EP-5: Before the Coffee Gets Cold

I want to talk about Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. And I know a lot of people who love this book. It's been all over the internet and honestly I wanted to love it too. The idea is so good. There is this little cafe in Tokyo where you can time travel but only under specific conditions. You can't leave your seat, you can't change the present and you have to come back before the coffee gets cold. That concept alone had me hooked. It sounded emotional and magical. But when I started reading, something just didn't click. The writing felt a bit too flat to me, a little too monotonous and too repetitive. The characters were telling me what to feel instead of letting the emotion build on its own. Even though the stories were meant to be touching, I did not feel very connected to the characters. I think what bothered me most was that the book had so much potential. Time travel, love, second chances. But instead of feeling emotional and motivated or excited, I kind of felt distant. There were some really sweet and thoughtful lines but overall the book is not worth the hype. Maybe it's just me, maybe I expected more build up and more honesty. But sometimes books just don't land the way you hope they will and that's okay. I still think the idea is very lovely and very intelligent and I can see why others love it. But for me, I don't think it quite reached my heart. That's all for today. Thanks for listening. Talk to you soon. Bye.