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

emotional hopeful 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

5.0

Plot: 5
Engagement: 5
Characters: 5
Style: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.88/5

Review: Well I just got done sobbing my eyes out, but also what a brilliant story! A small cafe has the ability to send customers back in time. There are rules, however, that generally tend to discourage people from trying, even if they actually believe it's possible. One of the big rules is that you only have until just before the coffee they pour you gets cold before you have to return to the present. This is a multi-perspective story that largely takes place over the course of a fairly short period of time, but you learn a lot about the characters quickly. The characters are either the cafe employees or a few customers (some wanting to travel and others you'll have to read to get to know). This story really hit me in the feels and I loved it. Highly recommend!