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Catfish Rolling
Secondo la leggenda sotto le isole del Giappone si nasconde un gigantesco pesce gatto che causa terremoti ogni volta che si gira. Nel mondo di Catfish Rolling uno di questi terremoti ha mandato in frantumi il tempo, che oggi in certi luoghi del Giappone scorre più in fretta o più piano che in altri. Sora ha perso sua madre nel terremoto e ora teme che l'ossessione di suo padre verso questi luoghi misteriosi e vietati le porti via anche lui. Salvarlo significherà mettere tutto in gioco, affrontando proprio ciò di cui ha più paura. Un fantasy poetico intriso di rarefatte atmosfere che evocano il mondo di Miyazaki. Un esordio folgorante in cui dolore e memoria, miti e magie riecheggiano all'unisono.
421 pages, Hardcover
First published March 2, 2023
129 people are currently reading
5686 people want to read
About the author
Clara Kumagai
3 books74 followersClara Kumagai is from Canada, Japan, and Ireland. Catfish Rolling, her debut novel, was a 2024 YOTO Carnegie Medal nominee, shortlisted for the Great Reads Award and winner of the 2024 KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Book of the Year. She lives and writes in Ireland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 432 reviews
February 7, 2023
"In the zone, things are preserved. In the slow places, decay can be delayed. Night comes later. Back in normal time, everything readjusts to the correct now. Her smell had disappeared. All I had was the memory."
The honour of my first 5-star of the new year goes to Clara Kumagai’s phenomenal debut, that blends magical realism and sci-fi elements into a haunting tale of grief, family, time and the earthquake that shook a nation.
Synopsis:
Sora grew up with the legend of the giant catfish that lives under the islands of Japan; a creature of magic and myth responsible for earthquakes and tsunami’s by flicks of its tail. When Sora was eleven, the catfish rolled with an earthquake so powerful it shook time itself. Since then, the hardest-hit areas have fractured into zones, each flowing at a different pace of time. Due to the devastation, as well as the time-anomalies, these zones are off-limits to anyone but a restricted few governmental scientists. Both Sora and her father have been obsessively exploring the zones in secret, each with motives of their own. Her father seeks a scientific answer to the incomprehensible. Sora seeks her mother, who went missing during the Shake, hoping to find her trapped in a different time-zone somewhere. But dwelling in the time-zones isn’t without danger, and when Sora’s dad travels too far, Sora must venture into uncharted territory to bring him back to now.
Review:
Catfish Rolling is very close to my perfect book. It checks so many of my boxes; an emotionally layered, slowly unfurling story centring grief, change and the progression of time. Elements of folklore, philosophy and science. Generational gaps, family dynamics and a young-adult protagonist navigating desolate and haunted landscapes, mindscapes and combinations of those two. Kumagai juggles this ambitious cocktail of elements with remarkable ease and success.
Personally, it was the depiction of grief, and the intersection of grief and time, that resonated with me the most. The way the zones warp time is very similar to the effects that grief can have on our perception- and memory of time. Slowing it down, speeding it up, making entire chunks of it go missing, or trapping characters to get lost in times gone by. On a smaller scale, Sora and her dad lose each other and themselves within them. On a larger scale, we also see the rippling effects the earthquake has had in shaping Japan and its culture as a whole. Some zones seem stuck in time, held back by devastation and holding on to traditions to cope. Other large urban zones shifting into high-gear, speeding away from the past at dazzling speed. Kumagai nails the narrative on each of these levels in a way that only an incredibly skilful author can. Again; my mind is blown that this is a debut!
On an “objective reviewers basis”, I highly recommend this book. It’s a wonderfully written, thought provoking piece of speculative magical realism, that combines a post-apocalyptic-exploration mystery with an emotional character journey. You have to be okay with a slower pacing and not expect a flashy, plot heavy sci-fi novel, but if you surrender yourself the currents of this story, you’re in for an absolute treat.
On a personal basis, I’m deeply thankful to have encountered this novel. Wandering the desolate landscapes of post-quake-Japan, and experiencing the feelings of curiosity, displacement, liminality and deep longing for a place you can’t return to, touched my heart in a way that few grief-stories have lately. This is going on the favourite-grief-fiction shelf for sure.
Many thanks to Zephyr Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Readalikes: The Astonishing Color of After (blending Asian mythology and coming of age with a grief-narrative), Annihilation (different genre, but similar in regards to exploring liminal spaces and trauma)
The honour of my first 5-star of the new year goes to Clara Kumagai’s phenomenal debut, that blends magical realism and sci-fi elements into a haunting tale of grief, family, time and the earthquake that shook a nation.
Synopsis:
Sora grew up with the legend of the giant catfish that lives under the islands of Japan; a creature of magic and myth responsible for earthquakes and tsunami’s by flicks of its tail. When Sora was eleven, the catfish rolled with an earthquake so powerful it shook time itself. Since then, the hardest-hit areas have fractured into zones, each flowing at a different pace of time. Due to the devastation, as well as the time-anomalies, these zones are off-limits to anyone but a restricted few governmental scientists. Both Sora and her father have been obsessively exploring the zones in secret, each with motives of their own. Her father seeks a scientific answer to the incomprehensible. Sora seeks her mother, who went missing during the Shake, hoping to find her trapped in a different time-zone somewhere. But dwelling in the time-zones isn’t without danger, and when Sora’s dad travels too far, Sora must venture into uncharted territory to bring him back to now.
Review:
Catfish Rolling is very close to my perfect book. It checks so many of my boxes; an emotionally layered, slowly unfurling story centring grief, change and the progression of time. Elements of folklore, philosophy and science. Generational gaps, family dynamics and a young-adult protagonist navigating desolate and haunted landscapes, mindscapes and combinations of those two. Kumagai juggles this ambitious cocktail of elements with remarkable ease and success.
Personally, it was the depiction of grief, and the intersection of grief and time, that resonated with me the most. The way the zones warp time is very similar to the effects that grief can have on our perception- and memory of time. Slowing it down, speeding it up, making entire chunks of it go missing, or trapping characters to get lost in times gone by. On a smaller scale, Sora and her dad lose each other and themselves within them. On a larger scale, we also see the rippling effects the earthquake has had in shaping Japan and its culture as a whole. Some zones seem stuck in time, held back by devastation and holding on to traditions to cope. Other large urban zones shifting into high-gear, speeding away from the past at dazzling speed. Kumagai nails the narrative on each of these levels in a way that only an incredibly skilful author can. Again; my mind is blown that this is a debut!
On an “objective reviewers basis”, I highly recommend this book. It’s a wonderfully written, thought provoking piece of speculative magical realism, that combines a post-apocalyptic-exploration mystery with an emotional character journey. You have to be okay with a slower pacing and not expect a flashy, plot heavy sci-fi novel, but if you surrender yourself the currents of this story, you’re in for an absolute treat.
On a personal basis, I’m deeply thankful to have encountered this novel. Wandering the desolate landscapes of post-quake-Japan, and experiencing the feelings of curiosity, displacement, liminality and deep longing for a place you can’t return to, touched my heart in a way that few grief-stories have lately. This is going on the favourite-grief-fiction shelf for sure.
Many thanks to Zephyr Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Readalikes: The Astonishing Color of After (blending Asian mythology and coming of age with a grief-narrative), Annihilation (different genre, but similar in regards to exploring liminal spaces and trauma)
March 1, 2023
STARTED OFF STRONG, BUT FLOUNDERED AND SUNK
Actual rating: 2.5⭐
I was so on board with this at the beginning. The earthquake, the time zones, the missing people and the mystery? I was so into it. But a great concept can only go so far. Especially when it isn't explored or expanded enough. And without a riveting plot or compelling characters, there's really not much left. I can tell that I am in the minority with my rating, so perhaps I just didn't get it? 🤷♀️
👍 What I Liked 👍
Premise: From the beginning the premise seemed strong and very interesting. An earthquake has shifted time, making some parts of Japan faster and others slower. I was super into it and wanted to learn more - especially about the effects and consequences.
👎 What I Disliked 👎
Premise: Sadly, I did not get what I was looking for. The different time zones are described as dangerous, but the actual consequences of them were not explored enough for my taste. I wanted to know even more about these zones - how did they affect people and things? How was it discovered, that they were bad for people? Why did the authorities decide to seal them off? I didn't feel like this was elaborated enough.
Pace: The premise was what kept me engaged to begin with. But at the 50% marker, nothing had really happened and the premise became stale. The pace only picked up a bit at about 60%, but still not enough to actually keep my attention. It was simply too slow and ultimately boring.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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Actual rating: 2.5⭐
I was so on board with this at the beginning. The earthquake, the time zones, the missing people and the mystery? I was so into it. But a great concept can only go so far. Especially when it isn't explored or expanded enough. And without a riveting plot or compelling characters, there's really not much left. I can tell that I am in the minority with my rating, so perhaps I just didn't get it? 🤷♀️
👍 What I Liked 👍
Premise: From the beginning the premise seemed strong and very interesting. An earthquake has shifted time, making some parts of Japan faster and others slower. I was super into it and wanted to learn more - especially about the effects and consequences.
👎 What I Disliked 👎
Premise: Sadly, I did not get what I was looking for. The different time zones are described as dangerous, but the actual consequences of them were not explored enough for my taste. I wanted to know even more about these zones - how did they affect people and things? How was it discovered, that they were bad for people? Why did the authorities decide to seal them off? I didn't feel like this was elaborated enough.
Pace: The premise was what kept me engaged to begin with. But at the 50% marker, nothing had really happened and the premise became stale. The pace only picked up a bit at about 60%, but still not enough to actually keep my attention. It was simply too slow and ultimately boring.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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Blog Post: Which Book Should you read next based on your favourite Jane Austen Heroine
October 20, 2023
I had many expectations for this title after reading the enchanting description about catfish that cause the land to rise and fall beneath the islands of Japan. However, I found the book to be quite ordinary and contemporary, still, it's not a bad debut novel!
The story starts off strong with the magical concept of the catfish rolling and causing Japan to shake. A father and daughter are left puzzled and intrigued by the unusual and mysterious shaking, which causes the mother to disappear. Could she be in a parallel world or another time? However, this concept is short-lived and the book quickly becomes absorbed in the daily life of Sora - her future, her relationship with her father, the shock of her lost mother, and her struggles as a minority.
After reading other reviews, I found out many loved this story. While it may not have been my cup of tea, I can appreciate that it could be much more interesting to those who enjoy contemporary and queer romantic novels, as well as those who find the time zone change concept to be interesting.
I want to thank RB Media via NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to listen to Catfish Rolling by Clara Kumagi and narrated by Susan Momoko-Hingley. As always, I have given an honest review.
The story starts off strong with the magical concept of the catfish rolling and causing Japan to shake. A father and daughter are left puzzled and intrigued by the unusual and mysterious shaking, which causes the mother to disappear. Could she be in a parallel world or another time? However, this concept is short-lived and the book quickly becomes absorbed in the daily life of Sora - her future, her relationship with her father, the shock of her lost mother, and her struggles as a minority.
After reading other reviews, I found out many loved this story. While it may not have been my cup of tea, I can appreciate that it could be much more interesting to those who enjoy contemporary and queer romantic novels, as well as those who find the time zone change concept to be interesting.
I want to thank RB Media via NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to listen to Catfish Rolling by Clara Kumagi and narrated by Susan Momoko-Hingley. As always, I have given an honest review.
March 8, 2023
Thank you to Head of Zeus and Tandem for this gorgeous copy of Catfish Rolling. I absolutely loved the metaphors and motif of time that were interwoven in this book. I've never read any mythology fiction before but this book is the perfect place to start in my opinion! If you would like to see my content on this, please head to my tiktok @helenareadsxx :)
March 1, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I think I struggled with this book because it was so unlike what I expected. It was way more science fiction than it was fantasy, which I was not expecting at all. I found myself feeling pretty confused on the timelines and locations of everything, particularly any flashbacks. A lot of the book felt pretty repetitive and like we were being shown/told the same information over and over again, and so I struggled to be fully immersed and connect to the main character. The ending also felt bizarrely fast-paced compared to the rest of the book which was fairly slow-paced, and so it all felt pretty disjointed.
The main theme of this novel is, however, grief, and I thought it dealt with this topic beautifully, with the difficulty of losing someone you love playing through this whole book; how you can feel that you've moved on, but then grief rears it's head and you're lost all over again. This book did also have such gorgeous writing which fit the magical realism/scifi genre really well.
I think I struggled with this book because it was so unlike what I expected. It was way more science fiction than it was fantasy, which I was not expecting at all. I found myself feeling pretty confused on the timelines and locations of everything, particularly any flashbacks. A lot of the book felt pretty repetitive and like we were being shown/told the same information over and over again, and so I struggled to be fully immersed and connect to the main character. The ending also felt bizarrely fast-paced compared to the rest of the book which was fairly slow-paced, and so it all felt pretty disjointed.
The main theme of this novel is, however, grief, and I thought it dealt with this topic beautifully, with the difficulty of losing someone you love playing through this whole book; how you can feel that you've moved on, but then grief rears it's head and you're lost all over again. This book did also have such gorgeous writing which fit the magical realism/scifi genre really well.
dnf
April 21, 2023Dnf after chapter 3, 14%..I’m not in the mood for this sadly, maybe will try again in the future.
February 20, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley & Zephyr for an eARC of this book. The following review is my honest reflection on the text provided.
4.5 stars
This will be one of those elusive narratives that I won’t be able to review well because words can’t capture the magic of Catfish Rolling. There’s a feeling this story gives you that is impossible to explain, and I can already tell I’m doing this wrong.
Sora is very difficult to like and impossible to dislike. She’s abrupt and disengaged but too attached and won’t stop searching for a futile dream. Every moment with her is a tug of war, and it’s hard to tell if it’s because she is Canadian and Japanese and the cultures are warring within her or if that’s just who she is. She swings wildly from impersonal and respectful to sarcastic and blunt within the same conversation, no matter who she’s talking to. I think a lot of it comes with her age and the fact that she’s a little lost in life. Which is fair since the rest of her family is very lost, both with and without her.
I was fascinated by these time zones. The time catching up to objects when you remove them from the zone was such a beautiful touch. And the mysteries hiding in each journey varied so much that it’s not surprising most people were afraid of the zones. I want so much more information about why Sora is so unique - travelling between zones without much effect, keeping track of time so precisely, feeling zones and being able to judge their time, not to mention the electric shocks and fast-growing trees. The most frustrating thing about Catfish Rolling is that more and more mysteries are introduced, and almost none of them are solved. Kumagai is not here to answer your questions; she’s here to trap you in this narrative and keep you so intrigued you can’t escape.
Considering this is a fantasy book containing a lot of science, it’s not surprising that Catfish Rolling is more of a feeling than something that can be explained. I know I did a terrible job, but if you like sci-fi or fantasy even a little, I’d recommend you add this book to your TBR. And if you don’t, I’d still add it. Because although the sci-fi/fantasy components are fascinating, complex, and unexplained, there’s a lot more to this book than time travel and shadows with no bodies and catfish god folklore. And maybe read another review because I have no idea how to explain this book other than to say I loved it.
Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.
4.5 stars
This will be one of those elusive narratives that I won’t be able to review well because words can’t capture the magic of Catfish Rolling. There’s a feeling this story gives you that is impossible to explain, and I can already tell I’m doing this wrong.
Sora is very difficult to like and impossible to dislike. She’s abrupt and disengaged but too attached and won’t stop searching for a futile dream. Every moment with her is a tug of war, and it’s hard to tell if it’s because she is Canadian and Japanese and the cultures are warring within her or if that’s just who she is. She swings wildly from impersonal and respectful to sarcastic and blunt within the same conversation, no matter who she’s talking to. I think a lot of it comes with her age and the fact that she’s a little lost in life. Which is fair since the rest of her family is very lost, both with and without her.
I was fascinated by these time zones. The time catching up to objects when you remove them from the zone was such a beautiful touch. And the mysteries hiding in each journey varied so much that it’s not surprising most people were afraid of the zones. I want so much more information about why Sora is so unique - travelling between zones without much effect, keeping track of time so precisely, feeling zones and being able to judge their time, not to mention the electric shocks and fast-growing trees. The most frustrating thing about Catfish Rolling is that more and more mysteries are introduced, and almost none of them are solved. Kumagai is not here to answer your questions; she’s here to trap you in this narrative and keep you so intrigued you can’t escape.
Considering this is a fantasy book containing a lot of science, it’s not surprising that Catfish Rolling is more of a feeling than something that can be explained. I know I did a terrible job, but if you like sci-fi or fantasy even a little, I’d recommend you add this book to your TBR. And if you don’t, I’d still add it. Because although the sci-fi/fantasy components are fascinating, complex, and unexplained, there’s a lot more to this book than time travel and shadows with no bodies and catfish god folklore. And maybe read another review because I have no idea how to explain this book other than to say I loved it.
Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.
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December 29, 2022
4.5 stars
The catfish in the title is the one that lives below the islands of Japan. To stop it moving and causing damage a huge rock is placed on it but every now and again the catfish moves the rock and Japan shakes.
This story begins where not just the earth moves but time also shifts. It leaves Japan's islands in a state of flux with some fast time zones and some slow. However The Shake has captured many people in the zones and they have disappeared. Sora's mother has been lost so Sora and her father stay in Japan to look for her in the zones. Its inherently dangerous but neither care.
The story is really about love, loss and learning to accept the way things are. Being Japanese the story encompasses much of the polytheistic and animistic religions. Gods and their representatives are everywhere. The love of nature permeates the whole book. The question is, can Sora stop hating the catfish long enough to help her father and herself?
I found some of the book a little confusing but on the whole it is well written and easy enough to follow. I've been a fan of Japanese fiction for a while now and anything that melds together the love of the natural world with a surreal story is fine with me.
I'd recommend it for any fans of Japanese fiction or anyone who wants a coming of age story with a difference.
The catfish in the title is the one that lives below the islands of Japan. To stop it moving and causing damage a huge rock is placed on it but every now and again the catfish moves the rock and Japan shakes.
This story begins where not just the earth moves but time also shifts. It leaves Japan's islands in a state of flux with some fast time zones and some slow. However The Shake has captured many people in the zones and they have disappeared. Sora's mother has been lost so Sora and her father stay in Japan to look for her in the zones. Its inherently dangerous but neither care.
The story is really about love, loss and learning to accept the way things are. Being Japanese the story encompasses much of the polytheistic and animistic religions. Gods and their representatives are everywhere. The love of nature permeates the whole book. The question is, can Sora stop hating the catfish long enough to help her father and herself?
I found some of the book a little confusing but on the whole it is well written and easy enough to follow. I've been a fan of Japanese fiction for a while now and anything that melds together the love of the natural world with a surreal story is fine with me.
I'd recommend it for any fans of Japanese fiction or anyone who wants a coming of age story with a difference.
January 26, 2023
{10/2023} 3.5/5🌟 Fantasy Fiction/Magical Realism | 371 pages
I think I first read about this Japanese mythology when I was reading Ruth Ozeki’s “A Tale for the Time Being”. It was believed that there was a giant catfish living underground the islands of Japan, and was restrained by a stone. Whenever it tried to move and stir around, it would cause vicious earthquakes.
‘Catfish Rolling’, took inspiration from the tragedy of ‘The Great Japan Earthquake’ that had befallen Japan in 2011 as well as this Japan legendary myth. The earthquake had strucked the largest city in Tohoku region which also caused tsunami that shocked the whole world.
Sora, a seventeen year old girl, and her father, fortunately, was saved from the ordeal - but with a bigger price. She lost both her mother and grandfather during the disaster and they couldn’t find their bodies. Since then, she hated and had vengeance towards the “catfish” because it took her mother away.
Due to that, Sora was caught in a tangled of knotted and haywire feelings of her own. There was a lot that she had to deal on her own after she and her father decided to move to Japan from Canada after the tragedy. Being a ‘hafu’ didn’t help too as people sometime tended to not consider her a part of them. Meanwhile, her father seemed to be lost in his own memories and grief, and Sora felt that she was losing him. Her bestfriend, the only friend she had, Koki, would be pursuing his studies in Tokyo and leaving her too. Sora wanted to leave everything and started over but she know she couldn’t. She had no one to turn to. Most of the time, Sora was alone.
Sora’s father was a researcher and he often brought Sora to places where time slowed down and moved faster. It was figured, the earthquake had somehow changed time at some places. Sora thought, she could find her mother in those places. She thought her mother could be trapped between times. However, she seemed to be losing her father day by day too. Could time be the culprit?
I love the premise. The writing style reminded me a lot to one of my favourite authors, Ruth Ozeki. Philosophical and witty. I love the dialogues between Sora and her father because, their banters would be funny although they were actually quarelling.
I love any premise that discusses time - time-travelling, time shift, the reason I am a big fan of Christopher Nolan. In this book, the different time zones had managed to instigate suspense and mystery everytime Sora went into it.
However, I think, the time concept being presented was too heavy, and repetitive at times, without considering readers’ understanding, perhaps? I had quite a hard time digesting the philosophical and scientific arguments and discussions of Sora’s personal monologues. There were times where I had to repeat my readings a few times so that I would understand better. Maybe it was just me because I am not “science people” 😅. I seriously thought that the mystery behind the time zones would be clarified.
The blurb for the book mentioned that this would be a perfect book for fans of Studio Ghibli and I couldn’t agree more. I personally could imagine especially the last part of Sora’s personal adventure transformed into a Ghibli’s animation vividly. However, I would leave that for you Ghibli fans to decide once you read this book.
This is a story about coping with grief, handling loneliness, preserving memories, appreciating time, focusing on present moments and people we still have, as well as respecting and understanding the earth and its ecosystem.
A recommended read if you are into fantasy fiction, magical wonders and Ghibli animation.
Thank you #pansing for this review copy in exchange of an honest review. This book will be available at all good bookstores.
#JanuaryReads #JanuaryTBRs #justreaddontbawang #bookmehnia #bookstagrammalaysia #bookstagrammy #malaysiamembaca #bookstagrammer #bookgram #bibliophile #bibliophilemy #bookish #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #bookish #readersofinstagram #goodreads #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookworm #catfishrolling #clarakumagai
I think I first read about this Japanese mythology when I was reading Ruth Ozeki’s “A Tale for the Time Being”. It was believed that there was a giant catfish living underground the islands of Japan, and was restrained by a stone. Whenever it tried to move and stir around, it would cause vicious earthquakes.
‘Catfish Rolling’, took inspiration from the tragedy of ‘The Great Japan Earthquake’ that had befallen Japan in 2011 as well as this Japan legendary myth. The earthquake had strucked the largest city in Tohoku region which also caused tsunami that shocked the whole world.
Sora, a seventeen year old girl, and her father, fortunately, was saved from the ordeal - but with a bigger price. She lost both her mother and grandfather during the disaster and they couldn’t find their bodies. Since then, she hated and had vengeance towards the “catfish” because it took her mother away.
Due to that, Sora was caught in a tangled of knotted and haywire feelings of her own. There was a lot that she had to deal on her own after she and her father decided to move to Japan from Canada after the tragedy. Being a ‘hafu’ didn’t help too as people sometime tended to not consider her a part of them. Meanwhile, her father seemed to be lost in his own memories and grief, and Sora felt that she was losing him. Her bestfriend, the only friend she had, Koki, would be pursuing his studies in Tokyo and leaving her too. Sora wanted to leave everything and started over but she know she couldn’t. She had no one to turn to. Most of the time, Sora was alone.
Sora’s father was a researcher and he often brought Sora to places where time slowed down and moved faster. It was figured, the earthquake had somehow changed time at some places. Sora thought, she could find her mother in those places. She thought her mother could be trapped between times. However, she seemed to be losing her father day by day too. Could time be the culprit?
I love the premise. The writing style reminded me a lot to one of my favourite authors, Ruth Ozeki. Philosophical and witty. I love the dialogues between Sora and her father because, their banters would be funny although they were actually quarelling.
I love any premise that discusses time - time-travelling, time shift, the reason I am a big fan of Christopher Nolan. In this book, the different time zones had managed to instigate suspense and mystery everytime Sora went into it.
However, I think, the time concept being presented was too heavy, and repetitive at times, without considering readers’ understanding, perhaps? I had quite a hard time digesting the philosophical and scientific arguments and discussions of Sora’s personal monologues. There were times where I had to repeat my readings a few times so that I would understand better. Maybe it was just me because I am not “science people” 😅. I seriously thought that the mystery behind the time zones would be clarified.
The blurb for the book mentioned that this would be a perfect book for fans of Studio Ghibli and I couldn’t agree more. I personally could imagine especially the last part of Sora’s personal adventure transformed into a Ghibli’s animation vividly. However, I would leave that for you Ghibli fans to decide once you read this book.
This is a story about coping with grief, handling loneliness, preserving memories, appreciating time, focusing on present moments and people we still have, as well as respecting and understanding the earth and its ecosystem.
A recommended read if you are into fantasy fiction, magical wonders and Ghibli animation.
Thank you #pansing for this review copy in exchange of an honest review. This book will be available at all good bookstores.
#JanuaryReads #JanuaryTBRs #justreaddontbawang #bookmehnia #bookstagrammalaysia #bookstagrammy #malaysiamembaca #bookstagrammer #bookgram #bibliophile #bibliophilemy #bookish #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #bookish #readersofinstagram #goodreads #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookworm #catfishrolling #clarakumagai
February 28, 2024
Un fantasy che aveva tutte le premesse per essere una bomba e invece no, peccato! Si legge comunque velocemente e piacevolmente ma avrei voluto sapere qualcosa in più e avrei apprezzato un glossario al fondo con le parole giapponesi. Se non avessi saputo nulla del mondo del sol levante avrei dovuto cercare troppe cose. La veste grafica mi ha fregato anche questa volta 😂
April 24, 2024
Quest’edizione è fin troppo bella.
Tra la copertina e la cura delle illustrazioni interne che decorano ogni capitolo, risulta poetica e zen come ogni romanzo giapponese che si rispetti.
Tuttavia Catfish Rolling si rivela non solo una gioia per gli occhi, ma anche per i neuroni dato che è davvero originale: una via di mezzo tra il fantasy e il sci-fi, dove natura e scienza si incontrano frantumando il tempo e creando un caleidoscopio di zone temporali sparse per tutto il Giappone.
E la causa di ciò sono i terremoti.
E sarà proprio durante uno di questi comuni eventi geologici che Sora perderà sua madre e, in parte, anche il padre. Essendo una hafu, metà giapponese e metà canadese, Sora si trova già da sé in due realtà diverse, in un mondo che non riesce a comprendere e di cui non riesce farne parte. Quando deciderà di prendersi un anno sabatico dopo il diploma e arrotondare facendo la guida nelle zone temporali, inizierà a investigare con l’aiuto di alcuni ricercatori universitari sul mistero che si nasconde dietro a questi strani eventi. Eventi che a poco a poco comportano gravi problemi di salute, come si è gentilmente offerto di mostrarci suo padre.
Senza contare gli avvistamenti di yokai e delle ombre delle persone rimaste intrappolate nel tempo.
Insomma, c’erano molte nozioni da approfondire, compreso l’utilizzo delle zone per scopi commerciali e produttivi, ma ammetto che a lungo andare ho trovato la narrazione stagnante.
Capisco che come ogni romanzo giapponese che si rispetti non offre risposte ma vibes, eppure il finale lascia un po’ l’amaro in bocca per le molte cose non dette.
La parte che mi ha lasciata più amareggiata è stato lo scarso uso dell’azienda in cui lavorava il padre. Insomma, una corporazione malvagia ci sta sempre bene.
Per contro, sarebbe una strepitosa base per un film d’animazione. Chiamate lo studio Ghibli!
Se cercate un’opera originale ma tranquilla, questo romanzo può fare al caso vostro.
Tra la copertina e la cura delle illustrazioni interne che decorano ogni capitolo, risulta poetica e zen come ogni romanzo giapponese che si rispetti.
Tuttavia Catfish Rolling si rivela non solo una gioia per gli occhi, ma anche per i neuroni dato che è davvero originale: una via di mezzo tra il fantasy e il sci-fi, dove natura e scienza si incontrano frantumando il tempo e creando un caleidoscopio di zone temporali sparse per tutto il Giappone.
E la causa di ciò sono i terremoti.
E sarà proprio durante uno di questi comuni eventi geologici che Sora perderà sua madre e, in parte, anche il padre. Essendo una hafu, metà giapponese e metà canadese, Sora si trova già da sé in due realtà diverse, in un mondo che non riesce a comprendere e di cui non riesce farne parte. Quando deciderà di prendersi un anno sabatico dopo il diploma e arrotondare facendo la guida nelle zone temporali, inizierà a investigare con l’aiuto di alcuni ricercatori universitari sul mistero che si nasconde dietro a questi strani eventi. Eventi che a poco a poco comportano gravi problemi di salute, come si è gentilmente offerto di mostrarci suo padre.
Senza contare gli avvistamenti di yokai e delle ombre delle persone rimaste intrappolate nel tempo.
Insomma, c’erano molte nozioni da approfondire, compreso l’utilizzo delle zone per scopi commerciali e produttivi, ma ammetto che a lungo andare ho trovato la narrazione stagnante.
Capisco che come ogni romanzo giapponese che si rispetti non offre risposte ma vibes, eppure il finale lascia un po’ l’amaro in bocca per le molte cose non dette.
La parte che mi ha lasciata più amareggiata è stato lo scarso uso dell’azienda in cui lavorava il padre. Insomma, una corporazione malvagia ci sta sempre bene.
Per contro, sarebbe una strepitosa base per un film d’animazione. Chiamate lo studio Ghibli!
Se cercate un’opera originale ma tranquilla, questo romanzo può fare al caso vostro.
March 6, 2023
It’s not easy to pen a novel swimming in magical realism and dream-logic that is also highly influenced by science and philosophy- but that’s exactly what Clara Kumagai has done. Catfish Rolling takes many contradictory stories and ideas and seamlessly weaves them into a single tale.
Pitch-perfect narration takes us through main character Sora’s efforts to come to terms with the loss of her mother in an earthquake so strong it cracks time itself. Sora journeys through the broken time zones (some of which time moves faster in, some slower) in search of answers and her lost parent.
Her story cares about research and measurement and nature but most of all about time. It cares about the question of time and how we as people move within it. About how we perceive time and how time affects us. It manages to take familiar touchstones and make them all new.
Catfish Rolling heralds a blistering new talent to the YA scene and I for one at grateful she is here.
Pitch-perfect narration takes us through main character Sora’s efforts to come to terms with the loss of her mother in an earthquake so strong it cracks time itself. Sora journeys through the broken time zones (some of which time moves faster in, some slower) in search of answers and her lost parent.
Her story cares about research and measurement and nature but most of all about time. It cares about the question of time and how we as people move within it. About how we perceive time and how time affects us. It manages to take familiar touchstones and make them all new.
Catfish Rolling heralds a blistering new talent to the YA scene and I for one at grateful she is here.
November 24, 2023
Wonderfully low-key, the story meanders along, scattering plot crumbs, until it all comes together. The prose and pacing are consistent but the plot is difficult to describe, as it felt like science fiction but subtly becomes fantasy. I was deeply intrigued by the notion of time passing at different rates and would love another book that explores this concept. Overall, an enjoyable coming of age story that I would recommend to those who like contemplative, character-driven books.
Thank you to Penguin Random House who kindly sent me a copy to review.
Thank you to Penguin Random House who kindly sent me a copy to review.
March 16, 2025
Prekrásna obálka, výborný preklad Alexandry Obšajtovej.
Čítanie mi trvalo veľmi dlho na moje pomery, ale hlavne kvôli neodkladným povinnostiam a priznám sa, že som sa aj nevedela dostať do deja.
Žáner je úplne mimo mňa, ale zvedavosť som prekonala a nakoniec som za to rada.
Hlavná postava Sora mala taký ťaživý život a moc pomoci od okolia nedostávala. Všetci v jej okolí ma tam štvali. Ona bola zaujímavá mladá hrdinka, ktorá nerobila veci ako ostatní…
Druhá polovica knihy bola dynamickejšia a už to išlo ako po masle.
Výborné vysvetlivky na konci mi pomohli pochopiť japonské výrazy.
Čítanie mi trvalo veľmi dlho na moje pomery, ale hlavne kvôli neodkladným povinnostiam a priznám sa, že som sa aj nevedela dostať do deja.
Žáner je úplne mimo mňa, ale zvedavosť som prekonala a nakoniec som za to rada.
Hlavná postava Sora mala taký ťaživý život a moc pomoci od okolia nedostávala. Všetci v jej okolí ma tam štvali. Ona bola zaujímavá mladá hrdinka, ktorá nerobila veci ako ostatní…
Druhá polovica knihy bola dynamickejšia a už to išlo ako po masle.
Výborné vysvetlivky na konci mi pomohli pochopiť japonské výrazy.
June 15, 2025
"To, čo som stratila, už nikdy nenájdem. Nevráti sa to. Čas už vypršal."
February 23, 2025
Skvelý preklad!
October 23, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up.
This is definitely not a read for everyone.
Catfish Rolling is one of those novels where the reader has to do the legwork and interpret its meaning. There are themes of grief (and all its stages), growth (as both a young person experiencing trauma and grief), and living in liminal spaces where time moves faster, slower, or normally.
There are a few examples of how different people experience these emotions and their reactions to them. For example, Sora's grief manifests in a different manner than her father's grief. This can be seen throughout the novel. Her father refuses to accept his invisible illness, but Sora can see it quite clearly.
There's an ethereal, abstract quality to the novel that's very in line with magical realism. I'd say it's the kind of soft and emotional sci-fi that reminds me of Lars von Trier's Melancholia (2011) and Mike Cahill's Another Earth (2011). Sci-fi is used as a metaphor for the human experience, which is definitely a YMMV type of thing.
There are also themes of belonging. Over and over again, Sora, a hafu living in Japan, is seen as an Other. Some of the Japanese people she encounters just assume that she's a foreigner who doesn't speak Japanese. There's a biting scene where Sora's father's boss says that her Japanese is really good, and she responds along the lines of, "And so is yours." As a brown immigrant living in the US, this is definitely relatable.
I loved how Sora's relationships (with her father, her missing mother, and her guy friend) are messy and complicated. It's very lifelike and realistic. The author did really well with this.
All in all, I'd recommend this if you're looking for a YA novel that's complex and multifaceted in the ways that it deals with grief and trauma.
Thank you to Recorded Books and NetGalley for this arc.
This is definitely not a read for everyone.
Catfish Rolling is one of those novels where the reader has to do the legwork and interpret its meaning. There are themes of grief (and all its stages), growth (as both a young person experiencing trauma and grief), and living in liminal spaces where time moves faster, slower, or normally.
There are a few examples of how different people experience these emotions and their reactions to them. For example, Sora's grief manifests in a different manner than her father's grief. This can be seen throughout the novel. Her father refuses to accept his invisible illness, but Sora can see it quite clearly.
There's an ethereal, abstract quality to the novel that's very in line with magical realism. I'd say it's the kind of soft and emotional sci-fi that reminds me of Lars von Trier's Melancholia (2011) and Mike Cahill's Another Earth (2011). Sci-fi is used as a metaphor for the human experience, which is definitely a YMMV type of thing.
There are also themes of belonging. Over and over again, Sora, a hafu living in Japan, is seen as an Other. Some of the Japanese people she encounters just assume that she's a foreigner who doesn't speak Japanese. There's a biting scene where Sora's father's boss says that her Japanese is really good, and she responds along the lines of, "And so is yours." As a brown immigrant living in the US, this is definitely relatable.
I loved how Sora's relationships (with her father, her missing mother, and her guy friend) are messy and complicated. It's very lifelike and realistic. The author did really well with this.
All in all, I'd recommend this if you're looking for a YA novel that's complex and multifaceted in the ways that it deals with grief and trauma.
Thank you to Recorded Books and NetGalley for this arc.
August 26, 2024
Ho approcciato al testo catturata dalla veste editoriale, ed effettivamente mi sono trovata davanti ad una trama che ne aveva di ciccia da lasciar cuocere. I presupposti ci sono tutti, belli i fili che legano il folklore più tradizionale e la fantascienza. Poteva svilupparsi di più, certamente, e qualche domanda alla fine ti resta, insieme a qualche desiderio di approfondimento.
!!! MIGHT BE SPOILISH !!!
Molto bella la riflessione sul tempo, e per la maggior parte del libro sembra svilupparsi secondo delle leggi effettivamente fantascientifiche, ma il finale confonde tutto. Lo stesso modo di scrivere cambia, diventa confusionario, a volte ho dovuto rileggere più di una volta per sbrogliare la confusione tra descrizioni di ciò che stava accadendo e quelle delle sensazioni di Sora. Peccato, se avesse chiuso seguendo il filo fantascientifico mi sarebbe piaciuto di più.
Peccato anche che sia mancato un approfondimento del rapporto intenso di Sora con la religione e il metodo scientifico. Poteva avere un bel potenziale questo dualismo.
I personaggi secondari, ad eccezione del padre e di Naomi... assolutamente insignificanti. Mi dispiace che si sia sentito il bisogno di dare un accenno di romance assolutamente inutile per lo sviluppo della trama. Il romance è bello se gli viene dato un senso, insomma.
Tutto sommato, non si può dire che sia stata una lettura spiacevole. Comunque, un peccato se la scomponiamo nelle sue singole parti e la guardiamo a distanza di sicurezza.
☆☆☆/5
!!! MIGHT BE SPOILISH !!!
Molto bella la riflessione sul tempo, e per la maggior parte del libro sembra svilupparsi secondo delle leggi effettivamente fantascientifiche, ma il finale confonde tutto. Lo stesso modo di scrivere cambia, diventa confusionario, a volte ho dovuto rileggere più di una volta per sbrogliare la confusione tra descrizioni di ciò che stava accadendo e quelle delle sensazioni di Sora. Peccato, se avesse chiuso seguendo il filo fantascientifico mi sarebbe piaciuto di più.
Peccato anche che sia mancato un approfondimento del rapporto intenso di Sora con la religione e il metodo scientifico. Poteva avere un bel potenziale questo dualismo.
I personaggi secondari, ad eccezione del padre e di Naomi... assolutamente insignificanti. Mi dispiace che si sia sentito il bisogno di dare un accenno di romance assolutamente inutile per lo sviluppo della trama. Il romance è bello se gli viene dato un senso, insomma.
Tutto sommato, non si può dire che sia stata una lettura spiacevole. Comunque, un peccato se la scomponiamo nelle sue singole parti e la guardiamo a distanza di sicurezza.
☆☆☆/5
December 14, 2022
Got an arc from NetGalley, thanks!
Catfish Rolling is like a coin, it has two sides. One is a dystopian story about earthquakes in Japan that, surprisingly, moved not only ground, but time itself. The land is divided into zones, each one moves slower or faster than the rest. Clocks aren't truly helpful in such world, and neither nature's way of existence. People get lost, and Sora's mother was one of them. Her dad dedicated his life to research this weird phenomena of time, and Sora's here to help.
The second side is a story about loss. Grief you can't relieve live through, but can't ignore it, either. About losing yourself, the almost impossible journey to find your place as world around tries to exclude you from everywhere. Sora is not Japanese enough to be as her classmates, but not foreign enough to be treated in different conditions. Her dad slowly floats away from his mind, forgetting little things like what day it is or when something happen. It's extremely subtle, but every action in this book is both literal and metaphorical.
Clara Kumagai manged to write a complex yet little story about time and how we exist in this strange river of it. It reads greatly, both as a fantastic adventure and emotional journey.
Catfish Rolling is like a coin, it has two sides. One is a dystopian story about earthquakes in Japan that, surprisingly, moved not only ground, but time itself. The land is divided into zones, each one moves slower or faster than the rest. Clocks aren't truly helpful in such world, and neither nature's way of existence. People get lost, and Sora's mother was one of them. Her dad dedicated his life to research this weird phenomena of time, and Sora's here to help.
The second side is a story about loss. Grief you can't relieve live through, but can't ignore it, either. About losing yourself, the almost impossible journey to find your place as world around tries to exclude you from everywhere. Sora is not Japanese enough to be as her classmates, but not foreign enough to be treated in different conditions. Her dad slowly floats away from his mind, forgetting little things like what day it is or when something happen. It's extremely subtle, but every action in this book is both literal and metaphorical.
Clara Kumagai manged to write a complex yet little story about time and how we exist in this strange river of it. It reads greatly, both as a fantastic adventure and emotional journey.
April 30, 2024
Immaginifico e immersivo, scrittura malinconica e commovente. Mi ha lasciato però un piccolo senso d’incompiuto e qualche domanda. Alla fine però è un’ottima e dolce amara metafora sul lutto e l’accettazione.
February 26, 2024
Un libro abbastanza originale, anche se troppe cose non vengono approfondite e rimangono irrisolte...
April 4, 2024
Catfish Rolling presents an intriguing blend of magical realism and Japanese mythology, promising a tale of grief, memory, and time amidst the backdrop of a nation rocked by an earthquake. The concept of a catfish beneath Japan's islands, its movements shaping the land, sets the stage for a captivating journey.
However, while the synopsis paints a vivid picture of the story's potential, the execution falls short. The narrative lacks cohesion, feeling more like a disjointed series of vignettes rather than a cohesive whole. It's as if we're glimpsing fragments of a larger narrative without ever fully immersing ourselves in it.
While the protagonist, Sora, navigates the wild and abandoned time zones with her scientist father, the story struggles to maintain a sense of direction. As Sora searches for her missing parents and confronts the enigmatic catfish, the plot meanders, leaving the reader longing for a more focused narrative.
Despite its shortcomings, Catfish Rolling offers glimpses of brilliance, particularly in its exploration of liminal spaces and the distortion of time. Yet, these moments of intrigue are overshadowed by the story's lack of cohesion and emotional depth. Ultimately, while the title may evoke curiosity, it fails to deliver on its promise, leaving readers with a sense of indifference rather than awe.
Thank you to the publisher for a listeners copy of this book.
However, while the synopsis paints a vivid picture of the story's potential, the execution falls short. The narrative lacks cohesion, feeling more like a disjointed series of vignettes rather than a cohesive whole. It's as if we're glimpsing fragments of a larger narrative without ever fully immersing ourselves in it.
While the protagonist, Sora, navigates the wild and abandoned time zones with her scientist father, the story struggles to maintain a sense of direction. As Sora searches for her missing parents and confronts the enigmatic catfish, the plot meanders, leaving the reader longing for a more focused narrative.
Despite its shortcomings, Catfish Rolling offers glimpses of brilliance, particularly in its exploration of liminal spaces and the distortion of time. Yet, these moments of intrigue are overshadowed by the story's lack of cohesion and emotional depth. Ultimately, while the title may evoke curiosity, it fails to deliver on its promise, leaving readers with a sense of indifference rather than awe.
Thank you to the publisher for a listeners copy of this book.
May 5, 2024
3.5 stars
The more I thought about how to describe this book, the more the words "a quiet beauty" were repeating un my mind's eyes.
A well executed Young Adult SF.
This is the sort of reading experience that has to be done at the right time, with patience and a open mind. It is something to be savored.
You can now support my passion for books with a small donation here https://ko-fi.com/mariareadssff
The more I thought about how to describe this book, the more the words "a quiet beauty" were repeating un my mind's eyes.
A well executed Young Adult SF.
This is the sort of reading experience that has to be done at the right time, with patience and a open mind. It is something to be savored.
You can now support my passion for books with a small donation here https://ko-fi.com/mariareadssff
Read
June 2, 2024Catfish Rolling is a multi-faceted fabulist story that, seemingly, is about a catfish causing earthquakes, but in actuality is an emotional story about grief and its figurative hold on the passage of time. Really enjoyed how unique this story was and its dreamlike and almost cerebral atmosphere.
August 6, 2025
This is a book you pick up for the vibes, no question.
Looking at some of the other reviews, it seems like the people who didn’t like this book felt like there wasn’t a lot of closure.
I get that criticism, but only if you go into this thinking that the earthquake was the point. It wasn’t. It’s one of those books where the main character’s personal journey is the point, mixed in with some allegory around family and grief and feeling stuck while the rest of the world moves on around you. And in that context, the concept of zones where time moves differently becomes a really clever narrative device to tackle some of those themes.
The best stories do that. Studio Ghibli (who you’re understandably told will have a similar feeling to this) does it all the time.
So was there room for more closure? Yeah, probably, but this was rock solid for a writer so early in her career.
Looking at some of the other reviews, it seems like the people who didn’t like this book felt like there wasn’t a lot of closure.
I get that criticism, but only if you go into this thinking that the earthquake was the point. It wasn’t. It’s one of those books where the main character’s personal journey is the point, mixed in with some allegory around family and grief and feeling stuck while the rest of the world moves on around you. And in that context, the concept of zones where time moves differently becomes a really clever narrative device to tackle some of those themes.
The best stories do that. Studio Ghibli (who you’re understandably told will have a similar feeling to this) does it all the time.
So was there room for more closure? Yeah, probably, but this was rock solid for a writer so early in her career.
December 9, 2024
Unique concept and interesting story!
I enjoyed reading it, even though I was mildly to very confused most of the time xD
The whole gods-theme isn‘t really my thing and some parts were a little to slow for me, therefore „only“ 4 stars.
SPOILER
Loved the moral of the story and how everything wasn‘t just magically fixed, but still hopefully getting better with time.
+ Got very positively surprised by the wlw-parts, love the cute casual representation!
I enjoyed reading it, even though I was mildly to very confused most of the time xD
The whole gods-theme isn‘t really my thing and some parts were a little to slow for me, therefore „only“ 4 stars.
SPOILER
Loved the moral of the story and how everything wasn‘t just magically fixed, but still hopefully getting better with time.
+ Got very positively surprised by the wlw-parts, love the cute casual representation!
Read
March 18, 2023Not gonna lie that the Japanane mythology is what made me pick up this book. But for some reason my brain couldn't quite convey what I was reading which affected my emotions regarding this. So don't decide whether or not to read this book based on my review since we all experience this differently. I'd say the author did an excellent job with her debut.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ:☆. *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
↠ Genre: Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult
↠Published: March 2nd 2023
↠ Pov: First Person
↠ Type: Standalone
↠ Rating: - (I cannot give on for this book)
🌱☕️ ○ Milou the hobbit princess
─── ･ ｡ﾟ:☆. *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
↠ Genre: Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult
↠Published: March 2nd 2023
↠ Pov: First Person
↠ Type: Standalone
↠ Rating: - (I cannot give on for this book)
🌱☕️ ○ Milou the hobbit princess
November 30, 2023
I was drawn toward Catfish Rolling due to the amazing cover (the UK variant I find slightly better), and took a dive on a story about a young woman dealing with the long term aftermath of an earthquake so enormous that it broke time itself (which happens in the prologue). The majority of the story takes place seven years later, as the world is adjusting to the change in time flow in certain areas.
At the heart of the story is Sora, dealing with her life after graduating high school, with her relationship with her father growing more distant in the years since her mother was lost in the shake. The story isn’t about some epic plot to fix the time flow or save the world, but it doesn’t need to be. Sora was interesting to get to know as she processes her feelings over many aspects of her life and her time sensing abilities, as well as feelings of isolating and what she wants to do with her life, and discovering an answer by the end. While most of the story takes place in the present, we have occasional flashbacks, mostly in the first half of the story, going to earlier parts of Sora’s life.
It feels like a mix of soft sci-fi, magic realism, and Japanese mythology (some of it new to me), and it is a slower paced story with descriptive prose, focusing more on Sora’s feelings and longings of her family, growing up a hafu (half Japanese) in Japan, romantic feelings (she’s bi), and what time actually is. The fantastical elements melded well for the most part, but I got confused in the last few chapters as things sorta get surreal and extreme. I understood the basics of the whole time zones, but I think the terminology was little confusing and could have been a bit clearer overall. Catfish Rolling reminded me a bit of Mike Chen's books, mostly his first, Here and Now and Then, which also dealt with time. Though this has a younger protagonist (Sora is 18) so it’s technically YA, not Adult.
Some side notes: the book is written in British English (was published first with a UK publisher) and has a British narrator (Susan Momoko-Hingley) that does a good job, however, Sora isn’t British, so it was a little jarring and had to remind myself a few times while listening, so it was a minor distraction. I thought Koki was “Corky” for the longest time even though I knew it wasn’t. Also, there’s some occasional swearing.
This would appeal well to readers that love a slower pace story with some magic realism and digging deeper into Japanese mythology and culture, but not if you need an epic fantastical “save the world” plot, but you’ll get something out of it if this is for you.
*I received a review copy from Netgalley and Recorded Books. All opinions are my own.*
At the heart of the story is Sora, dealing with her life after graduating high school, with her relationship with her father growing more distant in the years since her mother was lost in the shake. The story isn’t about some epic plot to fix the time flow or save the world, but it doesn’t need to be. Sora was interesting to get to know as she processes her feelings over many aspects of her life and her time sensing abilities, as well as feelings of isolating and what she wants to do with her life, and discovering an answer by the end. While most of the story takes place in the present, we have occasional flashbacks, mostly in the first half of the story, going to earlier parts of Sora’s life.
It feels like a mix of soft sci-fi, magic realism, and Japanese mythology (some of it new to me), and it is a slower paced story with descriptive prose, focusing more on Sora’s feelings and longings of her family, growing up a hafu (half Japanese) in Japan, romantic feelings (she’s bi), and what time actually is. The fantastical elements melded well for the most part, but I got confused in the last few chapters as things sorta get surreal and extreme. I understood the basics of the whole time zones, but I think the terminology was little confusing and could have been a bit clearer overall. Catfish Rolling reminded me a bit of Mike Chen's books, mostly his first, Here and Now and Then, which also dealt with time. Though this has a younger protagonist (Sora is 18) so it’s technically YA, not Adult.
Some side notes: the book is written in British English (was published first with a UK publisher) and has a British narrator (Susan Momoko-Hingley) that does a good job, however, Sora isn’t British, so it was a little jarring and had to remind myself a few times while listening, so it was a minor distraction. I thought Koki was “Corky” for the longest time even though I knew it wasn’t. Also, there’s some occasional swearing.
This would appeal well to readers that love a slower pace story with some magic realism and digging deeper into Japanese mythology and culture, but not if you need an epic fantastical “save the world” plot, but you’ll get something out of it if this is for you.
*I received a review copy from Netgalley and Recorded Books. All opinions are my own.*
August 13, 2023
loved the daughter and father commentary at the heart of it. the time zones were very cool too, but the focus on how difficult navigating a parental relationship can be was brilliant
February 3, 2023
“And what I believe and Dad doesn’t is that maybe they will come back. Maybe she will return. Maybe we just keep missing each other by minutes.”
In a world where time has developed its own mind, Sora struggles to find a place where she belongs. Ever since the earthquake that changed her life forever, she has been stuck between past and present, unable to move on. Losing her mother has devastated her, but she has not given up on finding her between the cracks of time yet. Is she forever chasing ghosts? Or is her mother still alive?
I’m not typically a fan of the slow writing style that’s so popular in Japan, but this book struck a chord with me. I felt deeply for the main character and her loss. The slow pacing mimicked her internal struggles; every page oozing with the pain people only know if they have lost a loved one. It won’t be an enjoyable read for everyone, and I don’t think a book for the masses was the author’s intention.
Read Catfish Rolling if you like magical realism, literature, and stories that are carried by emotion rather than plot.
++ I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ++
In a world where time has developed its own mind, Sora struggles to find a place where she belongs. Ever since the earthquake that changed her life forever, she has been stuck between past and present, unable to move on. Losing her mother has devastated her, but she has not given up on finding her between the cracks of time yet. Is she forever chasing ghosts? Or is her mother still alive?
I’m not typically a fan of the slow writing style that’s so popular in Japan, but this book struck a chord with me. I felt deeply for the main character and her loss. The slow pacing mimicked her internal struggles; every page oozing with the pain people only know if they have lost a loved one. It won’t be an enjoyable read for everyone, and I don’t think a book for the masses was the author’s intention.
Read Catfish Rolling if you like magical realism, literature, and stories that are carried by emotion rather than plot.
++ I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ++
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