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kathi_90's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Dementia, and Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Abortion
sarahb919's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Definitely an emotional book, although it doesn’t start out that way. Bit philosophical: Although you can’t change the past you can change yourself and do better moving forward.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
skylarkblue1's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Representations: https://trello.com/c/x4zZsSuI/116-before-the-coffee-gets-cold-1-before-the-coffee-gets-cold-by-toshikazu-kawaguchi
If you've liked other recent Japanese translation works in this similar vein, you'll like this one for sure. The rocky translation is still there, but the last 2 stories made me cry :')
Characters were a lot more prominent in this than say, Food Detectives, but there was still a new story and mostly new characters for each of the 4 mini-stories. I really loved the group who runs the cafe, they were really chill and the book felt really calm with them too. Even for the characters that just appeared for 1 story I felt like I understood them, they were all described and explained really clearly and easily.
There's not too much plot, the stories focus heavily around those characters, their lives and why they've visited the cafe. The first 2 stories where a little rough I felt, it had the usual "this has been translated and is understandable, but it feels like a lot is missing between translations". The last 2 stories though, oh boy. I read the 3rd one while volunteering at the library and I was just sat in the corner, surrounded by kids at storytime, just holding back tears :') Then read the 4th story when I got home and just cried at it. Incredible writing there.
Despite dealing with heavy topics as well and being very emotional, it felt pretty light and was certainly a quick read!
If you've liked other recent Japanese translation works in this similar vein, you'll like this one for sure. The rocky translation is still there, but the last 2 stories made me cry :')
Characters were a lot more prominent in this than say, Food Detectives, but there was still a new story and mostly new characters for each of the 4 mini-stories. I really loved the group who runs the cafe, they were really chill and the book felt really calm with them too. Even for the characters that just appeared for 1 story I felt like I understood them, they were all described and explained really clearly and easily.
There's not too much plot, the stories focus heavily around those characters, their lives and why they've visited the cafe. The first 2 stories where a little rough I felt, it had the usual "this has been translated and is understandable, but it feels like a lot is missing between translations". The last 2 stories though, oh boy. I read the 3rd one while volunteering at the library and I was just sat in the corner, surrounded by kids at storytime, just holding back tears :') Then read the 4th story when I got home and just cried at it. Incredible writing there.
Despite dealing with heavy topics as well and being very emotional, it felt pretty light and was certainly a quick read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Dementia, and Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
tiara_yasmeen's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I seldomly cried so much
Content Warnings
Minor: Chronic illness, Death, and Dementia
hannavaistila's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Dementia, and Grief
Minor: Car accident and Pregnancy
dragongirl271's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Death and Pregnancy
Minor: Car accident
missdrmuffin's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Dementia
basil_touche's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
I think the only reason I finished this was because I listened to the audiobook. At least I was able to get some chores done while this was playing, otherwise I would have struggled to get through this. This is just a painfully boring book that doesn't flesh out it characters, which in turn made me not care about their stories.
These stories could have worked but very little is actually dedicated to making the characters feel like actual people or, if it couldn't do that, even just entertaining to read about.
It also lacks any subtly, preferring to explain to the reader every reason a character did anything, to the point that it repeats what it just said constantly. It makes it a very awkward reading experience.
Didn't help that for two of the stories characters either made really weird choices or were pressured/guilt tripped by others into doing things they didn't want(Hirai being pressured into taking over a family business she didn't want and treated as though she's in the wrong by the narrative and Kei choosing to give birth knowing it would kill her) which irritated me instead of getting me engaged.
It gets a little credit for the creative coffee time travel method and short length, but I will not be reading the rest of the series.
These stories could have worked but very little is actually dedicated to making the characters feel like actual people or, if it couldn't do that, even just entertaining to read about.
It also lacks any subtly, preferring to explain to the reader every reason a character did anything, to the point that it repeats what it just said constantly. It makes it a very awkward reading experience.
Didn't help that for two of the stories characters either made really weird choices or were pressured/guilt tripped by others into doing things they didn't want
It gets a little credit for the creative coffee time travel method and short length, but I will not be reading the rest of the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Dementia, and Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Abortion
thisgirlreads_yay's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Medical content, and Dementia
bksmith's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Abortion