Before the Coffee Gets Cold

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• Prior to publishing this novel, Kawaguchi was known as a playwright. Are there any places where you can see the conventions of drama and playwriting influencing Kawaguchi’s novel? What do you think of this influence?
• Think about other books about time travel that you have read. How does this one compare to those books? How does the time travel mechanic in this book differ from those in other books? Does this book’s time travel mechanic allow it to do anything those other books can’t?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Would you want the ability to go back in time one day, in one physical setting, with all the constraints placed on time travel by the novel? Would you be interested in time travel at all? Why or why not?
• Which of the four stories did you like most and why? Which of the four time-traveling women do you relate to most and why?
• Different characters approach “the woman in the dress” differently. How would you approach her?
• In each of the four stories, characters balance pursuing individual goals with their familial and community responsibilities. How do you balance these things? In what ways are your priorities influenced by the culture you live in?

3. Societal and Cultural Context

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• To what degree is the story characterized by its setting in Japan? What Japanese social customs and norms affect the story’s plot, characters, tone, etc.?
• How does this novel speak to the role of women in society? Does its depiction of gender roles have relevance outside of Japanese culture?

4. Literary Analysis

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• Structurally, this novel presents several loosely connected stories that are bound by the same conceit: the shared setting of a café that allows for time travel. What effect do these loosely connected stories have, as opposed to a single narrative structured around exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution? How do they serve the novel’s thematic interests?
• What is the strongest and most obvious link between the four stories? What are the subtler, less obvious links between the stories? Why might Kawaguchi have chosen to make some connections subtler than others?
• The waitress Kazu Tokita prides herself on remaining objective and removed from people’s desires to time travel. Where do you see that objectivity breaking, and why do you think it does?
• What about the setting of the café is vital to the meaning of the text? How does the setting of the café help establish the novel’s tone and main themes?
• Why is the character of “the woman in the dress” included in the novel? Consider her importance to the plot, how she contributes to the tone or main themes, and/or what she symbolizes.
• While coffee is a central motif, the narration explains that coffee is a relative novelty in Japanese culture, as compared to a drink like tea. What is the effect of choosing a relatively unfamiliar cultural item as the novel’s central motif? How would the novel change if it were a more familiar drink, like tea?

5. Creative Engagement 

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• The sections in this book are titled after relationships (for instance, “The Lovers” or “Mother and Child”). If you were undergoing a time travel journey in this café, who would your story be titled after and how would the story unfold?
• The character of the café and its enigmatic waitress Kazu Tokita plays a large role throughout all four stories. Cafés are often known for having musical ambiance. Imagine you are Kazu: What playlist would you make for the café?

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