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A review by danzalewski3
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
An average book with some peaks yet points of contention.
While a pleasant, easygoing read, the book has some issues that personally caused some struggle at times throughout the book. Like previous translated fiction I've read, I found the stylistic quality and depth of the prose to leave me wanting.
Additionally, the light nature of the book with its four intertwined chapters felt counter to the book's overall goals of telling a deeply interpersonal story. It felt difficult to become as deeply connected to the characters as the intensity of the topics required.I feel like the final two chapters each could have been a standalone narrative that could've been explored very deeply due to the topics of death, sacrifice, and familial struggles.
Overall an okay read that I don't dislike, however I'm probably not going to continue to pickup any of the later books in the series.
While a pleasant, easygoing read, the book has some issues that personally caused some struggle at times throughout the book. Like previous translated fiction I've read, I found the stylistic quality and depth of the prose to leave me wanting.
Additionally, the light nature of the book with its four intertwined chapters felt counter to the book's overall goals of telling a deeply interpersonal story. It felt difficult to become as deeply connected to the characters as the intensity of the topics required.
Overall an okay read that I don't dislike, however I'm probably not going to continue to pickup any of the later books in the series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Dementia, Car accident