I read this short collection of short stories a couple of months ago. I hardly remember the book in its entirety. I only remember stories that made an impact on me. “Before your memory fades” is a sequel in the series that started with “before the coffee cold”. 

 My short review will be based on my feelings when I read. That, I remember! I was bored and quite annoyed at the unimaginative story line. The new characters are just a copy of the ones from the previous books. Their journey, their wit, the reasons why they wished to meet with a dead loved, their development, the turn of events are predictable because we already read them. 

The concept of Before the coffee gets cold was cool. I really enjoyed the first book. The author went on to write four more books about it. The second was a sort of prequel so it worked for me but the third one  “Before your memory fades” shows the limits of the concept as far as the character’s motives to visit the coffee are concerned.  

I could have tossed the book away and moved to my next reading pick but I can be obsessive when it comes to finishing what I start. The question as to why this book was published kept bugging me. It made me reflect on the industry of publishing and how it is led sometimes by the desire to make a profit over the desire to share intricate and exceptional art. I understand that publishing companies need to be profitable in order to survive. However, when the art becomes a second thought in the process of making a book, I have a huge problem. Books like one are clearly a money grab. They capitalize heavily on the success of another book. Some publishing companies end up publishing books without substance just to make money. What irritates me is how hard it is for a brilliant author to get published and how easily some mediocre books make their way to bookshops around the world.