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annakinsky's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
1. **You can only travel to the past**: Customers can only go back to a specific moment in their own past. They cannot change the present or future, only relive moments from their personal history.
2. **You must return before your coffee gets cold**: The time travel is limited to the duration it takes for a cup of coffee to cool down. If you don't return to the present before your coffee gets cold, consequences can occur.
3. **You cannot leave your seat**: While in the past, customers must remain seated in the same spot in the café. They cannot interact with anyone or anything outside of the café.
4. **You cannot meet yourself**: Time travelers cannot encounter their past selves during their visit to the past. This rule prevents paradoxes and disruptions to the timeline.
These rules add layers of complexity and challenge to the characters' experiences as they grapple with regrets, longing, and the desire to make things right. It's a captivating exploration of time, memory, and the human experience.
I like that the stories of the people involved because they are not too compicated and not too elaborate.
1. The Lovers - Fumiko and Goro
- Fumiko went back in time to try to convince Goro not to go to America. They were able to see each other but Goro still went to US to pursue his dream and said he will go back to the cafe in 3 yrs. This was not proven in the end.
2. Husband and Wife - Kohtake and Fusagi
- Kohtake went back to ask for the letter that Fusagi who was suffering from Alzheimers faled to give her before. Realization was that he gave her a letter about living him when his sickness already became a toll on her being a wife. Which made her even more understand his condition and even be proud of using her married name again.
3. The Sisters - Hirai and Kumi
- Hirai went back to apologize to Kumi ( who died from an accident after she came by at the cafe to convince her to come home)
Hirai realized after talking to Kumi from the past that jt was her sister's dream for them to work together at their inn. Contrary to what she thought that Kumi just want to be free from family.
4. Mother and Child - Kei and Miki
- Kei suffering from a weak heart since childhood travelled to the future to meet her own daughter. Which at that time she was already long gone from childbirth. It was a touching and sad meeting. But hearing that her daughter was thankful for the life she has, made Kei happy and even more decided to continue the pregnancy eventhough it means dying.
At the end, the lesson remains.. You may not be able to change the present by going back to the past but you can change the heart.🥰
Graphic: Car accident, Death, Pregnancy, Dementia, and Chronic illness
onegalonelife27's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Dementia, and Grief
Moderate: Pregnancy, Car accident, and Death of parent
Minor: Abortion
bookishevy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
More than coffee is being served at an old back alley café in Tokyo. Local legend says customers get a chance to travel through time, but many of them don't go through with it after learning all of the rules, the most important one being they have to return to the present before their coffee gets cold.
I timed my coffee yesterday to see how long it would take to get to room temperature and it took around 25 minutes, which isn't a lot of time to make amends. But these four characters are up to the challenge, and I was very stressed over them making it back in time.
This quirky read warmed my heart as it explores missed opportunities and regret. My biggest takeaway is to live in the moment and let the people you love know how you feel while they're still here.
There are four long chapters, each focusing on a different character. The writing is a bit melancholy, but the stories move quickly despite dealing with heavy themes.
This is book one of a series. There are currently four books, and I think a fifth is on the way. I'm a sucka for anything dealing with time travel, so I'll be collecting them all.
Minor: Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, and Death
frostedpetals's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Chronic illness
Minor: Pregnancy, Suicide, and Death of parent
avisreadsandreads's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Car accident, Terminal illness, Death, Dementia, Grief, Pregnancy, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Death of parent
mmarquis1158's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Dementia, Grief, Death, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Abandonment, Chronic illness, and Car accident
Minor: Pregnancy
pianokeys's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Grief, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Dementia
astrofeldy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Death
leaonaxreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Something to keep in mind is that this is translated from Japanese I believe, so the prose is not perfect , but the message is perfectly clear. It follows a few different characters wanting to visit different periods in time directly related to events that took place in their lives. Reading it left me wanting to live my life more purposeful and with more meaning; say the things I want to say, and do the things I want to do because time is a precious gift.
There are some sad topics covered here, but such is life
Graphic: Mental illness, Death of parent, Chronic illness, Pregnancy, Grief, and Death
xoemax's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Dementia, Pregnancy, Death, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Car accident, Abortion, and Abandonment
Minor: Alcohol, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Medical content, Fatphobia, and Misogyny