El café de los gatos mensajeros

Messenger Cat #1

by Nagi Shimeno

UNA CAFETERÍA MUY ESPECIAL, CINCO ENCUENTROS Y UN GATO QUE DESEA VOLVER A VER A SU DUEÑA

Desde Japón, una novela sobre la magia de las pequeñas cosas

Más de 100.000 ejemplares

Tras una larga vida con una familia que lo ha llenado de amor, Fūta acaba de llegar al más allá. Pero entre el mundo de Michiru, su dueña, y el de este gato atigrado existen puentes que conectan ambos sitios.

El Café Pont se encuentra en el limbo y es un lugar de lo más los clientes escriben en una tarjeta el nombre de la persona a la que desean volver a ver y Nijiko, la propietaria, asigna un gato mensajero a cada petición. El trabajo de los mininos consiste en provocar el encuentro y transmitir las palabras que el solicitante y el destinatario jamás se dijeron. Es una tarea complicada y de gran responsabilidad, pero no hay nada que un ronroneo no pueda lograr.

Además, si consigue completar cinco trabajos como gato mensajero, Fūta podrá volver a ver a Michiru. ¿Conseguirá acurrucarse en su regazo de nuevo y agradecerle el tiempo que pasaron juntos?

★★★★★ «Te deja con una maravillosa sensación de esperanza y calidez.»

★★★★★ «Es muy especial. Te llegará al corazón.»

★★★★★ «Una historia que emocionará a los amantes de los gatos.»

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Japan, Cats, Animals, Cozy, Japanese Literature

256 pages, Hardcover

First published November 9, 2022

About the author

Nagi Shimeno (Author) Nagi Shimeno is a writer and café owner based in Tokyo. She was a 1st Delicious Literature Award finalist and is the author of the Café Dodo and Messenger Cat series.

Reviews

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Messenger Cat Cafe is a heartfelt tale structured as a series of reunion-related vignettes. Fuuta, a recently deceased cat, takes on a messenger job, sending words of consolation and encouragement from the afterlife (and sometimes life) to grieving loved ones. This then allows them to move on in their journeys, having "spoken with" their loved one, having heard the words in their heart.

The premise is intriguing, the case-by-case structure effective, and the solace that Fuuta provides heartwarming. I wholeheartedly recommend this book as a calm, soothing balm for the heart.

[Dragana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Korektno. Dopao mi se mačak, kafe i ceo koncept. Nažalost, neke priče (većina) su bile ravne i nisu me zanimali likovi. Poslednja priča i epilog su najslađi deo knjige i da je cela takva ocena bi bila veća.
Čitala bih nastavke.

[hans · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light, heartwarming tale of human connection (including pets) set in a magical realism backdrop. I meet Fuuta, a tabbycat who has died and entered the afterlife, now taking a job as one of the messenger cats at Café Pont; a mysterious café that is located in between the world of the living and the dead. The café offers a special service where people can request to meet someone they have lost and messenger cats would deliver and arrange the reunion as part of their mission in return to earn a chance of reuniting with their own human again.

Quite thrilling and I loved how each mission for Fuuta brought me into the tale of one’s loss, grief and the unresolved feeling of regrets, gratitude and forgiveness. It was an easy to foresee with that healing similarities to other comfort fiction I have read yet Fuuta’s character and way his tenacity to succeed just so he could meet Michiru; his human owner again, really enthralled me.

I liked how Fuuta’s friendship and trust were built with Nijiko, the café’s owner who also has her own sad and mysterious tale on how she ended up at Café Pont. Those scenes of interaction with the other cats—both in the land of blue and green—were so cute and bit touching too esp with that loner tortoiseshell cat who guarded the bridge. It was always compelling to see how Fuuta’s mystical tail touch works for every task and granted a closure to the unease hearts at the end.

An interesting premise throughout and I liked how it also glimpse the afterlife as a tender and happy place to rest for the deceased. Totally loved the epilogue and how Fuuta finds his own closure. No idea when the translated book 2 will be out but will definitely add it to my wishlist!

**thank you Pansing Distribution for sending me the proof copy and Times Reads for the gifted published paperback edition!

[Majo · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lindo!
Ternura total este libro y en el epílogo me fue inevitable contener la lágrima.
Este libro llegó oportunamente, fue un refugio y muy reconfortante tras días algo estresantes y no solo me brindó calma, me despertó una ternura inmensa el gatito gris, Fūta que me recordó muchísimo a mi peluche..
El mensaje del libro es precioso. 🌈🪽🐾
La narrativa es hermosa, me encanta leer sobre sus patitas y sus ronroneos y todo lo que hacen los gatitos.. lo amé.

Destaco las siguientes frases para volver muy pronto a ellas:

⁃ no tiene sentido preocuparse de lo que aún no ha sucedido.
⁃ Según dicen, al morir, las mascotas esperan a sus dueños en el puente arcoíris hasta que puedan reencontrarse en el más allá.
⁃ Los padres quieren que sus hijos sean felices y los hijos quieren que los padres no se preocupen por ello. Al menos en este aspecto los gatos y los humanos nos parecemos.
⁃ Es cierto lo que dicen sobre los gatos atigrados: tenemos un fuerte sentido de la responsabilidad.
⁃ Obon, el festival de los difuntos.
⁃ Higan, que es un festival que se celebra en los equinoccios de primavera y otoño.
⁃ En mi corazón le doy gracias a mi madre a quien nunca conocí.
⁃ Para ellas es duro separarse de sus hijos, pero lo hacen porque su deseo de que crezcan sanos y felices, aunque sea lejos de ellas, es incluso más fuerte.
⁃ Si una gata da a luz en la calle no puede cuidar de su camada ella sola. Así que coge a sus cachorritos y busca una casa donde puedan hacerlo

[Rita Torres · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐

[Angela ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

en el quinto relato y el epílogo no podía parar de llorar, que libro más bonito

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just said goodbye to my cat on February 18th. Needing a distraction, I naturally went to the bookstore. While examining a book I've been wanting to read, I kept hearing this little voice telling me to look to my left. I turned my head to look at the shelf to my left and this book was staring out at me. My first reaction was, I can't possibly read this right now, it will hurt too much. But not believing in coincidences, I decided to trust the little voice and took the book to the register.
It was exactly what I needed.
What a beautiful world Shimeno has created where cats are the messengers between the land of the living and the afterlife. The protagonist cat, Fuuta, must figure out how to deliver five messages before he is allowed to see his owner from the land of the living.
It is a story that feels very old, like a folk tale, but is also fresh. I guess I would say it feels timeless.
It is told in concise language and the story moves at a brisk pace. I almost finished reading it in one sitting.
Touching and uplifting.

[gloooooriaaa · Rating 3 out of 5]

se ha sentido como un abrazo al corazón ❤️❤️❤️ muy bonito, sensible y muy fácil de leer ❤️❤️❤️

[Bibliothecat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Vintage Books UK for providing me with the aARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book, like many of its kind, revolves around special service kind of store. The way it's set up with different episodes across chapters and glimpses of different kinds of lives will feel familiar, yet I do think this book stands out among its peers for a number of reasons. First and foremost, our main character and narrator is a cat. While I have read books with a cat POV before, non of them were quite like this.

We follow Fuuta - a cat who has not long yet moved on to the afterlife. Through him, we get to see the afterlife of cats and it is surprisingly whimsical, in parts it had me thinking this would make a fantastic Ghibli movie. Cats in the afterlife need to find their new calling which they can find through ads such as black cats wanted as witches broom companions - this definitely dipped well further into the fantastical than I had anticipated! But what's more, cats that do their job well get a chance to see their owners one more time. Fuuta wants to see his human again and he is in a hurry. As such, he ends up working as a messenger cat: a little cafe that doesn't seem to sit quite in this world nor the next is a place where people can leave a wish to see someone. If it's within the stores power, a messenger cat gets sent out to exchange messages between the living and the departed.

We follow Fuuta as he observes humans and runs his errands which often reflect on life lessons. His observations and comparisons to his cat nature are also interesting and offer food for thought. The little cafe owner Nijiko who is human but works with afterlife cats makes for an interesting and quite fun character too. Along the way we get to know other cats and their different jobs, especially Natsuki who is working on her broomstick lessons. As a whole, this book is sobering and provides little daily things to think about and the next moment becomes a whimsical little fantasy with cats that look and act as though they'd belong in a Beatrix Potter book.

Besides the cases Fuuta takes on, there is an overarching plot. We learn about Fuuta's life with his human and we slowly understand his motivations. The cafe owner Nijiko also has a story to tell and how she ended up in this unique position and there's even a budding cat romance. While this book does come full circle, there is more to be explored, especially among the main cast and I would absolutely love to see the rest of the series translated to English as well.

[Rhys · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

A heartwarming piece of healing fiction translated from Japanese, Messenger Cat Café is a welcome addition to the recent trend in cat-related fiction.

In this book, the worlds between the living and the dead are quite close and liminal spaces allow travel between them. Recently deceased cat Fuuta takes a job in the afterlife as a messenger cat at Café Pont to earn the reward of seeing his still living owner, Michiru, earlier than the typical waiting period.

Messenger cats are tasked with arranging meetings between people who cannot normally meet with one another for whatever reason, but have to do so with a certain finesse as to not disturb the delicate balance of the world.

Determined to be reunited with Michiru as soon as possible, Fuuta must investigate his clients and deliver creative solutions to satisfy these unique requests.

The writing can be simple, but it lends to the cozy, reassuring feeling that the novel has, and the interesting characters and charming worldbuilding really make this a delightful, bittersweet, and very healing read.

[Luna · Rating 4 out of 5]

espero que tenha continuação
Foi super fofinho e adorei que fosse narrada pelo gato, no entanto houveram algumas coisas que ainda ficaram um pouco confusas para mim
E também não realizaram o encontro que o gato da ponte queria 😔😔

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit I'm a sucker for these Japanese cosy speculative fiction books, kinda fantasy, kinda literary. Mostly just beautiful depictions of human connection (and animal connection!).

Messenger Cat Café was another lovely example. It's full of grief and regret, but also hope and making amends. And it's full of cute cats delivering important messages!

I definitely recommend this to fans of The Full Moon Coffee Shop and Before the Coffee Gets Cold.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook. Pleasantly tender and funny in places.

[ariii · Rating 2 out of 5]

Le pondría 2,5. No es malo pero en mi opinión tampoco bueno.

[Ila Corsalini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bello, intenso e profondo come solo un libro giapponese (in particolare un libro su un caffè e gatti) può esserlo.

Ho provato tantissime emozioni durante la lettura che non riuscirei a esprimerle in parole ma io desidererei tantissimo che i nostri amici animali possano realmente venirci a trovare ogni tanto. Sarebbe altrettanto bello poter ricevere dei piccoli messaggi dai nostri cari defunti, anche celati sotto forma di un profumo, fiore o piccola coincidenza.

Ho letto questo libro in un momento in cui pensavo tantissimo al mio cane venuto a mancare due anni fa; mi sono incolpata per non aver fatto di più e avrei tanto voluto avergli dato anche solo un bacino e una carezza in più.
Non ho letto nemmeno la trama, stranamente, mi ci sono buttata a capofitto solo perchè la copertina era intrigante e volevo cambiare un po' dai soliti romance. Eppure... mi è arrivato proprio quando ne avevo così tanto bisogno.

Sono una ragazza che fa caso a ogni singola piccola cosa che succede intorno a me quindi per me questo libro è stato proprio la prova che loro ci guardano nel mondo azzurro e ogni tanto ci vengono a trovare. Basta solo accorgersene.

[Ana Vivancos · Rating 3 out of 5]

un libro tierno para leer y no pensar mucho... pero estoy muy orgullosa de la traductora <3

[ELisabete Marques · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Lucía Colomo · Rating 5 out of 5]

El libro es para aquellos a quienes les gustan los relatos cortos sobre la vida.
Personalmente, es una lectura fácil y rápida, que te emociona. Me parece imposible no empatizar con al menos uno de los relatos.

[yanie ⋆˚꩜｡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"𝑳𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒆."

I didn’t expect this book to feel so comforting, but it really did in the softest way. It’s one of those short reads that leaves you feeling calm, a little emotional, and strangely warm inside.

It follows Fuuta, a tabby cat who has already passed away, but still holds onto his love for his owner. After death, he ends up at Café Pont, a strange in-between place that exists between the living world and the afterlife.

The story portrays cats in the role of messengers between worlds, helping deliver feelings and final words between people who are gone and those who are still alive.

Fuuta takes on this role with a quiet hope in his heart; if he does well enough, maybe he’ll get to see his human again someday. But the job comes with rules. He can’t say things directly or disturb the balance between both worlds.
What stood out to me the most was how each message was delivered.

Nothing is ever straightforward. Instead, Fuuta works around it in subtle and creative ways through coincidences, a song playing at the right moment, or even an everyday object that somehow reaches the right person. It made every chapter feel thoughtful and a bit like uncovering hidden meanings.

Overall, this book is light and easy to read, but still emotionally warm. It works well as a palate cleanser between heavier reads, giving you space to breathe. Simple at its core, but quietly beautiful in the way it leaves a gentle impression behind. I’d highly recommend this cosy, comforting read to anyone who enjoys translated fiction.

☆ Personal rating: 4/5

[Alexxandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is both so cute and packed such an emotional punch that I was not ready for. Excuse me while I openly sob over cream puff cake.

As a concept I was already sold. Growing up very attached to cats, of course I like to think of how they viewed their life with me and if they could, how they might send reminders of their love after they’ve passed (as I do with any loss, humans are included in this sentiment). Clearly this struck that sensitive wish, I’m tearing up just thinking about it again.

Putting myself aside, the Land of Blue and its closeness to Green is deeply comforting as an afterlife while maintaining enough structure for an interesting narrative. We get to see it through a balance of wonder and matter-of-factness that only a feline perspective could teeter successfully. Fuuta is a combination of observational knowing and simplistic almost innocence that gives you the important and impactful details while also instinctively moving on to his own whim. Makes for a fun, brisk pace that’s very easy to read.

I’ve talked about how a lot of introspective Japanese Lit I read tends to focus on grief and/or regret, and this keeps such a healthy variety in its approach among the 5 tasks. It sets you up for the near typical idea of grieving those you’ve lost via death, but soon expands that idea among the living as well. The life you didn’t choose, an opportunity at justice, the chance at reconciliation, all things that can weigh down your heart as well as an unspoken goodbye.

I loved this so much, I need them to translate the rest asap or learn Japanese faster to continue the series

[Alyce Caswell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fuuta is a cat who has departed the land of the living, but he wants to see the owner he left behind. He could wait the customary time - or he could become a messenger cat and earn the right to see her again after completing five tasks. Fuuta's new job can be difficult. He must convey a soul's message through someone - or something - conveniently nearby. Sometimes, he has to leave it to chance.

This is a sweet enough book and one chapter actually left me sobbing, but there's not much here to make it stand out amidst the rest of the titles in the crowded healing fiction genre. I also think this would have worked better had every story involved a soul who had actually passed on. A couple of the stories failed to leave an impression on me due to this. But at least Fuuta is a charming narrator.

Content warning: discussions of child loss/stillbirth, cheating

[Llanos Montero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Le doy 3,5 estrellas, aunque redondeo a 3 porque la edición tiene algunas pequeñas erratas.
Es una lectura ligera y tierna, muy recomendable para cuando apetece algo fácil pero con un toque especial. A pesar de su sencillez, invita a reflexionar sobre las relaciones humanas y cómo nos comunicamos con los demás.
Me ha gustado especialmente el capítulo del profesor, que me ha parecido de los más emotivos y con más fondo.
Sin ser inolvidable, es un libro tierno, que se lee rápido y deja una sensación agradable.

[Bruno Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

É um livro simples, e, no geral, bem escrito. Em algumas partes, fica a ideia de que perdemos informação. Fico na dúvida de de ido à escrita ou à tradução.
A história é muito bonita e aquece o coração. Faz nos indagar sobre a vida, a morte mas sobretudo sobre aqueles que nos fazem a vida ter sentido.

[Elisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una bella chicca con protagonista un micio super bello.
L’idea alla base è carina:
Una persona fa una richiesta su un cartoncino.
Il gatto porta un messaggio a chi ne ha bisogno, che sia nel mondo azzurro o nel mondo verde.
Le missioni sono una più appassionata dell’altra.
Ovviamente il lieto fine non manca.
Davvero una lettura coccola.

[zaheerah · Rating 5 out of 5]

me at 2am finishing this book:

[Frida · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 ⭐️

[Merii · Rating 4 out of 5]

es muy cozy, y aunque la redacción no me ha encantado me ha gustado mucho el libro

[CINDY LAROSE · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un récit qui parle du deuil et du passage à l'après. C'est beau, doux et ça se lit vite.
Mon seul problème : nous sommes dans la peau d'un chat et voyons l'histoire par ses yeux.

[patthecat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy bonito

[Rose in December · Rating 4 out of 5]

¿Pensaba que un libro sobre gatos mensajeros del más allá no me haría llorar? Sí. ¿Me he equivocado? También.

Es un libro muy tierno, hace que se te escapen las lágrimas de felicidad y tristeza a la vez.

Aunque no hay una trama como tal (cómo en los libros de este estilo), es rápido y fácil de leer.

Te deja el corazón calentito.