Gifted to me by my wonderful friend this book is also a buddy read with same wonderful friend.
Before The Coffee Gets Cold is set in a Japanese cafe and surrounds the employees and a handful of customers. This magical cafe allows a person one trip through time. Each of the four chapters follows 1 person as they take advantage of this unique experience and all for very different reasons. Time travel does not come without its risks and a very specific list of rules must be followed including returning to the present before the coffee gets cold.
I absolutely adored this book. Books from around the world can follow a different style and I really enjoyed experiencing this one. My wonderful friend has always been interested in Japanese culture and explained to me how these stories differ. With usual westernised books it follows a beginning, a climax and end (of course varies slightly) but will always have a build up to a big bang moment. Japanese books are very much about the journey the author takes you on and the lessons you learn along the way. Some people may find this less interesting or dull but honestly this book was so beautifully written you simply are unable to not enjoy this.
While it was a slow start each chapter gradually built more colour. The cafe is explained so well it feels like I could have been there, the characters however seemed very 2D and superficial. However, Kawaguchi has clearly set out a way for the characters to develop before our very eyes. While all employees and guests were present in each chapter we slowly learn more about each of them in time and in their own chapters, giving them a fullness about them, some heart.
This book clearly asks some big questions as we see people decide whether it is worth it to travel back in time. Some of the rules of time travel are: you can only meet someone who has visited the cafe before, you must not leave your seat, no matter what happens you cannot change the present and you only have the time it takes for the coffee to go cold before returning. Knowing all of this would you travel in time? We watch as a women travels to confront an ex, a wife wanting to receive a letter from her husband who is slowly forgetting her and more.
While reading the first chapter I made a comment to my reading buddy that this would make an amazing theatre production. I could so clearly visualise the cafe and actors on stage. I have missed seeing a show so this brought on all new feelings for the book. On reading the back of the book it turns out Kawaguchi is a playwright and this book was adapted from a 1110 Productions play which won the 10th Suginami Drama Festival grand prize 😍
With each chapter and each journey I swear I could feel my heart warming with each new page and have new love for each of the characters. This is such a cleverly written story you really grow with the characters and reach a beautiful end to the book that I am sure would leave anyone emotional.
Before The Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Pages - 213
Goodreads Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
