"Before the Coffee Gets Cold" by Toshikazu Kawaguchi is a Japanese novel that revolves around a small, cozy café named "Funiculi Funicula." What makes this café unique is its magical ability to allow customers to time travel, but with a few specific conditions. In the café, there's a chair that, if you sit in it, will transport you to a specific moment in the past. However, there are certain rules to this time travel: you can only go to the past, you must return to the present before your coffee gets cold, and you cannot change the past.
The novel is structured around the stories of several different characters who visit the café to use its time-traveling chair. Each character has their own personal reasons for wanting to revisit the past. These stories explore themes of regret, longing, love, and reconciliation. As the characters journey into the past, they grapple with their own emotions and relationships. They get a chance to revisit moments they wish they had acted differently in or to connect with loved ones who have passed away.
Throughout the book, there is a sense of mystery surrounding the café itself, its origins, and the enigmatic waitress who manages the time-traveling chair. These elements add depth and intrigue to the story. The title, "Before the Coffee Gets Cold," serves as a metaphor for the limited time each character has to make amends or find closure in the past. It underscores the idea that while you can revisit the past, you can't linger there for long.
The novel explores the complex emotions and desires that drive people to want to revisit moments in their past and how such journeys can affect their present and future. It's a touching and contemplative story that blends elements of fantasy and human drama.
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If you enjoyed reading "Before the Coffee Gets Cold" by Toshikazu Kawaguchi and are looking for books with a similar vibe or themes, you might appreciate the following recommendations:
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"Tales from the Café" by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
"Tales from the Café" by Toshikazu Kawaguchi is a sequel to "Before the Coffee Gets Cold." It takes readers back to Funiculi Funicula, the time-traveling café. New characters, each with their own poignant stories, visit the café, yearning to amend past mistakes and reconcile with lost loved ones. The novel explores themes of love, regret, and human connection while adhering to the café's rules—returning to the present before the coffee gets cold. Kawaguchi's storytelling weaves a captivating narrative that delves into the profound impact of revisiting the past.
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" Before Your Memory Fades" by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Leaving Tokyo behind, we take a trip with our old friends to the sister cafe of Funiculi Funicula, where, on the hillside of Mount Hakodate in northern Japan, Cafe Donna Donna with its wistful views also offers customers the chance to quest through time. More of the recognisable cafe owners' stories are revealed, and we also meet wonderful new characters, including the mother and daughter, who in their own independent loneliness travel through time to save each other. Tears may flow, as our time travellers once again find new vantage points on old beliefs to uncover life-affirming discoveries.
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"Before We Say Goodbye" by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
In the tradition of Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s sensational 'Before the Coffee Gets Cold' series, readers are once again introduced to a new set of visitors:
The husband with something important left to say
The woman who couldn’t bid her dog farewell
The woman who couldn’t answer a proposal
The daughter who drove her father away
In the hauntingly beautiful Before we say goodbye, Kawaguchi invites us to join his characters as they embark on a journey to revisit one crucial moment in time.
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"The Midnight Library" by Matt Haig:
This novel explores the concept of parallel lives and the choices we make. It follows the story of Nora, who has the opportunity to enter a library that exists between life and death, where she can explore all the lives she could have lived if she had made different decisions.
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"The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger:
This is a love story with a unique twist. It's about a man who involuntarily time travels and the impact it has on his relationship with his wife, who must deal with his sporadic disappearances and reappearances.
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"The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle" by Stuart Turton:
This is a mystery novel with elements of time manipulation. The protagonist wakes up in a different host's body each day, trying to solve a murder that takes place at a party. It's a thrilling and mind-bending read.
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"The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry" by Gabrielle Zevin:
This book revolves around a bookstore owner who discovers a mysterious package left in his store, which changes his life in unexpected ways. It's a heartwarming tale about the power of books and human connections.Get the book here
"Time and Again" by Jack Finney:
If you're interested in time travel and historical settings, this classic novel might be a great choice. It follows a man who participates in a secret government experiment that sends him back in time to 19th-century New York City.
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"The Library of Lost and Found" by Phaedra Patrick:
This is a heartwarming and whimsical story about a librarian who discovers a mysterious book and embarks on a journey to uncover its secrets. It explores themes of self-discovery and the magic of books.
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"If on a winter's night a traveler" by Italo Calvino:
This is a metafictional novel that takes the reader on a unique and intricate literary journey. It's a playful exploration of storytelling and reader interaction.
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These books offer a mix of time travel, introspection, and the power of books and human connections, similar to the themes found in "Before the Coffee Gets Cold." Depending on your specific interests, you can choose one or more of these books to dive into next.
Happy reading
XOXO
"The October Country" by Ray Bradbury: 
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