A review by hannahmaep
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I picked this book up because I loved the premise, and I still do. At the heart of this book was a beautiful message and throughout, a playful sense of humour.
However, the writing style was not my personal preference and made it difficult to get through this book. I would describe the language as informative, with excessive factual explanations about Alzheimer's or pregnancy and other unnecessary things interrupting the flow of the story, just as I started to feel connected to the characters. It also made me feel quite patronised as a reader.
Aside from that the stories themselves were moving, and the characters were woven neatly into one another's lives. I just didn't feel overly invested.
However, the writing style was not my personal preference and made it difficult to get through this book. I would describe the language as informative, with excessive factual explanations about Alzheimer's or pregnancy and other unnecessary things interrupting the flow of the story, just as I started to feel connected to the characters. It also made me feel quite patronised as a reader.
Aside from that the stories themselves were moving, and the characters were woven neatly into one another's lives. I just didn't feel overly invested.
Content Warnings
Minor: Car accident, Death, and Dementia