A review by basil_touche
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

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.
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