Before the coffee gets cold
Before the coffee gets cold, the first book in a five book standalone(ish) series by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, follows four unique customers and their experiences at a small coffee shop in Tokyo. This coffee shop is rumoured to offer the chance to travel back in time via a very specific chair, but not without a complicated and nonnegotiable set of rules. Despite this, people still try to make the journey anyway, and through the eyes of Fumiko, Kohtake, Hirai, and Kei, the reader gets a glimpse into the desires and regrets of ordinary people in an unexpectedly heart warming and gut wrenching set of narratives.
What really stood out in each story for me was how each one centered around a different interpersonal relationship. From significant others to siblings, each narrative explores a unique dynamic, while also following the characters that work in the café in an episodic way throughout each customer’s experience. I think if I had to choose, I would pick the husband and wife as my favorite duo, who navigate through bittersweet but inevitable marital complexities from a lifetime of being together. I’m afraid I can’t say much more that wouldn’t spoil their arcs, but it was a great chapter.
Despite every plot point being pretty heavy in nature, the author finds a way to show the reader a silver lining each time. He captures the essence of life’s struggles and triumphs very well, and he always leaves you with something meaningful to think about. The balance of this lightness and heaviness throughout the book is just good storytelling, and I find myself smiling one minute and holding my hand to my heart the next. I also enjoyed the format of four short and separate stories, which were just enough to reel me in and keep the pages turning.
If it can even be considered any sort of criticism, the one thing I’d say is that, since this book has been translated to English from the language it was originally written in, some of the sentences and wording can be a little awkward. But the heart of the book in each separate story remains, so I would never say this to deter anyone from reading it! The story beats flow well, and they all weave together to tell an even larger narrative that grows in complexity with each chapter and keeps you wondering who will visit the coffee shop next.
Every individual in the book is relatable in a very human way, from the common need to speak words left unspoken, as well as the choice to bring joy to someone in the past that is not there in the present. I can honestly say that each chapter kept me guessing until the end, and I found myself genuinely surprised and filled with unexpected emotions as the character’s conflicts were resolved—or, at other times, left open for later interpretation. Some of the final lines at the end of the book stayed with me as well:
“...no matter what difficulties people face, they will always have the strength to overcome them. It just takes heart. And if the chair can change someone’s heart, it clearly has its purpose” (Kawaguchi, 272).
Whether I could directly relate or not, I found some truth and wisdom in each story of this book. I could still relate to the human condition no matter what interpersonal dynamics were being explored, and the ending left me feeling emotionally fulfilled and ever hoping for more in the next book in the series. If you like cozy coffee shops, moving stories, and light reads, I highly recommend this book.
Reference
Kawaguchi, Toshikazu. Before the coffee gets cold. Hanover Square Press, 2020.