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A review by thomasdj
Before Your Memory Fades by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
emotional
funny
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
Before Your Memory Fades is a wonderful addition to the ‘Before the Coffee Gets Cold’ series. Like previous books in the series, it is best enjoyed as a collection of short stories, diving into different human emotions. This is an ideal book to read when you want to read something that is familiar and lightly thought-provoking. However, the set up of each chapter is very similar and may feel repetitive if you read the book over a short space of time.
The book is quite the departure for the series - moving from the iconic Café Funicula Funicula in Tokyo to the Café Donna Donna in Hakodate (on the Japanese island of Hokkaido). Moving the location brings in several new, likeable recurring characters but also fits the premise of time travel better - highlighting the fact that the time-travellers are essentially tourists to the past and bringing a more hopeful tone to the book. The new characters also form a much tighter community than in previous books which not only makes them more likeable, but makes you more invested in the characters
The novel also develops off the main question every book in the series has addressed (‘If you could go back, who would you want to meet?”) and really leans more into the question of ‘why would you go back’? This really develops in the last of the four stories, giving a devastating twist which almost had me in tears.
In summary, this is a great addition to the series. The change in location really helps bring out the new stories and opens up the opportunity for new characters and more relatable storylines. If you were to read the book in one go, it may be a little too repetitive though, so enjoy it as a sweet collection of short stories!
The book is quite the departure for the series - moving from the iconic Café Funicula Funicula in Tokyo to the Café Donna Donna in Hakodate (on the Japanese island of Hokkaido). Moving the location brings in several new, likeable recurring characters but also fits the premise of time travel better - highlighting the fact that the time-travellers are essentially tourists to the past and bringing a more hopeful tone to the book. The new characters also form a much tighter community than in previous books which not only makes them more likeable, but makes you more invested in the characters
The novel also develops off the main question every book in the series has addressed (‘If you could go back, who would you want to meet?”) and really leans more into the question of ‘why would you go back’? This really develops in the last of the four stories, giving a devastating twist which almost had me in tears.
In summary, this is a great addition to the series. The change in location really helps bring out the new stories and opens up the opportunity for new characters and more relatable storylines. If you were to read the book in one go, it may be a little too repetitive though, so enjoy it as a sweet collection of short stories!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Grief, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent