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A review by mukundshm
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Often, how I like to judge books is how likely I would be to read it again. Generally, literary fiction texts tend to fare quite badly at this—they’re quite hard on the brain and honestly a little too much effort to read more than once.
This one is different, though. It’s extremely easy to get sucked into, and you really start to fall in love with the cafe—arguably the most important character in the text. Additionally, I think it really explores some very important—and difficult—themes, specifically those of time and how that affects relationships. There’s always a lot to think about after closing the book.
I guess the fact that it was a translation hurt it a little bit; but it was extremely well translated overall. It felt very natural.
Basically, I loved it. My “intro” to Japanese fiction really makes me want to read more.
This one is different, though. It’s extremely easy to get sucked into, and you really start to fall in love with the cafe—arguably the most important character in the text. Additionally, I think it really explores some very important—and difficult—themes, specifically those of time and how that affects relationships. There’s always a lot to think about after closing the book.
I guess the fact that it was a translation hurt it a little bit; but it was extremely well translated overall. It felt very natural.
Basically, I loved it. My “intro” to Japanese fiction really makes me want to read more.
Content Warnings
This book plays on setting; the whole book is set in a cafe where if you sit in a particular seat and are served coffee, you can do back in time. You must stay in the seat and meet only someone who has been in the cafe before, and you must leave before the coffee gets cold.
This is basically a series of four connected stories set in this cafe, with strong elements of magical realism and, well, literary fiction. Lol.