Catfish Rolling

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Kumagai is one to watch, with such a powerfully crafted and original debut novel, I wait in anticipation for her next work to be published! 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'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). Now Sora and her scientist father live close to zones that have long been abandoned, have grown wild and nature is reclaiming what was once hers but these places are also dangerous.

Mining philosophy, science fiction and Japanese mythology to craft a mature, compelling story of loss and tragedy, Kumagai spins the tale of a Japan fractured in time by an earthquake caused by an infamous monster. In fact everything changed that fateful day when the catfish who dwells beneath the surface grew restless and needed. Catfish Rolling heralds a blistering new talent to the YA scene and I for one at grateful she is here. 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). And all of this sticks enough in 'reality' to keep the scenes and characters familiar and sympathetic.

The family drama drew me in, the dystopian element had me intrigued and the sci fi/fantasy was captivating. After the earthquake we find that time has changed in Japan, and that some areas have time that runs faster, or slower, than “normal”.

A father and daughter are left puzzled and intrigued by the unusual and mysterious shaking, which causes the mother to disappear.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. The majority of the story takes place seven years later, as the world is adjusting to the change in time flow in certain areas.

When Leto awakes from her death, the enigmatic Melantho reveals her destiny: to kill the last prince of Ithaca and destroy the curse. 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. So, get ready for a deep dive into emotions, loss, and hope because this read dances around that heart the whole way through.In fact everything changed that fateful day when the catfish who dwells beneath the surface grew restless and needed to flounder and roll about, with consequences that altered the very flow of time itself caused by an earthquake so powerful it fractured the very fabric of reality. 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. Kumagai nails the narrative on each of these levels in a way that only an incredibly skilful author can. Finally, for younger readers aged 11-14, Friendship Never Ends by Alexandra Sheppard (Knights Of, May) follows four girls over one long summer apart: Sunita on holiday with her blended family; Dawn at drama summer school in London; Gifty with her grandparents in an isolated village; and May at home working in her parent’s Chinese takeaway.