Catfish Rolling

Clara Kumagai, Catfish Rolling, Bloomsbury, February 2023, 432 pp., RRP $17.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781804544600

Japan as we know it is different, categorised through different factions of time as a result of a violent earthquake. The catfish rolled, and Japan struggles to untangle from the threat of another quake in the near future.

After her mother’s disappearance, Sora and her scientist father are faced with the challenge of discovering the mysteries that lie behind these factions, when her father mysteriously starts to feel distant and unwell. Afraid of losing him too, Sora seeks the truth in an ultimate search for her family (and maybe even love…) through a discovery that could alter Japan once again.

Clara Kumagai ingeniously weaves Japanese culture into a story that many people can relate to after experiencing an earthquake. Sora’s character represents feelings of disorientation and sadness intertwining with themes of grief and loss, making her experiences seem familiar with people. I would recommend Catfish Rolling to ages 14 and above as it involves mature themes.

Reviewed by Emily Woolnough

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