскват с Тъмничаря на книгите – страстен колекционер на книги, чиято цел е да прочете възможно повече книги и никога не препрочита вече прочетеното; Човекът, който осакатява книги – е посветен на идеята да съкрати обема на всички книги, като сведе историите им до няколко изречения, за да могат хората за възможно най-кратко време да кажат, че са прочели възможно най-много книги; Продавача на книги – президент на най-голямото издателство в света, за когото стойността на книгите се измерва в резултата на тяхната печалба; а на финала в последния лабиринт от книги Ринтаро се среща с една книга на близо 2000 години, наричана още и ?най-четената книга на света“, която е изгубила надеждата си.
Историята ми хареса много, също и посланията, които носи. Към самата книга ?Котаракът, който спасяваше книги“ има много красиво поднесени цветни илюстрации, дело на Биляна Василева-Билка, които я обогатяват още повече.
Книгата със сигурност ще допадне на хората, които обичат книгите, а страстта им е четенето им. И със сигурност е отличен избор за добавяне към всяка библиотека.
Любими цитати: (въпреки че са много повече)
? Стр. 18 – В книгите се крие огромна сила… Има неподвластни на времето истории, достатъчно силни, за да са оцелели през вековете. Чети много книги като тези – за теб те ще бъдат като приятели. Ще те вдъхновяват и ще те подкрепят.
? Стр. 44 – Да се добера до тях? Че за какво ми е? Нали вече съм ги прочел?
– И като ги прочетете веднъж, приключвате с тях? Нямате желание да препрочитате…
– Да ги препрочитам? Луд ли си? Нима не чу всичко, което казах? Прекалено зает съм с четенето на нови книги.
? Стр. 52 – Кого цени повече обществото – човека, който чете десет пъти една и съща книга или онзи, който прочита десет книги по един път? – продължи той. – Очевидно е, че колкото повече книги прочетеш, толкова по-уважаван ще бъдеш. Колкото по-начетен си, за толкова по-привлекателен и интересен те имат хората. Греша ли?
??? Стр.76 – На този свят има толкова хора с титлата ?професор“, колкото са звездите на небето. Япония е пълна с професори. Ще ви трябва много по-голям късмет, за да откриете някой, който не е професор.
? Стр. 139 – Аз, от своя страна, познавам отлично начина, по който функционира светът. Чувствата, които изпитваш към дадена книга, не определят нейната стойност. Определя я тиражът. С други думи, в нашия свят банкнотата е критерият за стойност. На онези, които забравят това правило и се опитват да се обърнат към някакви идеали, не им остава друго освен да бъдат отритнати от обществото.
? Стр. 177 – В миналото се разбираше от само себе си, че книгите имат душа. Всеки, който четеше книги, го знаеше, и душите им странстваха между четящите хора.
? Стр. 185 – Книгите ни учат как да обичаме другите. Книгите са изпълнени с човешки мисли и чувства. Когато четем техните думи и техните истории, когато ги съпреживяваме, опознаваме сърцата и умовете на други хора, извън нашите собствени.
? Стр. 201 – Не съществуваше такова нещо като липса на избор. Ринтаро вече знаеше това. Съществуваха много пътища, от които да избираш. Важното бе да не допускаш да се луташ безцелно, а да избереш път.
Като чуя за Япония + котка, незабавно се сещам за ?Кафка на плажа“ на Харуки Мураками и ?Котката и градът“ на Ник Брадли – две силно любими ми книги, но общото между тях и ?Котаракът, к??йто спасяваше книги“ свършва дотук.
Творбата на Сосуке Нацукава е история от съвсем различно ниво и носи съвсем друго изживяване. Когато Ринтаро Нацуки губи своя дядо и наследява от него малката им семейна книжарница с антикварни книги, бива посетен от един говорещ котарак, който има няколко задачи за Ринтаро. И така котаракът, Ринтаро и неговата съученичка Сайо се озовават в няколко лабиринта от книги, които трябва да бъдат спасени.
Историята е разгърната в 4 разказа, в които героите се сблъскват с Тъмничаря на книгите – страстен колекционер на книги, чиято цел е да прочете възможно повече книги и никога не препрочита вече прочетеното; Човекът, който осакатява книги – е посветен на идеята да съкрати обема на всички книги, като сведе историите им до няколко изречения, за да могат хората за възможно най-кратко време да кажат, че са прочели възможно най-много книги; Продавача на книги – президент на най-голямото издателство в света, за когото стойността на книгите се измерва в резултата на тяхната печалба; а на финала в последния лабиринт от книги Ринтаро се среща с една книга на близо 2000 години, наричана още и ?най-четената книга на света“, която е изгубила надеждата си.
Историята ми хареса много, също и посланията, които носи. Към самата книга ?Котаракът, който спасяваше книги“ има много красиво поднесени цветни илюстрации, дело на Биляна Василева-Билка, които я обогатяват още повече.
Книгата със сигурност ще допадне на хората, които обичат книгите, а страстта им е четенето им. И със сигурност е отличен избор за добавяне към всяка библиотека.
Любими цитати: (въпреки че са много повече)
? Стр. 18 – В книгите се крие огромна сила… Има неподвластни на времето истории, достатъчно силни, за да са оцелели през вековете. Чети много книги като тези – за теб те ще бъдат като приятели. Ще те вдъхновяват и ще те подкрепят.
? Стр. 44 – Да се добера до тях? Че за какво ми е? Нали вече съм ги прочел?
– И като ги прочетете веднъж, приключвате с тях? Нямате желание да препрочитате…
– Да ги препрочитам? Луд ли си? Нима не чу всичко, което казах? Прекалено зает съм с четенето на нови книги.
? Стр. 52 – Кого цени повече обществото – човека, който чете десет пъти една и съща книга или онзи, който прочита десет книги по един път? – продължи той. – Очевидно е, че колкото повече книги прочетеш, толкова по-уважаван ще бъдеш. Колкото по-начетен си, за толкова по-привлекателен и интересен те имат хората. Греша ли?
??? Стр.76 – На този свят има толкова хора с титлата ?професор“, колкото са звездите на небето. Япония е пълна с професори. Ще ви трябва много по-голям късмет, за да откриете някой, който не е професор.
? Стр. 139 – Аз, от своя страна, познавам отлично начина, по който функционира светът. Чувствата, които изпитваш към дадена книга, не определят нейната стойност. Определя я тиражът. С други думи, в нашия свят банкнотата е критерият за стойност. На онези, които забравят това правило и се опитват да се обърнат към някакви идеали, не им остава друго освен да бъдат отритнати от обществото.
? Стр. 177 – В миналото се разбираше от само себе си, че книгите имат душа. Всеки, който четеше книги, го знаеше, и душите им странстваха между четящите хора.
? Стр. 185 – Книгите ни учат как да обичаме другите. Книгите са изпълнени с човешки мисли и чувства. Когато четем техните думи и техните истории, когато ги съпреживяваме, опознаваме сърцата и умовете на други хора, извън нашите собствени.
? Стр. 201 – Не съществуваше такова нещо като липса на избор. Ринтаро вече знаеше това. Съществуваха много пътища, от които да избираш. Важното бе да не допускаш да се луташ безцелно, а да избереш път.
May 9, 2022
Pues me ha gustado, es un libro que se sale un poco de lo que suelo leer, pero la lectura ha sido fácil y amena. Un libro que nos intenta transmitir que los libros son algo mas de páginas escritas, que tienen un valor intrínseco, que tienen ALMA.
Sinopsis: Un homenaje a las librerías, a los libros y a todos aquellos que los aman.
La epopeya de Rintaro, el joven heredero de una entra?able librería de viejo, y de Tora (muy bien el gato), un sabio e ingenioso gato atigrado. Su emocionante misión consiste nada más y nada menos que en salvar los libros que están en peligro (las pruebas o viaje que emprende son 3 laberintos en cuyo final se encuentran distintos personajes, relacionados de una manera con los libros, que ellos creen que de manera positiva y Rintaro les hace ver que no, que realmente no aman los libros) y extender así el amor por estos objetos, bellos e inigualables, que son parte imprescindible de nuestra vida.
6/10
Sinopsis: Un homenaje a las librerías, a los libros y a todos aquellos que los aman.
La epopeya de Rintaro, el joven heredero de una entra?able librería de viejo, y de Tora (muy bien el gato), un sabio e ingenioso gato atigrado. Su emocionante misión consiste nada más y nada menos que en salvar los libros que están en peligro (las pruebas o viaje que emprende son 3 laberintos en cuyo final se encuentran distintos personajes, relacionados de una manera con los libros, que ellos creen que de manera positiva y Rintaro les hace ver que no, que realmente no aman los libros) y extender así el amor por estos objetos, bellos e inigualables, que son parte imprescindible de nuestra vida.
6/10
July 13, 2022
3,5??
Iba a esta historia sin expectativas, admito que comencé a leerla solo por su portada, pero me he llevado una gran sorpresa.
La historia es bastante sencilla, nuestro protagonista, Rintaro, sufre el duelo reciente de su abuelo, con anterioridad había perdido a sus padres, quien deja una librería. Para Rintaro los libros son su vía de escape ante un mundo del que no se siente parte. ?l mismo se define, como alguien poco sociable, que pasa desapercibido para los demás, tímido y que le cuesta encontrar las palabras para expresar sus emociones.
De esta forma, y tras la perdida de una persona altamente significativa para el protagonista, como lo fue su abuelo, Rintaro deberá pasar una serie de aventuras (misiones) relacionadas con los libros, y conforme va saliendo airoso de ellas, comienza a aumentar su confianza en sí mismo, así como también empieza a darse cuenta de que no está tan solo como creía y que hay gente que se preocupa por su bienestar.
Iba a esta historia sin expectativas, admito que comencé a leerla solo por su portada, pero me he llevado una gran sorpresa.
La historia es bastante sencilla, nuestro protagonista, Rintaro, sufre el duelo reciente de su abuelo, con anterioridad había perdido a sus padres, quien deja una librería. Para Rintaro los libros son su vía de escape ante un mundo del que no se siente parte. ?l mismo se define, como alguien poco sociable, que pasa desapercibido para los demás, tímido y que le cuesta encontrar las palabras para expresar sus emociones.
De esta forma, y tras la perdida de una persona altamente significativa para el protagonista, como lo fue su abuelo, Rintaro deberá pasar una serie de aventuras (misiones) relacionadas con los libros, y conforme va saliendo airoso de ellas, comienza a aumentar su confianza en sí mismo, así como también empieza a darse cuenta de que no está tan solo como creía y que hay gente que se preocupa por su bienestar.
October 23, 2023
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January 6, 2025
I'm a simple woman. I see a cat on the book cover -> I read the book.
"Reading a book is a lot like climbing a mountain.”
“What do you mean?” His curiosity piqued, Rintaro had finally looked up from his book.
His grandfather wafted his teacup slowly under his nose as if savoring the aroma of the tea. “Reading isn’t only for pleasure or entertainment. Sometimes you need to examine the same lines deeply, read the same sentences over again. Sometimes you sit there, head in hands, only progressing at a painstakingly slow pace. And the result of all this hard work and careful study is that suddenly you’re there and your field of vision expands. It’s like finding a great view at the end of a long climbing trail."
So, this book is beautiful. It's a somewhat episodic tale of a young boy, Rintaro, who inherits a second-hand bookshop from his grandfather and has to "save books" with the guidance of a cat. There's very little "cat" in this book for what I expected from the title, but there's a lot of insightful saving of books. This book had some astute observations about book readers and publishers, which is super valid in today's world. I won't give anything away, but will say it was quite profound for such a simplistic little tale.
3.5 stars, recommended to fans of Japanese literature and cozy fantasy lovers.
"Reading a book is a lot like climbing a mountain.”
“What do you mean?” His curiosity piqued, Rintaro had finally looked up from his book.
His grandfather wafted his teacup slowly under his nose as if savoring the aroma of the tea. “Reading isn’t only for pleasure or entertainment. Sometimes you need to examine the same lines deeply, read the same sentences over again. Sometimes you sit there, head in hands, only progressing at a painstakingly slow pace. And the result of all this hard work and careful study is that suddenly you’re there and your field of vision expands. It’s like finding a great view at the end of a long climbing trail."
So, this book is beautiful. It's a somewhat episodic tale of a young boy, Rintaro, who inherits a second-hand bookshop from his grandfather and has to "save books" with the guidance of a cat. There's very little "cat" in this book for what I expected from the title, but there's a lot of insightful saving of books. This book had some astute observations about book readers and publishers, which is super valid in today's world. I won't give anything away, but will say it was quite profound for such a simplistic little tale.
3.5 stars, recommended to fans of Japanese literature and cozy fantasy lovers.
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