Eric Selland

Genki Kawamura

A Novel

If Cats Disappeared from the World

世界から猫が消えたなら

Our narrator's days are numbered. Estranged from his family, living alone with only his cat Cabbage for company, he was unprepared for the doctor's diagnosis that he has only months to live. But before he can set about tackling his bucket list, the Devil appears with a special offer: in exchange for making one thing in the world disappear, he can have one extra day of life. And so begins a very bizarre week . . .Because how do you decide what makes life worth living? How do you separate out what you can do without from what you hold dear? In dealing with the Devil our narrator will take himself - and his beloved cat - to the brink. Genki Kawamura's If Cats Disappeared from the World is a story of loss and reconciliation, of one man's journey to discover what really matters in modern life.This beautiful tale is translated from the Japanese by Eric Selland, who also translated The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide. Fans of The Guest Cat will also surely love If Cats Disappeared from the World.

Lindy

Human beings exchanged their freedom for the sense of security that comes from living by rules and routines-despite knowing that costs them their freedom.

And next to all the movies that play on a loop inside me, sit the images of friends, lovers, the family, who were with me when I watched them. Then there are the countless films that I've recorded in my own imagination-the memories that run through my head, which are so beautiful, they bring tears to my eyes.

It's a real loss, something deeply human, that can't be expressed by counting things. It's so small you could miss it, but without anyone noticing, our lives are changed completely.

Before, I would hold him and pet him without thinking about it much, but now, for the first time, it occurred to me that this is what life was all about. 

Ina Christofferson

’There are so many cruel things in the world,’ he once told us. ’But there are also just as many beautiful things.’

aybüke

“I’m really sorry. I just can’t help it. No matter how hard I try I can’t remember anything. Except perhaps one thing . . .”

“I was happy. That’s all I remember.”

In my dream the man says, “Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot.” The little tramp wears a silk hat and an oversized suit, twirling his walking stick as he approaches. I’ve always been moved by these words. When I first heard them and even more so now. I want to tell him how important they are to me but I can’t get the words out.

Melanie

It was the first time the finality of death had really hit home for either of us, and so she started to cry there in that place. A place where there no denying just how powerless and utterly helpless we human beings are. I didn't know what to say. 

Yes, this may be “dramatic” or “crazy” but I, too, would choose for myself to disappear than for cats to disappear. 💔

nikki

“I just couldn’t bring myself to get rid of cats. I realize you must think I’m crazy for turning down that deal. But that’s just the way it is. This is who I am. Of course there’s a possibility that I’m some kind of idiot for choosing this, but I couldn’t find any satisfaction in extending my life in exchange for other people losing something that they love so dearly.“

You see, I don’t cry much about things that happen in my life but when it comes to books ESPECIALLY when there’s an animal involved, oh boy…

“I’d be flattered if you continued to live, sir. I could never be happy in a world deprived of your existence.”

This is so evil but then again, what did I expect from this character

“But he didn’t stop; instead the devil revealed his plan. “This time, let’s make cats disappear from the world.”

“What did I gain by growing up, and what did I lose?”

“So I suppose I now know two things that I didn’t know then: I can’t fly, and what I had back then is now gone forever.”

I completely agree like yes tell me everything!! 

“I realized then that when a person talks about something they really love, there’s a kind of thrill to listening to them.”

hande

Love hast to end. That's all. And even though everyone knows it they still fall in love. I guess it's the same with life. We all know it has to end someday, but even so we act as if we're going to live forever. Like love, life is beautiful because it has to end.

lily lily 

My whole existence had taken place within this little sliver of time that sat between two much larger chunks of time—during which I didn’t exist.

I’m satisfied with who I am and how I’ve lived. I’m happy to have been here at all. Where else but here could I have been?

“So you see, the form I take all depends on your imagination. The devil in your heart looks just like you.”

I slowly opened my eyes, and my mother went on as she gazed at me.

“Go ahead. Even if you have to force it.”

My mind and body were at odds with each other. I couldn’t smile very well. I managed to twist my unwilling face into a smile, but I still felt bad. The tears didn’t stop.

The sound of my mother’s voice saying “take your time” soothed me, and I managed to force a smile.

Whenever I caught cold my mother would rub my back. Once I got lost when we were at an amusement park and began to cry. I remember how my mother ran to me, and picked me up and held me. When I wanted the same kind of lunch box as all the other kids, my mother ran around town all day long to find just the right one. I always fidgeted when I was asleep, and my mother would come in and put the covers back on. She always bought me new clothes when I needed them and never bought anything for herself. She made the best Japanese rolled omelet. I could never eat enough of it and she’d give me her portion. For her birthday I gave her a voucher for a shoulder massage, but she never used it. She said it was too much of a treat for her and didn’t want to waste it.

Cabbage was curled up and asleep. I lay down beside him and gazed at his face. Such a peaceful face. Never in his wildest dreams would he ever imagine a world where he had disappeared. I wouldn’t be surprised if he woke up at this very moment, speaking like a gentleman and demanding to be fed. But as I stared at his sleeping face I could also imagine him saying like a faithful friend, “I would gladly disappear for you, sir.”

duha

With freedom comes uncertainty, insecurity, and anxiety.

clara

"Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot." 

"There's something just as inevitable as death. And that's life."

Love has to end. That's all. And even though everyone knows it they still fall in love.

I guess it's the same with life. We all know it has to end someday, but even so we act as if we're going to live forever. Like love, life is beautiful because it has to end.

"Yeah, but just being alive doesn't mean all that much on its own. How you live is more important." 

Thought provoking and absolutely beautiful 

Das ist genau mein Buch. Das ist genau meine Geschichte. Das ist genau mein Favorit.

Dieses Buch gab mir alles, was ich von einem guten Buch wollte.

Es macht Spaß und bringt mich dennoch zum Nachdenken über viele Dinge, die in der Realität wirklich wichtig sind.

Ich liebe es, wie der Autor so große Themen des Lebens auf so einfache Weise geschrieben hat. Es ist einfach erstaunlich.

Ich habe gelacht und geweint, während ich dieses Buch gelesen habe. Es ist bezaubernd und wird eine der denkwürdigsten Lektüren bleiben.

Es geht nicht nur um die Katze oder irgendwelche emotionalen Bindungen zwischen Katzen und Menschen, die die Handlung dieses Buches ausmachen.

Sondern es ist etwas, das völlig anders ist und dem Leben des Erzählers so wichtig ist, am Ende ergibt alles einen Sinn.

Fatima

Das ist genau mein Buch. Das ist genau meine Geschichte. Das ist genau mein Favorit.

Dieses Buch gab mir alles, was ich von einem guten Buch wollte.

Es macht Spaß und bringt mich dennoch zum Nachdenken über viele Dinge, die in der Realität wirklich wichtig sind.

Ich liebe es, wie der Autor so große Themen des Lebens auf so einfache Weise geschrieben hat. Es ist einfach erstaunlich.

Ich habe gelacht und geweint, während ich dieses Buch gelesen habe. Es ist bezaubernd und wird eine der denkwürdigsten Lektüren bleiben.

Es geht nicht nur um die Katze oder irgendwelche emotionalen Bindungen zwischen Katzen und Menschen, die die Handlung dieses Buches ausmachen.

Sondern es ist etwas, das völlig anders ist und dem Leben des Erzählers so wichtig ist, am Ende ergibt alles einen Sinn.

Maureen

"I guess it's the same with life. We all know it has to end
someday, but even so, we act as if we're going to live forever. Like love, life is beautiful because it must come to an end."

***

Memento mori, basically. The premise really piqued my interest, but I didn't get to connect with the book as much as I thought I would. The thing about Japanese literature is that it's always hit-or-miss. Translation is probably a major factor because I felt like I was reading a YA novel here. 

If you're not a fan of self-help, you might feel this book getting over preachy at times. Nonetheless, the ending tied everything together nicely. 😃

I really enjoyed this book. Although the plot is obviously a little bit depressing, the beginning of the book is written in a rather fun and carefree way which lightened the atmosphere a lot. For me personally, it could have used a lot more emotion at this point and I found the constant reflecting and deep thoughts a little repetitive, I was fully prepared to give this book only 3 stars (because it was still nice and entertaining to read), but the last couple of chapters really hit me in the face with the emotions, they definitely made me tear up a couple of times. 
The book really does make you reflect on your own life, on the people and things that surround you and what they mean to you, and how your life would change if they happened to suddenly disappear. You begin to ponder whether things are really necessary or if they are only around us out of comfort. Lovely novel. 🐈‍⬛

Ghofran Mustafa 

How would the world change if I disappeared??

A touching and depressing novel about a young man who faces death, after he discovers he has a tumor and he doesn't have much time to live.
It made me think of how we sometimes forgot that life is truly short and in the middle of everything we lose ourselves we forget how to life and enjoy the little things.
 
It pushed me to question myself about the life I'm living, how I'll end up at the end? would I feel any regret?

A beautiful book about what makes life worth living. Had me bawling my eyes out at multiple occasions, one of them being in the middle of a train station in Madrid (which was embarassing.) The story was simple and at times repetitive, but still a fun read. 

With the first chapter (maybe second, I don't remember), I was laughing out loud and thought I would be in love with this book. Sadly I'm not. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it. But the beginning and end, I didn't feel much for the story one way or another. And even then, the ending, I would say, was charming. Not as standout as the beginning, with the introduction of Aloha. Cabbage was cute though.

Ari Rose

sani

“And that’s why we need cats. It’s just like my mother said. Cats don’t need us. It’s human beings who need cats.”

the first book to actually made me cry this year. this is my kind of book. the book which is funny, nothing significant really happens and yet at the same time, it teaches us so much about reality. loved the way the magical realism was shown in the book. perfect for those people who love cats and movies. 

it was a short but beautiful journey of seven days with the narrator and as cliche as it sounds, i have grown to appreciate the little things, like he said. 

“I was never able to be completely myself or live my life in exactly the way I wanted to. I’m not sure I ever even figured out what exactly “being myself” really meant. So I’ll die with all those failures and regrets, all those unfulfilled dreams—all the people I never met, the things I never tasted, the places I’ve never been. But that doesn’t bother me anymore. I’m satisfied with who I am and how I’ve lived. I’m happy to have been here at all. Where else but here could I have been?”

loved the ambiguous ending. in my mind, the narrator and his father had made up and his father now takes care of sweet Cabbage while he is dead now.

honestly idk what i expected coming into this but i did like it. it really did make me think about life and just things humans do lol. also my first book i’ve read in yeaaars so shoutout to it for that 🙏

This is the most beautiful book I have ever read. I sobbed. Literally sobbed. 

Anca B

I'm not going to lie, the title of the book is what drew me to this book since it would be terrible if cats actually disappeared from the world! I did find the title a little bit misleading though, but I still enjoyed the novel.

Kawamura's prose is adorned with a simplistic and genuine emotion that it adds to the immersive setting and thought-provoking concept. Although some parts were a little too cliché, and a comedic tone to the writing and characters was added, it was the quiet tender moments that I adored the most. While the ending of the novel becomes a little more obvious as I read, the manner in which the conclusion is reached, to me, is poignant and touching.

I feel like I can’t give this a full 5 stars but I will remember this book for a long time. I recommend it if you love Japanese fiction or speculative writings about life and death.

I'm not going to lie, the title of the book is what drew me to this book since it would be terrible if cats actually disappeared from the world! I did find the title a little bit misleading though, but I still enjoyed the novel.

Kawamura's prose is adorned with a simplistic and genuine emotion that it adds to the immersive setting and thought-provoking concept. Although some parts were a little too cliché, and a comedic tone to the writing and characters was added, it was the quiet tender moments that I adored the most. While the ending of the novel becomes a little more obvious as I read, the manner in which the conclusion is reached, to me, is poignant and touching.

I feel like I can’t give this a full 5 stars but I will remember this book for a long time. I recommend it if you love Japanese fiction or speculative writings about life and death.

Amna A.

"With his four white feet tucked in and folded under his fur, he looked like a perfectly round throw-pillow. I stroked him and felt his little heart beating away. It was almost unbelievable that such a life force flowed through this small creature, as he lay there so still, sleeping beautifully".
This book explores the "unnecessary things" that play an important role in shaping who we are and give our lives meaning, such as cats and movies, and the ethical dilemma of denying the rest of the world those "unnecessities" in exchange for an extra day of life. Up until around the halfway mark of this book, I wasn't really enjoying the writing style and felt that the narration was too stoic for such a subject (cats disappearing from the world!!!). Initially I thought it was a translation issue, but looking back, I see that this may have been intentional to reflect the main character's development and the emotional awareness he gains with the realisation of what he might cause to disappear from the world.

Laura Rodrigues de Pina

** spoiler alert **
           Honestamente? Eu gostei muito. 

Apesar de ser uma leitura reflexiva — com todos os clichês que tem direito — não é um leitura pesada, talvez porque meus estágios do luto estão mais avançados e já não sinto mas tanto quanto sentiria há alguns anos atras. Pra Laura de hoje é um ótimo livro com passagens bonitas e significativas. O final me remeteu a duas possibilidades e em qualquer uma delas, fico satisfeita de ter decidido ler. 

obs: não acho egoísta nenhuma das decisões dele e acho que faria a mesma coisa.

gülsu

*4.5
cant believe i started to sob when he talked about his mom

Would’ve been a 5/5 but I absolutely hate abrahamic religions.

An amazing book on the uncertainty of life and death. A beautiful piece on the inevitability of death and acceptance.

SuanuAndTheirBrain

Would’ve been a 5/5 but I absolutely hate abrahamic religions.

An amazing book on the uncertainty of life and death. A beautiful piece on the inevitability of death and acceptance.

Isabella 

a book u hav to rlly connect with to actually feel it unfortunately i didnt rlly connect to it i think the premise of the book is good tho

Izabela Borges

** spoiler alert **
           Dude this book is a huge disappointment. It’s flat, it comes short on 98% of its points, and it had a lot of potential if you read the blurb, but god, the book is just as underdeveloped as its protagonist.
Our dude is either a teenage boy pretending to be an adult or a very emotionally underdeveloped 30 yo man. Reading the book was an insufferable experience… it’s extremely hard to connect with a character so shallow and self-serving. It just made the book an unpleasant read for most of it. 
There were moments that I just hated the character, and I know that some books are written in a way that it’s just intended for you to hate a character, but let me tell you, this was not it. He’s after all just a very flat and unlikeable character. To the point where all the bullet point items in his mom’s list of “things I love about my son” felt either delusional or just taken out of nowhere for cry effect at the end of the book. You couldn’t at all grasp any of those qualities anywhere else in the book, and there wasn’t any type of discussion or exposition to debate that maybe impending death made the boy act out. He should just have scheduled a therapy appointment when he left the doctor and this book would’ve been more interesting.
So there, it’s just an overall badly constructed tale. I would’ve totally DNF’d this book if it wasn’t so tiny (it was a 4-hour read while in a road trip).
But god, it really doesn’t make any sense to me that this book is so well acclaimed. Read at your own risk, I guess.

ella

Alice

Not a fan of the writing style but it did make me cry.

“To live means: to cry and shout, to love, to do silly things, to feel sadness and joy, to even experience horrible, frightening things... and to laugh.”
--------------------

If Cats Disappeared From The World is essentially a self-help book disguised under a very interesting premise: erase one thing from existence, and in return, get one more day to live. A matter of “what would you be willing to give up for just a little more time.”

The question opens up so, so many interesting doors. What are some items we attach ourselves to, that might actually be a burden? What regrets would you have if you only had one day to live? What would you give to have a chance to fix them before your time is up? What would you sacrifice (and make the world sacrifice too) for those regrets?

So many fascinating paths to take, and yet, we are stuck with a simplified self-help take on the situation. Don’t get me wrong, the narration itself was great. It was a mix of sad, funny, and self-aware. And the book does give you a sweet little appreciation of life and cats, in particular. But I was a bit disappointed to see that the book focused more on the philosophy than the fantastic premise. We don’t know how it works. Is the item erased for the whole world? How come there are no repercussions to losing very crucial items (like all phones! How many people died as a result of that bright choice?!)? 

Essentially, it was a sweet story, but too simplified for the great potential it had.

the writing does get so much better towards the end, presenting you with steady rain of emotional punches. i caught myself sobbing far too many times 

i had already seen the movie about seven months prior to reading this book. though my memory of the movie is not entirely clear, the book definitely feels fuller and much more in depth. as i finish reading, i am accompanied by a cat who before didn’t really enjoy my company. meowing at me and asking for my attention as i read through the last chapters just as cabbage had done. this book is a reminder to appreciate many things we use and enjoy but sometimes take for granted and towards the end, it is a reminder to appreciate our life and the lives of those around us. this book really hit close to home considering we have multiple cats and the chapter about lettuce’s death felt very emotional since it is almost exactly how the death of one of our cats happened. in the end, we must learn to accept our own mortality and be able to greet death with grace. phones, movies, clocks, cats, these are things not essential for a human to live, but they now carry parts of our humanity. when the day does come that i am visited by some annoying entity bearing my visage, it’ll probably be their quickest checkmate from God.

Lettuce Wrapped Cabbage Cat

Gracie Marsden

This book reminded me a lot of “The Phantom Tollbooth” in its humor and whimsical storytelling. There were heartwarming moments and surprisingly philosophical sections of the book. A fun, light read, though the translation into English does seem a little on the clunkier side.

If Cats Disappeared from the World A Novel

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