the present doesn't change

thoughts on "before the coffee gets cold" by toshikazu kawaguchi

adorable cover btw

“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 a purpose.”

Rating: ★★★★☆

Started: 3.15.25

Finished: 3.15.25

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I absolutely adored this book. It is the perfect length for the story it is telling, and tells it well.

Before The Coffee Gets Cold is the first in an installment of stories of an underground cafe in Tokyo that allows its customers to travel back in time to any date they’d like, as long as a list of strict rules are followed; one of them being that they must return to the present before their cup of coffee gets cold.

Another being that they cannot change the present, so any action they do in the past will not alter the outcome.

This book was both comforting and heartbreaking. Usually, when you watch movies or read stories about time travel, the main character is always told that they cannot attempt to change any moment of the past, or they run the risk of altering their futures for better or for worse (I’m looking at you, The Butterfly Effect). However, in this world, that isn’t a concern. You would think this is a good thing, because anyone can return to the past and do whatever they want, at no cost.

This book shows you the more heartbreaking side of it.

The story is told in five vignettes, following five characters’ journeys to the past, and who they went to visit. One of the rules to this time travel is that they cannot see anyone who hasn’t visited the cafe, nor can they leave the seat until they return to the present, or they’ll just get sent back immediately. No one knows why, it’s just a rule.

What I loved most about this story is seeing how each character was changed when they returned. They all thought going back to the past was useless if they couldn’t change what happened in the future, and yet just one quick visit changed how they live their lives in the present when they come back. It was never about changing the past; it was about how it fundamentally shapes us as humans, and how we carry ourselves in the world.

I may be a little biased just because I love books about nothing, but I loved reading about these characters just existing with one another. I loved hearing about their pasts, seeing how they interact with each other and how they run this sleepy cafe with little to no business besides the regulars. I like reading about normal people just going through the motions, even with the existence of this time travel phenomenon. I can’t really say they were as fleshed out as they could’ve been, because there definitely could’ve been more characterization. However, for being such a plot-driven novel, the characters were just the right level of real to me.

May I say, I adore magical realism. I love a little joy, magic, and whimsy incorporated into a normal world. I think a cafe is the best place for this book to take place in because it’s a very common third place, and is a place where people go to connect and find comfort. Magical realism is the perfect blend of fantasy and reality for me, as it doesn’t tip the scale too far to one side or the other (though I love me some fantasy once in a while, don’t get me wrong).

I only have one minor “criticism” if you will: the writing. It fell flat for me at times. I don’t need super flashy or poetic prose to be able to enjoy a book. I just felt that using more captivating language would’ve made this book a little more magical for me. I am giving it some grace, though, because it is a Japanese translation, and translations can sometimes sound plain in English but more poetic in the original language (I experienced this when reading Days at the Morisaki Bookshop as well).

Overall, this was a solid read. I recommend this for anyone who has trouble with regret, and staying in the present moment. This will bring you some solace.

This was my fifth read of the month (go me!) and I’m going to start the second book right after I publish this review. I’m on this weird reading rampage right now, so hopefully there will be more reviews to come in the near future! Until next time xx.