This is a wonderful ode to the power of books.
The characters are charming and full of personality; they grow as people during their whimsical adventures, which is a pleasure to read. Rintaro is grieving after the loss of his grandfather but slowly learns how to continue living life after Tiger, the talking cat, confronts him with vital, fantastical quests to save books from those who have lost their way.
“The obvious is no longer obvious in today’s world” – this is one of my favourite quotes from the book as it perfectly captures Natsukawa’s message in which he makes us question – are you living the life you want to be living, or the life society asks you to live.
The format reminded me of Matt Haig’s ‘The Midnight Library.’ The air of mystery contained within the fantasy world the characters travel to is similar to Erin Morgenstern’s ‘The Starless Sea.’ All this plus the classic Japanese cosy/magical realism elements makes for an incredible story that’s so easy to get lost in.
The Pear Book 