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

emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

”The magazine piece on the urban legend had stated, ‘At the end of the day, whether one returns to the past or travels to the future, the present does not change. So it raises the question: just what is the point of that chair?’

But Kazu still goes on believing that, no matter what difficulties people face, they will always have the strength to overcome them. It just takes heart. And if the chair can change someone's heart, it clearly has its purpose.”

I loved how interwoven the four ‘stories’ are with one another, hints sprinkled throughout the previous to set up for what is to come. My favorite had to be that of the sisters. As I have an older sibling who is only a year and a half older, I have often seen him as someone to protect. Their story really struck me and made me tear up at least twice.

The overall theme of this book is one that resonates: though true that we cannot change the past, we can change how we react and feel about it; in this way, we may heal and move forward into a happier future guided by our understanding of that fact.