Book Review: A coming-of-age story for anyone who loves reading

Happening upon a book you didn’t know you were looking for can be akin to finding a friend - perhaps someone you lost touch with a while ago or a new connection made while chatting on the bus. Books mean more to us than the words on the page.

‘There are timeless stories, powerful enough to have survived through the ages. Read lots of books like these – they’ll be like friends to you. They’ll inspire and support you.’

Rintaro, the hero of The Cat That Saved Books, has spent more than his fair share of time in a second-hand bookshop. He’s been living there with his grandfather, the shopkeeper. But now the old man has died and Rintaro, who is only a teenager, has to give up his home and his sanctuary to go to live with the kind aunt who’s offered to take him in.

He’s numbly following along with this plan, until a cat arrives in the bookshop. A talking cat who demands Rintaro’s help with a mission to save books that are being damaged, dumbed down and discarded.

This is a coming-of-age story that will resonate for anyone who loves reading. Accompany Rintaro as he finds the inner strength to relish the challenge of engaging in life as well as literature.

Translated from Japanese by Louise Heal Kawai, this is a book that gives insight to a different culture as well as raising questions about the standing of reading and books in society now. The choice to use some untranslatable Japanese words adds an interesting contrast in a story that is based in and references classic Western literature.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably someone who enjoys reading books. You might have spent some time thinking about what reading means to you.

Perhaps you remember the joy of a visit to Sheffield’s own Rare & Racy bookshop. You probably haven’t met a talking cat, but you still might enjoy Natsukawa’s enquiry into what books mean to humans.