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A review by thestorydoer
Tales from the Café by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
3.25
As a sequel to Before the coffee gets cold, it is a successor which doesn't quite meeting them (due to the quality of the first book). However, it is what is sequel like from this book that is so good, as opposed to it's newer storylines which fall flat.
The first story was quite emotional and I did enjoy it. However, the following 3 stories weren't quite as well executed, often being told with questionable execution. The explanation of the rules somehow becomes more convoluted and old ones are further restated. It felt as if the book was asking to poke holes in its logic which dragged the story out a lot more than it should've.
That being said, the characters who run the cafe, specifically Miki and Kazu bring up this story a lot higher in quality. The characters who were in the previous novel had some very interesting character developments, even with the books tedious execution.
Unfortunately, the book lacks subtextuality which while I don't think subtext is 100% necessary all the time, it does become noticeable once emotional information gets spoon fed.
Overall, a perfectly fine sequel, would recommend if you are a big fan of the first book to remain in its aesthetic, characters, and world. That is, if you felt the first book hadn't fulfilled those desires.
The first story was quite emotional and I did enjoy it. However, the following 3 stories weren't quite as well executed, often being told with questionable execution. The explanation of the rules somehow becomes more convoluted and old ones are further restated. It felt as if the book was asking to poke holes in its logic which dragged the story out a lot more than it should've.
That being said, the characters who run the cafe, specifically Miki and Kazu bring up this story a lot higher in quality. The characters who were in the previous novel had some very interesting character developments, even with the books tedious execution.
Unfortunately, the book lacks subtextuality which while I don't think subtext is 100% necessary all the time, it does become noticeable once emotional information gets spoon fed.
Overall, a perfectly fine sequel, would recommend if you are a big fan of the first book to remain in its aesthetic, characters, and world. That is, if you felt the first book hadn't fulfilled those desires.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Murder