Toshikazu Kawaguchi is the author of the book series Before the Coffee Gets Cold. It is one of the most appreciated books, and with good reason. It became an award-winning book in its country and it became one of the best-selling and most translated novels abroad.
But what is Before the Coffee Gets Cold about? How many books are there? What is known about the author? I'll tell you more about all that.
Synopsis of Before the Coffee Gets Cold
The central plot in this book, as well as in the following ones, It's time travelHowever, there are so many curious and magical details that the book hooks you with the characters, with the story of each one… Also, it is not so easy to travel: you have to sit in the right chair and you cannot move from that seat when you travel to the past.
You should know that this book is based on a play by the author himself that was so popular that it was turned into a series of novels. As a play, it won first prize at the Suginami Theatre Festival.
Apart from books, also There is a Japanese film adaptation.
Here is the synopsis for you to take a look at:
«A rumor is circulating in Tokyo… Hidden away in one of its alleys is a small coffee shop that is worth visiting not only for its excellent coffee, but also because, if you choose the right chair to sit on, you can travel back in time. But since even the incredible is subject to limitations, you cannot leave the coffee shop for the duration of the trip, you will return when the coffee gets cold, and no matter what you do, the present will not change.
Through the exciting stories of four customers who dare to embark on this adventure for different reasons, Before the Coffee Gets Cold offers us a timeless tale about love, missed opportunities and the hope of a future that is always yet to come.
Books from Before the Coffee Gets Cold
As I was saying before, Before the Coffee Gets Cold is a series of books. It is true that you could read them independently, but I don't recommend it. The best thing, and what would make the experience more enjoyable, is to read them in order, especially because In the first book, the rules that will govern throughout the novels are established.
So, in total, although in Spain it seems that I have only found three, there are five books so far:
- Before the coffee cools down.
- Happiness fits in a cup of coffee (in English, the second book was translated as Before the Coffee Gets Cold: Tales of Coffee). The original Japanese title literally translates as Before This Lie Is Revealed.
- The First Coffee of the Day (in English, Before Your Memory Fades, in Japanese, Before Memories Disappear).
- Before We Say Goodbye (in English). The Japanese title would be the same.
- Before We Forget Kindness (in English). The Japanese title would also be the same.
How many pages does Before the coffee gets cold have?
One of the most common questions asked by many (in fact, it appears on Google) is regarding the number of pages in the book. In this case, there are three different versions:
- Kindle version, which has 234 pages.
- Paperback version, which has 272 pages.
- Pocket book version, which has the same number of pages as the softcover version.
The fact that one has more and the other less does not mean that they have cut back on the story. It simply means that they have laid out and used a different font, which is what makes there be fewer pages in one.
What opinions and reviews are there about the book?
Before the Coffee Gets Cold was published in Spain in January 2021 and has received quite a few reviews.
On Amazon, Four and five star ratings account for 76% of reviews, which means that readers see the book as a good read.
Still, there are opinions for all tastes. For example, they say that if you read the first story, all the others are the same because they follow the same pattern. The way of writing is redundant and repetitive.
The harshest critics describe it as boring and flat, not engaging and without an ending that resolves all doubts (which is normal since it is the first of five books). Even in the positive reviews, they comment on these details, but add that, as the story progresses, it gets better.
I leave you some of those reviews:
«It is a quick read, but because the discourse is very diluted, the descriptions are very simplistic, the story is not very attractive. The complexity of time travel is not touched upon at all, they are simplistic drama stories. There is literature for all tastes, this one is not for me.»
«The idea of the book is good, and the stories are gradually improving, but I consider it an overrated book. The writing style is tiring; repetitive and redundant. The characters are also hollow and uninteresting.
It's not all bad. The last two stories were entertaining in part, and the lesson that you can learn from the past even if it doesn't change stays in your head.
«It is a very Japanese book, where the taste for everyday life makes it look in a different way beyond the routine. It highlights what we live without pretending fascinating adventures. What is fascinating is to highlight what we live every day, even when it may seem innocuous. There are four stories in which any reader can recognize themselves in one, or several, of them.»
Who is Toshikazu Kawaguchi
I can't tell you much about Toshikazu Kawaguchi because there isn't much information about him. But I will tell you that he was born in 1971 in Osaka, Japan. He wasn't really a writer, but rather a producer and theatre director, specifically of the Sonic Snail theatre group. But he combined this with his work as a screenwriter on projects such as Couple, Sunset Song and Family Time.
Do you feel like reading the book Before the Coffee Gets Cold? Or are you one of those who doesn't read them until all the books are published?