'Before the Coffee Gets Cold' by Toshikazu Kawaguchi is the first in a series of short Japanese books which have been translated into English and around 34 other languages.
It contains four chapters about four allegorical stories, which mainly emphasises the significance of relationships between the characters such as the dynamics between lovers, husband and wife, two sisters, and a mother with her child.
The author highlights the fact that sometimes, miscommunication and misinterpretation with loved ones leaves immeasurable remorse in your heart, which might make you be stuck in the past, constantly rethinking and reimagining of all the alternatives you could’ve taken instead of the hasty and irrational decisions you took.
In real life, it is not possible for us to relive those regretful moments and change them. But in this world of fiction, there exists a mysterious café that claims that it can transport you back in time!
But it’s not that easy. There are always conditions and complicated procedures whenever something unnatural is possible. One of these being that you have to finish drinking your coffee before it gets cold. If the coffee is unfinished and goes cold, you may get stuck in the past! There are a few others you have to obey in order to relive your past successfully, which you’ll only find out by reading the book.
Why I like this book is because it is easy and simple to read and conveys complicated feelings and decisions into lucid words. It also shows that although trying to “fix” the past may not alter your undesirable present, there is always a chance that it can improve your future into something more preferable. And this is applicable to our very lives too.
The interconnectedness between the characters who visited the café was amicable and very heart-warming. Some of the epiphanies, resolved misunderstandings and remedied bonds even bought tears to my eyes due to the simplistic yet profound events. I would tremendously advocate for you to read not only this book, but also the sequels to it:
Before the Coffee Gets Cold
Before Your Memory Fades
Before We Say Goodbye
And the last one: Before We Forget Kindness
