The Cat Who Saved Books

A Novel

By: Sosuke Natsukawa

Narrated by: Kevin Shen

An Indie Next Pick!

From the number one best-selling author in Japan comes a celebration of books, cats, and the people who love them, infused with the heartwarming spirit of The Guest Cat and The Travelling Cat Chronicles.

Bookish high school student Rintaro Natsuki is about to close the secondhand bookstore he inherited from his beloved bookworm grandfather. Then, a talking cat appears with an unusual request. The feline asks for — or rather, demands — the teenager’s help in saving books with him. The world is full of lonely books left unread and unloved, and the cat and Rintaro must liberate them from their neglectful owners.

Their mission sends this odd couple on an amazing journey, where they enter different mazes to set books free. Through their travels, the cat and Rintaro meet a man who leaves his books to perish on a bookshelf, an unwitting book torturer who cuts the pages of books into snippets to help people speed read, and a publishing drone who only wants to create best sellers. Their adventures culminate in one final, unforgettable challenge — the last maze that awaits leads Rintaro down a realm only the bravest dare enter....

An enthralling tale of books, first love, fantasy, and an unusual friendship with a talking cat, The Cat Who Saved Books is a story for those for whom books are so much more than words on paper.

Translated from the Japanese by Louise Heal Kawai.

"Cats, books, young love, and adventure: catnip for a variety of readers!" (Kirkus)

©2021 Sosuke Natsukawa (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

Charming but not brilliant fable.

The premise is great in this charming fable, but as it turns, it does not feel brilliant in ideas and delivery. It is pleasing more than groundbreaking.

Though provoking.

I will listen to it again, to catch the parts I didn’t understand the first time around. The story really makes you think

Short and sweet

A great fable that's a great listen for all ages. I really enjoyed it. It was just the palette cleanser I needed!

Quirky & interesting little book

Follow along on the boy’s journey of discovery as he saves books. He follows four labyrinths each to a book “demon” who is not respecting the books & reading. A surprise twist near the end. With a good ending. Very enjoyable!

Great story

This is a read that pulls you in right away. Sure, some of the allegory seems a bit contrived but nonetheless the points are well made. One appreciates the way the main protagonist grows, either in spite of or because of the occurred loss and other losses during their childhood. And really, a cat who saves books. How could you not love it?

An enjoyable story.

I liked the concept of this story when I stumbled across it prior to release. The characters are endearing and the storyline while it may be predictable it is thought provoking and builds a unique visual in your imagination. This would be an interesting book to build upon with other stories. The narrator I have heard before and really enjoy Kevin’s reading. For anyone who loves books and appreciates them this is a cozy tale you will enjoy. And what’s not to love about a cat who can talk.

Alice and Wonderland meets books!

Charming and adorable...mix together a little Lewis Carol, the Cat Comes Back, and a love of books and the result is just charming!

Good if you want to help refresh your perspective

Very fun book that honestly helped me shift my fantasy's about a sense of purpose in the infinite library of Alexandria in my imagination, or in this world. I'm thankful to have listened to it.

Interesting philosophical journey

The Cat Who Saved Books is a short novel by Sosuke Natsukawa. The audio version was narrated by Kevin Shen. I found it to be a captivating, heartwarming, and whimsical story. The book contains an introspective fairy tale quality to it, with a message of hope. Translated from the original Japanese, there are interesting cultural aspects to the story, that I thought worked well. Probably a 3.5 but rounded up, who does not like books about books, and a talking cat.

Not a fan of cats

I expected this story to be quite different. It was very simplistic, and I kept wondering of it was a YA novel. The reader has a good voice, but isn’t a Japanese speaker so it was a bit painful to listen to.