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 . . .
I’ve officially completed my second book of 2022, and it’s only the second week of January! Talk about starting the year strong!
Where do I even begin with The Cat Who Saved Books? A few months ago, while indulging in some online bookshop retail therapy, I stumbled across this title and thought, “This is going to be a lovely read.” I mean, I love cats, I love books, so it was basically fate that I had to read it! After reading the blurb, I saw it had a talking tabby cat as a central character, and I knew this was a book I absolutely needed in my life. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint in the slightest!
At just 217 pages, this is a quick read, but don’t be fooled by the small page count. Every sentence, every paragraph packs a punch and leaves a lasting impact. The characters are whimsical yet incredibly strong in personality, which makes them so memorable.
What I really loved was the character of Tiger, the talking tabby cat. He appears in Rintaro’s life at just the right moment. At first, Rintaro doesn’t realize it, but as I progressed toward the end of the book, I realized that it wasn’t just Tiger who needed Rintaro—it was Rintaro who needed Tiger’s guidance to truly find himself. Tiger takes Rintaro on an extraordinary adventure that only a lifelong lover of books could truly understand and appreciate.
For me, this was the perfect short read to break up my usual diet of crime thrillers. I can’t recommend it enough! I’d give it a solid 10/10. Every time I read Tiger’s lines, I couldn’t help but hear Eddie Izzard’s voice in my head, which made it all the more fun! Since this is a translated book, you’ll also find a sprinkling of Japanese words and cultural references throughout, which gives it a wonderfully authentic and unique feel.
Sosuke Natsukawa is a doctor in Nagano, Japan. His first book Kamisama No Karute (‘God’s Medical Records’) won the Shogakukan Fiction Prize and received second prize at the Japan Bookseller Awards. It sold over 1.5 million copies and was adapted into a film in Japan.
Morelli’s Reads 