Dissection of Inter-personal Relationships: Before the Coffee Gets Cold
Looking to expand your reading horizons with foreign authors? Look no further with Before the Coffee gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi!
What if you could go back in time? What if you could see the future? This Japanese author uses the novelty of time in his novel Before the Coffee gets Cold. There are only four chapters, so it's ideal for people looking for a bit of adventure (and heartbreak). Kawaguchi divulges into romantic, familial, and platonic relationships through the book: sisters, mother and child, lovers, and husband and wife.
From start to finish, I was enraptured by every word. Every sentence had me hanging off each letter, craving for more and more. It's genuinely so easy to lose track of time reading, it's a page-turner that's irresistible. Kawaguchi is unmatched when it comes to inter-weaving unrelated relationships into one big home. All his characters are fully fleshed out and effortlessly loveable (my favorite, Kei). Apathy is impossible with this book. The author drops little hints in the beginning that develop into a bigger story. These small clues build until it's the unexpected plot twist. And trying to guess the plot based on the chapter names won't work in the slightest.
So what's the premise? Basically, Kawaguchi crafts an enchanting story about a cafe in Japan that carries time-traveling powers. The cafe itself is homely and sweet; the author manages to encapture all the quirks of this powerful place. All the settings are defined to give readers the complete mood of this supernatural cafe. The basis is straightforward enough; (within this cafe) you may time-travel into the past or future for as long as the coffee is warm. Namely, once the coffee gets cold, you must drink it before you get lost in time permanently. Nonetheless, time is a fickle thing, so there are multiple rules to the time-traveling (this will unravel throughout the book).
Personally, my favorite chapter was Husband and Wife. Tears will helplessly flow out of you with this short tale. Although my affections for this chapter were unexpected, Kawaguchi's skill at creating stories never ceases to impress. Kawaguchi has a gift for giving the most despicable villains a startlingly moving redemption arc. All the heartless characters have their true nature exposed via time travel. Humans are just human in Before the Coffee gets Cold; his story explores misunderstandings and miscommunication deeply. And the passion and unadulterated affection are genuinely heartbreaking.
These collections of relationships stole my heart; it's cozy, heartwarming, and imparts a priceless lesson on time. It begs the timeless question, what if you could go back, would you go back? Without a doubt, a five-star read that is worth your time.