The subject of time was interesting, although sometimes it made my head spin, specially towards the end.
When Maya was introduced i straight away knew i was going to like her character.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but it was a mesmerising read. Sora is a fully relatable character, dealing with grief and loss as best she knows how, while also trying to look after her equally devastated father. Kumagai's writing is genre-defying - part young adult, part sci-fi, part dystopia, part romance... but it all comes together into a fully realised whole that will stay with you after the final page. I look forward to reading more from this author.

This really was an interesting concept for a fantasy / mythology release and I enjoy it a lot!
It dealt with the passage of time really well and the metaphor weaved throughout was wonderful.

Each page is filled with emotions, you cannot help but be pulled into the confusing frustration - Because how can you live against time itself ? This book shows it depth through little details. Chairs knocked over, trees bowing softly to the breeze. The passage of time told through a million little details. 🌳

The world of this book was truly unique. I really liked the idea of the book and how it started: the Shake happened 10 years ago and time got confused, creating different time zones. There are places where time moves faster or even slower and people are told to stay away from them. Sora's mom was in one of these zones when the Shake happened and she vanished with other people. Nobody knows what happened to them. So Sora's looking for answers and her mom while she's trying to navigate life with her dad burries himself in his work.
The premise of the book was amazing, unfortunately the ending was a little dissapointing for me. I think the ending was a little rushed after the build up and there were so many questions left unanswered for me.
Overall it was beautifully written and despite the ending I had a great time reading it.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this book.

I really loved this beautiful exploration of grief, family, growing up, first loves, and, of all things, time itself. Full of Japanese culture and folklore, with the catfish legend underpinning a story full of mystical, hidden creatures, but with clear science fiction elements in the "zones", experiments, and covert company schemes.

I found the characters diverse, interesting, and believable, centred on Sora's development, trauma, and eventual healing, but also on that of her family, her childhood friend, and some new friends she makes during her journey. I feel like the voice and experiences are true to someone of her age, outside of the time travel element of course! And I loved how each part was woven into the whole - it had so many layers, with a touching story at its heart.

As a bonus, the cover is stunning, and there is an eye-catching designed edge to the first edition copies, so it's a perfect gift for anyone who enjoys these kinds of novels. It'll be one I keep on my shelves for sure. I look forward to more work from this author. Thank you to Head of Zeus and NetGalley for access to this ARC - all opinions are my own, honest, and freely given.

I really liked this one - it was a great concept.

Thanks to NetGalley and to the author for giving me the chance to read and review this book.

I struggled quite a bit with reading this due to the style of the narration. It felt like I’d flip a page and then completely forget what I just read, despite reading it multiple times. But the parts that I did manage to retain in my memory were very enjoyable. I think I’ll give this another shot with a physical copy soon.

Super original, never read anything like it! I had never even heard of the myth/legend of the rolling catfish so I also learned something new :)
Would recommend!

I was sent a copy of Catfish Rolling by Clara Kumagai to read and review by NetGalley. This is a very interesting and enjoyable novel with some fresh and quite innovative theories regarding time. I thought all the characters were well rounded and I really enjoyed the fact that it was written first person as I always think that this gives more of an insight into the protagonist. Even though the story is imbued with myth, mysticism and a bit of sci fi, I found every aspect of this story totally believable and am more than happy to recommend it!

This is a wonderful novel about grief and time. Set in Japan, Sora is finishing High school and watching her only friend, Koki go to university in Tokyo while she remains in her little hometown without any idea what she's to do with her life. When Sora was a child, the Shake had changed everything, changing the manner in which time runs in different 'zones' about Japan. The massive quake resulted in the disappearance of her Mother and her Father, a researcher, is lost studying the time zones and trying to understand what happened.

I truly enjoyed this novel, a fusion of YA, sci-fi and fantasy all blended with Japanese folklore with wonderful ease. Sora herself, is a great MC. She's not instantly likeable, but you have to admire her strength as she journeys from child to adulthood, with a floundering sense of who she is and her purpose in life.

I really enjoyed this novel.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an arc in return for an honest review.

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.

The beautiful cover drew me in, and the beautiful story kept me entranced!! This really was an emotional and touching read, balanced nicely with the magical realism as it looks at a daughter and father trying to deal with a world where an earthquake has taken someone very special away from them.

The idea of a giant catfish living under Japan is something new to me, but it really evokes the folklore and legend of when it moves an earthquake happens on land, and they're always living under that threat. When the quake does hit we are shaken by the story as it explores the despair and grief felt by those left behind, especially when no body is found, so there's still that slim hope that she still be out there somewhere.

I loved watching how Sora, the daughter, faced up to the reality of her mother not being around. The bond with her father was strong and they shared a common love of science and just wanted the world they now lived in to make sense so would go to extreme lengths to prove that reality. The loss hangs really heavily on the family and the author approaches the pain so perfectly.

Time is a major part of this story and to see it woven in to every aspect was what kept the story grounded and made it feel so haunting for me. It's a story of a distraught family trying to carry on, while clinging on to the hope that the world could just go back to when they were all happy and making more of that time, rather than the slowing of time now that they are so bereft. A stunningly beautiful debut!

I am a bit of a newbie when it comes to the fantasy and mythology genre, but, I am widening my perspectives and so far loving it. The author has done this brilliantly. The story is beautifully written, the characters come alive on the page, the settings pop and all characters have believable voices. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

What I was looking for: The cover is gorgeous and I was interested in a Japanese-mythology inspired story.

What I liked: I enjoyed the calm writing style and the philosophical questions that are addressed as well as science and trying to scientifically describe an indescribable phenomenon. Sora and her father felt real in their grieve and the story shows adequately how people deal differently with loss, potentially growing apart or losing themselves.

What I did not like: I was really unhappy with the blurb, which mentions her father disappearing – something that only happens in chapter 20 of 29. I was always waiting for this event to occur, always expecting the story to take a turn in that direction – and her father (physically) disappearing is not even the main conflict of the book.

Conclusion: A very melancholy book about loss, but with an uplifting ending.

Unfortunately, I found it quite disappointing.
The initial idea was brilliant, but all my excitement died quickly.

THIS. BOOK. Oh my god. What an amazing debut!!! It was so whimsical and so easy to get into. I could not put the book down. I started reading it 10pm, before I knew it, I'd finished the book and it was nearly 4am! I can not wait to see what else Clara Kumagai will write, they're a new auto-buy author for me for sure!

Catfish Rolling was a book with a fasincating plot and it felt very unique. I enjoyed the mythical Japanese side. I enjoyed the main characters Sora, but the other characters weren't so easy to like and understand as they felt unfiinished.

Catfish Rolling is a beautifully written and absorbing book that utilises Japanese folklore, science fiction and fantasy to great effect. The concept is unique: several years before the main story of the book, an earthquake hits Japan with many people disappearing, including main character Sora's mother. Post-earthquake time has fractured and now parts of Japan have slower and faster time. Due to the emotional connection with the earthquake, Sora and her father are both trying to find answers in their own way.

The story slowly builds and relies on some wonderful writing and captivating storytelling. The themes of loss, relationships and time itself resonated with me and Clara Kumagai's storytelling helped them take centre stage. The novel goes to places I did not expect, which I ultimately came to appreciate. This is certainly not a predictable novel.

I highly recommend this novel - a fascinating concept with lots of depth.

I loved the Japanese setting and the world building, found this story poignant but I didn't feel involved. For me it was like watching a wonderful picture but not being able to feel any emotions.
It's not my cup of tea but there's plenty of potential and lots of people will love it.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine