Reviews tagging 'Dementia'

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

519 reviews

julieyael's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

Delicate and full of melancholy. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Chronic illness, Dementia, and Grief

Minor: Pregnancy, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

kjm19's review

emotional lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

1.75

Before the coffee gets cold - is a cool idea for a book. Customers at the cafe can go either to the past or the future but must come back before the coffee gets cold (otherwise they end up like the woman in the white dress who remains a mystery from beginning to end). The cafe is timeless, always cool, and mysterious in many ways. It’s described too many times but I do like its description. An unorthodox, small place that seems to find the people who need it. 

Characters were, unfortunately, pretty one dimensional and stereotypical. Also no cat???

The plot would start moving somewhere and then the author would jump into a deep dive about something vaguely relating to the current focus character. These deep dives would take you out of the natural flow of the story and was frustrating at times. E.g. when Kei, the pregnant owner of the restaurant, is about to go to the future to meet her unborn child there is a deep dive into Kazu, the current waitress, and her university art course. 

I love the part where the woman in the white dress closes her book after the first section when a woman goes to the past to see her ex partner and it’s named ‘the lovers’. But this sort of thing is never replicated for future time travellers. 

I wonder how much of an impact the translation has made on my impression of the book. I feel that it’s been clumsily written and oversimplified in its vocabulary and descriptions. Is it totally true to the original? Is it translated more to show a word for word meaning instead of implied meanings? I am intrigued. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Car accident, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, and Dementia

ninajansen_'s review

emotional medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, War, and Death

Moderate: Dementia

caleb_makes's review

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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

Slice of life plus low-stakes time travel. Really wholesome. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Pregnancy, Dementia, and Chronic illness

tynec's review

emotional hopeful medium-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? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Grief, Pregnancy, Dementia, and Death

drybay's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Death of parent, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Death

Minor: Medical content and Abortion

mcdougie's review

emotional hopeful reflective slow-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? It's complicated

3.0

Would have gotten a slightly higher grade if the English translation had been better... I understand sticking to the "Japanese way of writing", but it doesn't mean it's the best choice for readers. That and the way most characters show up without being ACTUALLY introduced in depth until later on took a bit of adjusting/getting used to. The different stories are all touching in their own ways, though. Not sure whether I will read the other books, but this was an interesting read for sure.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Dementia, and Death

sissizc's review

emotional hopeful 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Car accident, and Death

mrs_bastos's review

emotional hopeful 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Dementia, Death of parent, Grief, and Death

ahanky's review against another edition

hopeful reflective sad slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Medical trauma, Chronic illness, Death, and Pregnancy