Before the coffee gets cold — a surprising gem
Book review: Before the coffee gets cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
An old and neglected café in Tokyo is home to a magical seat where customers can sit and travel back in time to any point in time, usually to have one last conversation with someone they loved. The catch: nothing you do during your brief voyage to the past changes the present, and the length of your visit is confined to before the coffee gets cold.
The novel explores the themes of love and regret, as people travel to the past to see their loved ones one last time, despite knowing full well that nothing they do can ever change the present. Through these themes, the novel explores relationships — between mother and child, between two sisters, and a husband and wife.
What I most like about the novel is its character-centric nature. As tempting as it would have been to be dragged down the path of time travel madness and the mess it causes in the characters’ lives, the story maintains an unwavering focus on the characters throughout. Moreover, the stories are simple, yet engaging and powerful. You begin to feel for each one of the characters the book sheds light on — in stark contrast to other media that is closely associated towards time travel, which invariably tends to gravitate towards more sci-fi concepts in my experience.
The story is paced perfectly — not too slow to feel dull or boring, and not too fast to seem rushed. It strikes a difficult balance between keeping the story engaging and yet developing authentic characters with whom the readers can connect and relate.
Ultimately, before the coffee gets cold is an artfully written story about courage & hope, in the face of adversity. And for that reason, I do not hesitate as I recommend this book to you.
