A review by dreamyari
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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

3.5

I enjoyed this a lot more the more I read. There was something about the writing style, maybe, that my brain really struggled to get behind at first. This was possibly due to Kawaguchi also being a playwright, but the longer I sat with it and allowed myself to be immersed in that vivid-in-my-imagination coffee shop, the more I was transported and was able to be hit with waves of feelings.
It's a comfy read that feels almost anthology-like with the way it's formatted, and I really enjoyed it. Perfect for one sitting with a coffee, or multiple sittings curled up in lots of blankets. Tears were shed and I'm glad I stuck with this despite my initial hesitancy.
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