The Cat Who Saved Books
The heartwarming first title in the bestselling Japanese series – a must for book lovers everywhere
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- €6.99
Publisher Description
A cosy, heartwarming story about finding courage, caring for others and the tremendous power of books. Translated from Japanese, The Cat Who Saved Books is the international bestseller from Sosuke Natsukawa.
'Enchanting' – The Observer
Grandpa used to say it all the time: books have tremendous power. But what is that power really?
Natsuki Books was a tiny second-hand bookshop on the edge of town. Inside, towering shelves reached the ceiling, every one crammed full of wonderful books. Rintaro Natsuki loved this space that his grandfather had created. He spent many happy hours there, reading whatever he liked. It was the perfect refuge for a boy who tended to be something of a recluse.
After the death of his grandfather, Rintaro is devastated and alone. It seems he will have to close the shop. Then, a talking tabby cat called Tiger appears and asks Rintaro for help. The cat needs a book lover to join him on a mission. This odd couple will go on three magical adventures to save books from people who have imprisoned, mistreated and betrayed them. Finally, there is one last rescue that Rintaro must attempt alone . . .
Sosuke Natsukawa’s international bestseller, translated from Japanese by Louise Heal Kawai, is a life-affirming story for those for whom books are so much more than words on paper. The series continues with The Cat Who Saved the Library.
Readers love The Cat Who Saved Books:
‘I felt like I'd fallen into a Studio Ghibli film’
‘This book brought me back to reading’
‘I am utterly in love with this book’
‘It was cosy, comfy, deep and profound all at the same time’
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In Natsukawa's wispy, allegorical English-language debut, a shy teen and a talking cat go on a series of adventures to save books and reading for mankind. Rintaro, a high school student, has always been an introvert, with self-professed hikikomori (reclusive) tendencies that only intensify following the death of his beloved grandfather, the proprietor of a small secondhand bookstore, which he inherits. Rintaro is in the process of closing up the shop in order to move away and live with his aunt when he is interrupted by a bossy ginger tabby cat who tells him there are books that have been "imprisoned" and that Rintaro's help is needed to "rescue" them. Together, and sometimes accompanied by Rintaro's classmate Sayo, they visit a series of magical locations ruled by the villains who are threatening the world of books—among them a professor who reduces entire works of literature to one summary sentence, a public intellectual who treats books like "decorative objects," and a publishing professional who only values books that sell. While the premise is charming, this doesn't quite develop from one-note fable into fully realized novel. It's hopeful and breezy, but the simplistic battle between good and evil won't give readers much to dig into.
