Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Tales from the Café by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

49 reviews

cartermon4's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Terminal illness

Minor: Murder and Death

lucy_cross56's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Death of parent

Moderate: Violence, Terminal illness, Murder, Grief, Mental illness, Cancer, Death, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy

silviapeper's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Death, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Minor: Abortion

goldbs's review

emotional hopeful inspiring sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Murder

Moderate: Miscarriage and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Pregnancy

taylorerin294's review

emotional hopeful reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Cancer and Murder

niallgoulding1's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.75

Similar to the previous book in the series. This is a very satisfying comfort read. Easy to read, well defined characters with a comforting, wholesome message at the end of each vignette. 

The reasons I don't rate the book more highly are the lack of "sophistication". Its origins as a play are front and centre with the limited cast, single location, and  easy to follow story beats. This isn't a book with a lot of nuance or grey areas. But it tackles the themes of sadness and loss in a sensitive way and imparts a very hopeful message. 

I've enjoyed reading both and will definitely read more of this series when I'm in the right mood. The literary equivalent of a favourite Xmas movie/comforting sweater

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Content Warnings

Minor: Suicide attempt and Murder

lucyatoz's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

My review from reading Toshikazu Kawaguchi's Tales from the Café in 2020 ~ "A very intriguing ghost-like novel of 4 different yet interlinking stories. I am not normally someone who would read this genre of book but I really loved it!"

3 years later and I have now read the next novel by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, Before the coffee gets cold ~ Tales from the Café. Some of the same faces appear in this story as featured in the first book and we learn more about their lives along with the 4 people who come to travel back, or forward, in time, in the hope of sharing one last moment with a friend, a mother, a lover, a wife. Another wonderful set of stories in one cover and I look forward to reading the next instalment. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Cancer, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts

lana_reads98's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Like reading a warm hug, highly recommend as an audiobook 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Cancer, Miscarriage, and Death

Minor: Murder

arturo_luzen's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Miscarriage, Death of parent, Blood, Cancer, Grief, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Death, Violence, Car accident, and Murder

7bayeb's review

emotional hopeful reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

An easy and relaxing read. I, personally, prefer the first book, but still enjoyed this one. Loved all the callbacks to events and characters from the first book, and getting some answers to questions that were left unanswered at the end of the first one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Death, Death of parent, and Miscarriage

Minor: Murder