In a small back-alley in Tokyo is a non-descript cafe which serves a coffee, and has a special table which sends the person seated through time. There are certain conditions, though. The person can never leave the seat, and must finish their coffee before it gets cold.
The book relates the stories of four people who use the table:
- a woman who confronts the man who walked away,
- a nurse to receive a letter from her husband who has Alzheimer’s,
- a bartender who wants to meet her sister one last time, and
- a woman who wished to meet her daughter, who she never saw grow up.
Quirky, heartwarming and pleasant, yes. But without any literary merit, no conflicts, no challenges, no insights into the deeper thoughts and emotions of any of the protagonists. The dialogues and themes are repetitive, and there is a tendency to talk down to the reader, as though the reader is unfit to understand basic human emotions. Scenario descriptions are very detailed, but have no apparent connection to the plot.
On the whole, despite the massive love this book received from the world in general, it comes across as a bit silly and tedious.