Before the Coffee Gets Cold

In a small basement cafe in Tokyo, when a certain chair becomes available and if the coffee is poured just right, you can travel in time. There are just five rules; the most important of which - you must return before the coffee gets cold.

This is a sweet collection of tales (the first in a series of four books), with overarching themes of family and finding happiness through bereavement. The character development is well paced, and I particularly liked the snapshot of Japanese society presented through the various visitors who arrive to travel in time. I was also a big fan of the coffee descriptions (specific beans, method of brewing and pouring), which are tangibly delicious.

I suspect some of the magic may have been lost in translation however, where the language reads more simplistic or awkward than it perhaps was originally.

All round a quietly peaceful read, best served with an Ethiopian pour over coffee.

CW: Bereavement, loss, suicide