A review by kimothay
Tales from the Café by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

inspiring reflective fast-paced

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

3.75

I enjoyed this book a little more than the first one, though I think that’s partially because it takes me a while to connect with characters so being able to continue with some of their stories was helpful. I generally liked most of the stories, but like the first book, I thought they were all just okay. There weren’t any particular characters that jumped out or stories that left me in awe or anything. I also found the frequent reiteration of the rules annoying and repetitive. (However, I acknowledge that they’re separate stories and different characters so some of the repetition is due to that.) 

A few positives, though: There were a few really impactful quotes that I saved, one story I particularly liked (Mother and Son), and I really love the concept of the time traveling before the coffee cools.

The Best Friend: 2.5/5
Mother and Son: 4.5/5
The Lovers: 4/5
The Married Couple: 3/5