Book Review - Before the Coffee Gets Cold

[Galena May]

Title of the book: Before the Coffee Gets Cold
Authors: Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Series: First book in a series of the same name
Genres: Fantasy fiction novel, time travelling, magical realism
Short summary of the story: In a small, retro cafe named Funiculi Funicula in Tokyo, Japan, four customers (including one cafe worker) make use of the cafe's magic ability to allow their customers to travel to the past. The time travel is only possible if they follow a set of rules which are that they must use a seat usually occupied by a ghost when the ghost is on a toilet break, they must return before their coffee gets cold which is about one hour, they must use that seat and none others without leaving, no matter what they do in the past they cannot change their present, and they can only meet people who are customers at the cafe during their time travel to the past. The four time travelling customers whose stories are intertwined in the novel like an anthology have their own different reasons to visit the past, which are, seeking closure, revisiting memories, or meeting their unborn child, in a bid to handle their grief in the best possible manner.
Good points / bad points: Good points - It is a very emotional story about the various reasons we stay stuck in the past and fail to move on, and allows us to really appreciate the art of letting go from a third person's perspective. It brings out the various reasons why we choose to waste our time on things beyond our control, allowing us to truly feel the emotions of the characters. Written in a style that combines the journeys of four different characters to prove a point, instead of having a single protagonist with a single conflict, this novel successfully achieves its purpose, opening our eyes to a common problem faced by all those who are bound by human nature. It instantly makes us feel less alone if we are struggling or stuck in the past, failing to come to terms with the present, or simply provides hope for our future. Bad points - At the same time, it fails to be a captivating read, because the story is a bit longer and more slow paced than one would expect, but this could just be my opinion or a result of reading the English translation version.
Overall, it is a very good read, for those who like stories that draw upon the emotional and psychological themes of human life. It is really short, which is in fact, one of the reasons I chose to pick it up. It is less than 300 pages if you are looking for something to enjoy a quick read when you are sad or too busy.


This is the first time I am making use of the poll creation option because I thought it was fun. Please correct me if I am making mistakes.