Reviews

Dona Dona by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

shelbymarie516's review against another edition

3.0

I think some of the magic was lost in translation. But this concept was really sweet, and enjoyable. I am not normally a magical realism fan (as much as I try) but this was one of the better ones.

ranee_samaniego's review against another edition

3.0

Before Your Memory Fades was a bit of a letdown after Before the Coffee Gets Cold and Tales from the Café.

My main issue is that the translation to English was sloppier - there were many, many instances where I paused reading, scratched my head, and thought, "I think they actually meant..." These glaring English errors were phrases, not individual words, that jolted me out of the story often.

Translation issues aside, many of the stories still brought me to tears, so the narrative was still poignant.

deadmenscurlyshoes's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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

triptisoni's review against another edition

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

3.0

bkwacisz's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• 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? No

3.5

Very repetitive and trite writing. Not really my cup of tea. I appreciate the mysterious atmosphere, but the characters, especially the psychiatrist, were very unconvincing. The psychiatrist acted as if she had never studied people's minds. 

nautilusreads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing 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? Yes

4.5

apretsuzuh's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

maketeaa's review against another edition

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

third installment of a series which, as it goes along, becomes clearer and clearer that reflecting on the past is good as long as it helps us move forward in the future. through the stories of a young woman who feels abandoned and wishes to meet her dead parents when she was a baby, a comedian who wishes to show his dead wife that he won a comedy contest before he takes his own life, an older sister suffering from severe anxiety after her younger's sister's death going to see her one last time, and a young employee at the café returning to visit 'the one that got away' before she leaves for america, the resounding message is that we don't know what the future holds for us, but, just like yayoi's mother wanted to see the future she desired, we, too, can create our own future. however, with the theme of death still running through the book, it's evident that the future itself may not be what we desired either way.

nanako, despite reiji's hope to marry her in the future, still passes away

. but what is important is to have hope, hope to fuel yourself to keep going, to see whether that next day will come, to fight for the feeling that a promise of better days gives you.

i liked the overall message of this one but the change of location and new characters felt a little confusing. found it hard to feel as invested as the last installment!! but still very sweet and enjoyable

catschristian's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.5

spectacledbear's review against another edition

hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.75