A review by gen_wolfhailstorm
Before the Coffee Gets Cold, by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
3.5
Reading vlog (Out of my comfort zone books):
This was a very endearing and melancholy interconnected set of short stories.
I really enjoyed the gentle sci-fi element of the time travelling, but it was mainly a character study of the people we meet in this cafe and what they want to achieve by going back in the past; often times they want to prove to themselves that the present really can't change, but equally so, it is about closure, moving on, and finding happiness and purpose again, by opening your heart and mind.
So despite being melancholy, with a bittersweet romance in tone, it has a hopeful, beautiful quality to the tale too. There was this overarching tranquility to the setting of this dimly lit cafe and the people that frequented it.
The characters were very strange people. They were so complex, not many were at all likeable, but they felt real.
I can't say I fell as in love with this as many readers seemed to, but I certainly enjoyed it nonetheless.
This was a very endearing and melancholy interconnected set of short stories.
I really enjoyed the gentle sci-fi element of the time travelling, but it was mainly a character study of the people we meet in this cafe and what they want to achieve by going back in the past; often times they want to prove to themselves that the present really can't change, but equally so, it is about closure, moving on, and finding happiness and purpose again, by opening your heart and mind.
So despite being melancholy, with a bittersweet romance in tone, it has a hopeful, beautiful quality to the tale too. There was this overarching tranquility to the setting of this dimly lit cafe and the people that frequented it.
The characters were very strange people. They were so complex, not many were at all likeable, but they felt real.
I can't say I fell as in love with this as many readers seemed to, but I certainly enjoyed it nonetheless.
Content Warnings
Minor: Pregnancy, Dementia, Death, Car accident, and Death of parent