Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

196 reviews

martzi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

sailorari's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Dementia, Car accident, and Pregnancy

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. 

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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

lydderbox's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, Dementia, Grief, and Car accident

Moderate: Abortion

Minor: Gun violence and Murder

liesthemoontells's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was a quick, entertaining read, although I don't understand the level of hype around it. 

The book was adapted from a play the author wrote, and the structure and format of the play is still evident in the way the chapters form separate vignettes, the small cast of characters, the single set, and the use of (sometimes redundant) repetition to set the scene.

The cafe is lovingly described, down to the tiny details, and is the most fully fleshed out character in the novel. In contrast, the human characters that inhabit seem transient and lack dimension. To me they felt like undeveloped archetypes who existed only to explore conceit of the novel.

If the concept of the story interests you, I think it is explored well enough (and the length of the book is brief enough) that it's worth picking up. However, I don't feel the need to pick up any of the sequels.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Terminal illness, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

bookishdragonshoard's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

Gorgeous. Left me bawling my eyes out!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Terminal illness, Dementia, Grief, and Car accident

memoirsofabooklover's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

lovely concept and i loved the four different stories all separate but linked together. i liked how it was still grounded, there was no changing past present of future, just the ability to live in a moment. some of the characters were annoying but it was an eclectic group. i’m intrigued to see where it’s taken in the next book.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness and Dementia

Minor: Death, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

nel0nen's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious relaxing 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

cnannery19's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Terminal illness, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

abnormal_shadow's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A chair eases 4 cafe employees minds and everyone cries.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Dementia, Grief, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Alcohol