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A review by angelofthetardis
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
In a backstreet cafe, regular customers visit for expertly made coffee, the staff who have become friends and the opportunity to step away from their daily lives. But there's an extra offer available in this place; if you sit in the right seat, you can travel in time for a few moments to right a wrong, say the words you meant to say or look upon the face of your loved one in happier times. As long as you follow the rules and finish your coffee before it gets cold.
A beautiful yet simple premise, with clearly defined rules to prevent things becoming outlandish, this is a cosy, comforting read. Essentially the story is comprised of four vignettes, all tied together by the cafe and its staff. And yet, each story comes together to add something to the whole cast of characters, giving it something of a 'found family' vibe.
Each person who chooses to take the trip does so for reasons that are so understandable and relatable; I'm sure most of us have wished that we could time travel for at least one of the reasons they have. The fact that it's so gentle - no-one is looking to profit from it, there's no scores to settle or ugly selfishness in here - is just lovely, and the fact that there's no complicated explanations or justification for why you can time travel just in that seat, in that cafe actually makes the whole thing more believable and 'real'; I could be easily convinced you could stumble across this cafe in a city backstreet somewhere.
Unfortunately however, I do think something has probably quite literally been lost in translation. The plot feels like it should read almost poetically, and something tells me in the original Japanese it probably does, but the prose in English is quite clunky, giving it an 'amateur writer' feel. There's a lot of telling rather than showing, and in places it can be quite hard to follow the thread of the action. Likewise, some of the characters come off the page far better than others, but I can't say that I felt like I could picture or grasp onto any of them fully. The book does speak to its audience, and I can imagine if you are an 'emotional' reader this will hit you right in the feels, but for me there was just something lacking in the sensitivity of the writing (whether from the author or the translator I can't quite tell) that detracted from the overall effect.
I understand that this is an adaptation of a stage play written by the author, and I can definitely see that working; the piece absolutely comes across like it would suit the visual performance format of the theatre, and would probably have a more visceral impact on the audience if well acted and produced.
One to make you think and feel, and leave a warm glow in your insides on a cold and rainy day.
A beautiful yet simple premise, with clearly defined rules to prevent things becoming outlandish, this is a cosy, comforting read. Essentially the story is comprised of four vignettes, all tied together by the cafe and its staff. And yet, each story comes together to add something to the whole cast of characters, giving it something of a 'found family' vibe.
Each person who chooses to take the trip does so for reasons that are so understandable and relatable; I'm sure most of us have wished that we could time travel for at least one of the reasons they have. The fact that it's so gentle - no-one is looking to profit from it, there's no scores to settle or ugly selfishness in here - is just lovely, and the fact that there's no complicated explanations or justification for why you can time travel just in that seat, in that cafe actually makes the whole thing more believable and 'real'; I could be easily convinced you could stumble across this cafe in a city backstreet somewhere.
Unfortunately however, I do think something has probably quite literally been lost in translation. The plot feels like it should read almost poetically, and something tells me in the original Japanese it probably does, but the prose in English is quite clunky, giving it an 'amateur writer' feel. There's a lot of telling rather than showing, and in places it can be quite hard to follow the thread of the action. Likewise, some of the characters come off the page far better than others, but I can't say that I felt like I could picture or grasp onto any of them fully. The book does speak to its audience, and I can imagine if you are an 'emotional' reader this will hit you right in the feels, but for me there was just something lacking in the sensitivity of the writing (whether from the author or the translator I can't quite tell) that detracted from the overall effect.
I understand that this is an adaptation of a stage play written by the author, and I can definitely see that working; the piece absolutely comes across like it would suit the visual performance format of the theatre, and would probably have a more visceral impact on the audience if well acted and produced.
One to make you think and feel, and leave a warm glow in your insides on a cold and rainy day.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dementia
Minor: Abandonment, Death of parent, Abortion, Death, Car accident, Grief, and Pregnancy