Title: If Cats Disappeared From The World
Author: Genki Kawamura
Page Count: 176
Publish Date: March 12, 2019
Publisher: Flatiron Books
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Synopsis:
This timeless tale from Genki Kawamura (producer of the Japanese blockbuster animated movie Your Name) is a moving story of loss and reconciliation, and of one man’s journey to discover what really matters most in life.
The young postman’s days are numbered. Estranged from his family and living alone with only his cat, Cabbage, to keep him company, he was unprepared for the doctor’s diagnosis that he has only months to live. But before he can tackle his bucket list, the devil shows up to make him an offer: In exchange for making one thing in the world disappear, the postman will be granted one extra day of life. And so begins a very strange week that brings the young postman and his beloved cat to the brink of existence.
With each object that disappears, the postman reflects on the life he’s lived, his joys and regrets, and the people he’s loved and lost.
If Cats Disappeared From The World
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My Review:
I listened to the audiobook version, and the narrator, Brian Nishii, did a good job of bringing this story and its characters to life.
We follow a week in the life of a postman, whose name is never mentioned in the book. After receiving a devastating diagnosis, which gives him mere months to live, the postman’s outlook is a bit bleak. Like many people facing death, he decides to tackle a bucket list.
When a doppleganger shows up, the last thing he expects is for this lookalike to be the Devil. It’s certainly an interesting concept, and the Devil’s offer to extend his life by a day if he agrees to remove something from the world is an intriguing idea.
However, this is also where the novel loses some of its appeal. There is a heavy focus on Christianity, which feels out of place in a Japanese literature book. Honestly, had it not been for how short this book was, I was tempted to drop it at this point. But I stuck with it.
With each day, he makes a decision whether losing a particular item, such as movies or clocks, is worth extending his life for a single day.
While most of the decisions had been relatively easy up to this point, when the Devil wants to remove cats from the world, the postman struggles with that idea. Is his life truly worth living for another day if cats no longer exist?
Since he grew up with a beloved cat and currently owns a cat, this is the biggest decision he must make.
Overall, this book was okay. It deals with themes of connection, loss, and what one is willing to give up to retain their life and happiness. Some readers may find that this book pulls at their heartstrings, but that didn’t happen for me.
I hope you enjoyed my review of If Cats Disappeared From The World. Have you read this book?
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