Similar to the coffee mentioned in the title–although, never cold–Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s Before the Coffee Gets Cold is a comforting and touching read. Not only does this novel feel exactly like reading how a cup of coffee would taste, but it also holds the same complexities of coffee, simultaneously withdrawing bitter and sweet notes for the reader to taste. With heavy themes woven throughout the four intertwined stories in this short novel, Kawaguchi finds the perfect formula to make this book equal parts heartbreaking and light-hearted. 

 

However, what really makes the novel so complex is the wondrous concept, which centres around an old café that offers visitors the opportunity to travel backwards or forwards in time if only they follow a set of unavoidable rules. These rules constrict the characters while they travel through time to meet with loved ones, mirroring how in life, loss is inescapable. 

 

Kawaguchi masterfully grounds the story, making it less fantastical and more human, despite the element of time travel, through the strong-rooted familial and romantic bonds, and the overall theme of grief and loss. These inherently human emotions and experiences implore the reader to celebrate and cherish life, exactly like the four visitors in each of their stories. 

 

When reading this book, you’ll undoubtedly find yourself flying through each of the four stories all before your coffee even has a chance to get cold and until you’re itching to have the next taste of Kawaguchi’s work in your hands, all the while wondering for yourself: if you had the chance to go back in time, would you?