If Cats Disappeared from the World: a Book Review

TLDR: 4.7/5 stars; may not be the highest achievement of literature, but made me feel things all the same.

Your own mortality is something you don't often want to think about for too long. I know it's been a source of great anxiety for me, ever since I was a child. Not so much the thought of death, but of not having enough time to do everything you want to do, or feel you should do. Death is one thing that connects us all, for it will come for every last one of us. This story, therefore, is one that everyone can relate to. Perhaps not to the individual character, but the sense of clinging onto life as best as you can, to whatever means necessary. It made me think about what I would do, if the devil were to turn up in my living room.

If cats disappeared from the world, written by Genki Kawamura, is a story about a man who learns he has stage four brain cancer. He would have at most six months, though it is far more likely that he will die within a week. This information is hard for anyone to swallow, and so it is for our main character. When he gets back home, he passes out on the doorstep. After he regains consciousness, he finds a doppelgänger of himself; this turns out to be the devil. He gives the main character an opportunity: one extra day of life in exchange for one thing disappearing from the world, as long as there are things to disappear, so long shall he live.

This Japanese piece of literature poses some interesting questions, and tells a compelling story at the same time. Though I did expect to read more about how life would be without all of the things that disappear; we didn't get much of that. We'd hear about what it'd likely be like, and what kind of impact the things had on everyday life, but anything beyond their point of disappearance was a void. We simply continued with the main character's story, and he was hardly impacted by any of the disappearances. I would consider this a flaw in most other books, but in this one, I felt it wasn't the point of the story.

I couldn't help but tear up a couple of times throughout the story. Though the concept of the story is heartbreaking in and of itself, there were moments where I felt particularly strongly about whatever the author was putting forth. Though the thought of death is not always on the forefront of my thoughts, it remains in a comfortable room somewhere in my mind at all times. Added to that the strains of growing up, and aging into adulthood, and it hit home. What if life will never reach the peaks you hoped for when you were a kid? Of course, dreams of being a knight, or being the leader of the entire world won't come true. But even the smaller dreams, like becoming an author, or a painter, or finding someone to put your love into––there is no guarantee for a happy ending.

Now, I don't think the point of life is searching for a happy ending. What's more important is following your passions, enjoying time with the people around you, enjoying time spent with yourself. Though this story did not have a miraculous ending of a full recovery––and it was, in fact, very bittersweet, leaning heavy towards the bitter side––it was a beautiful one. It pulled together some strings that were set into place throughout the story. We didn't get goodbyes to some of the characters we met in the story, and it felt rather abrupt, but I feel like that's just how life goes. And the non-goodbyes were goodbyes regardless, I feel like. Maybe their introduction to us was their goodbye to the main character.

I've read some reviews on this book before diving in, and some said that the characters felt flat, or devoid of humanity. I don't think that's true. I think they are human enough, and fleshed out just enough for this story to work. It may not be the peak of character work, but it certainly is not the lowest point of the valley. Admittedly, the characters were created for the purpose of the book's philosophy, yes. But aren't all characters? Certainly in these types of books––it's similar to a book I read recently, The Unbearable Lightness of Being. In that one, too, the characters were human enough, but definitely stood for points that the author was attempting to convey.

This book was largely written in inner dialogue and memories of the past. I had expected this, going into it, so I was not put off by it. Though I assume, if you're here for an adventurous story about a deal with the devil, you could be disappointed. Do know that it is a lot of tell, and not show. I did not mind it though, it felt calm. And that was exactly what I came to this book for.

In short, I do recommend this story for lovers of Japanese literature, or those in search of some philosophy on death and humanity. It is not some world-changing novel that will reshape the way you see the world, but it will give you an afternoon of contemplation––and maybe, if it hits you right, a pair of hazy eyes and striped cheeks.