This is the third book in the series, following the second instalment “Before the Coffee Gets Cold: Tales from The Cafe”. I reviewed the first one here. Although I haven’t read the second, I don’t think you need to read them in order to enjoy them – some of the references might be missed, but the characters and their relationships are explained in the book anyway, so it all made sense.
This cafe is a different one to the first two, and it’s a nice change in location,. Cafe Donna Donna is set on the hillside of Mount Hakodate and run by familiar faces. The premise is still the same, of course, with a special chair which allows you to go back in time – but only while the coffee is warm, only to the cafe and you cannot change the present.
There are four new tales to tell, interwoven with each other but almost written as standalone stories. I found them quite soothing to read, although sometimes they were quite melancholic, nostalgic for times gone by or grieving for lost loved ones.
As they can be read standalone, and as it’s a short novel so you can read it in one sitting, the details in them are repeated in each one, which can get slightly irritating. Perhaps they’re better read with some time inbetween, to reflect on the message and the characters within.
I did enjoy this one less than the first one, but I still recommend it for those who liked the others. The translation works tonally, and it still feels like it’s quintessentially Japanese, despite being in English. The culture, etiquette and social hierarchy are still clear and present, for example.
For people who like their fiction with some magical realism, hopeful longing and in bite size pieces, the collection would no doubt make a great gift.
Thanks Netgalley and to PanMacmillan, for the proof, as always. This is available to buy now, along with the fourth instalment.
Books and race reviews 
