A review by mattiedancer
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Writing: 5⭐️/5 
Translated books are always interesting, as you’re weighing both the original work and the translation. While I have no way of knowing how well the translation was done, the novel reads with a natural sense of voice. I’d love to believe that this is a good translation, one that distills a sense of Kawaguchi’s voice. Regardless, it’s a smooth read, with gorgeous passages that blend exposition with plot and characterization quite effortlessly. 

Characters: 5⭐️/5
Everyone in this book is like a glimmer of life. The sense of personality imbued into each character – and into the cafe itself – is wonderful. Even though it's a time-travelling cafe, this location feels real. Kawaguchi brings the world to life in a way that I believe I might be able to find this cafe nestled on a busy street in a forgotten basement in Tokyo. 

Plot: 5⭐️/5 
The novel is divided into four sections that focus on different characters while simultaneously building off the previous “story” or section. I really enjoyed that the stories increased in intensity, with the first one feeling like it had the lowest stakes while the last two had much higher, much riskier stakes. 

Post-Reading Rating:  5⭐️/5
Wonderful, beautiful, breathtaking.

Who Should Read This? 
  • Fans of magical realism and alternate reality fantasy
  • Fans of short story anthologies
  • Fans of speculative, hopeful novels
  • Fans of beautiful, reposeful writing

Final Rating: 5⭐️/5

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