Before We Say Goodbye
Summary
The fourth novel in the bestselling Before the Coffee Gets Cold series follows a new group of people who visit a magical time-traveling café in Tokyo. The regulars at Café Funiculi Funicula know that the café lets them travel to the past, but they have to follow strict rules, like coming back before their coffee gets cold. In Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s earlier books, visitors have reconnected with old lovers, made up with estranged family members, and seen loved ones again. Now, readers will meet a new group of visitors with their own stories.
Introduction
The regulars at Café Funiculi Funicula are well acquainted with the whimsical ability it grants them to take a trip into the past—as well as the strict rules involved, including that each traveler must return to the present in the time it takes for their coffee to get cold. In Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s previous novels, patrons have been reunited with old flames, made amends with estranged family and visited loved ones. Now readers will once again be 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 Before We Say Goodbye, which is translated from Japanese by Geoffrey Trousselot and features signature heartwarming characters and wistful storytelling, Kawaguchi once again invites the reader to ask themselves: What would you change if you could travel back in time?
Plot
Once again, the story is about four characters who come to the café for different reasons to speak to someone from the past. A man wants to tell his wife something important, a daughter wants to mend her relationship with her father, a woman seeking closure with her ex-lover, and the saddest-sweetest of all, a woman wants to see her beloved dog once more. Each customer’s story evokes strong emotions, tugging at the heartstrings. The stand-out story was that of the dog and the woman which beautifully explored the bond between people and pets and how they too are a significant part of the family.
“There are many crossroads in life. All regrets stem from what happened at one moment we never imagined would happen to us. When our own action brings about an unexpected result, how can we not experience huge regret? After all, do we ever get another shot?”
Characters
The characters in “Before We Say Goodbye”, like the previous books in the series, are meticulously crafted, each carrying the weight of their past and the burden of unfulfilled desires. Kawaguchi develops them with nuance and sensitivity, allowing readers to connect with their joys and sorrows. At the core of this story is the profound transformations that the characters undergo during their encounters at the cafe. His writing evokes empathy which makes the narrative all the more authentic, making the characters feel humane, realistic, emotive, and undeniably beautiful. Favorite of the lot was the woman who time travels to see her dog. The love for pets depicted would just have the readers in tears.
“It is up to each individual to decide how they feel about the words of others and what action they wish to take.”
Settings
The café serves as a symbolic bridge between the living and the dead, and its ethereal ambiance becomes a character in itself. Kawaguchi paints vivid scenes that transport readers to a realm where the tangible and intangible boundaries blur. The settings are described with a poetic grace that makes the novel’s atmosphere transient and at the same time memorable. Kawaguchi employs intricate attention to detail in crafting these settings, uninterrupted and easy-flowing language that gives a poetic grace to the atmosphere he builds for his characters as well as readers.
“Not having any regrets might actually be my biggest regret. I wish I was capable of feeling regret.”
Writing and Language
Kawaguchi’s wistful storytelling comes back to haunt the readers with the fragility of human lives, love, time, and regret. He once again invites the reader to ask themselves: If time travel were possible, what choices would you reconsider and change? Kawaguchi’s writing style is eloquent and evocative. He effortlessly captures the depth of human emotions. The interweaving of everyday ordinariness with the magical element of the story is brilliantly done without seeming fantastical—since at large, the tales are humanistic. The translation, done with precision, retains the essence of the original Japanese text, and has to be credited for its justice to the author! Kawaguchi’s language, while simple, is powerful in its ability to convey the complexities of the human experience.
Final Verdict
Brilliantly sweet and pages which will have your eyes moist, Before We Say Goodbye is a must read for readers who like to read bittersweet emotional tales, or easy-to-read with cozy vibes, or just want to explore more Japanese texts. While in the previous installments, Kawaguchi explores more of the history of the magical café, the café family, and previous patrons, in this one, we read less of the beloved Funiculi Funicula family and more of the signature characters. The longing, sorrow, regret, and heartbreak brim the pages and make it truly another heart-touching books. Having read only the first and fourth books in the series, I can tell you this – the books might start to sound similar to its successors in the series, with fast diminishing appeal for the plot or the characters. Recommended for all ages.
Author Profile
Toshikazu Kawaguchi was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1971. He formerly produced, directed and wrote for the theatrical group Sonic Snail. As a playwright, his works include COUPLE, Sunset Song, and Family Time. The novel Before the Coffee Gets Cold is adapted from a 1110 Productions play by Kawaguchi, which won the 10th Suginami Drama Festival grand prize.
Have you read ‘Before We Say Goodbye’? What did you think?
