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

emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Before the Coffee Gets Cold has been compared with The Five People You Meet in Heaven, hence my posting them side by side.  They both have a touch of whimsy, bitter sweetness and regret, but ultimately are uplifting in dealing with missed opportunities.

The concepts are rather different though, and many of you bookstagrammers will know that Before the Coffee is about time travel.  A small back alley cafe in Tokyo offers customers the unique chance to travel back in time.  But it’s complicated - they must sit in a certain seat and return to the present before the coffee gets cold.

I love this premise which explores the question of what would you change if you could travel back in time?  Who would you want to meet, perhaps for the last time.  What would you decide to do??

I adore an emotional story that deals with unresolved issues and redemption.  However, there seemed to be something about the narrative flow that held me back in being captivated by this. The writing is quite repetitive with the style overly simple, and perhaps this is due to the translation?  Also, the novel is an adaption from a play; I can visualise such a production and imagine it being highly successful, but I’m giving the story in this format as a novel 3.5/5🌟 

Still very charming, thoughtful and gentle.  I also have the sequel so will come back and share thoughts on that.