Funiculi Funicula. A small cafe tucked in a narrow alley in the busy city of Tokyo. Though it usually goes unnoticed amidst the many other family restaurants and cafes, when passers-by do notice it, they are first struck by the name. The next thing they notice as they descend into the cafe is that there is no air conditioning. But the place is always cool, somehow. There are very few people sitting – the regular patrons usually being a man reading a travel magazine and a woman wearing a short-sleeved white dress. This is the setting of the novel “Before the Coffee Gets Cold” by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, translated from Japanese by Geoffrey Trousselot. First in a series, this book tells us four tales that take place in the cafe, each entangled with the other.
There is an urban legend that surrounds the cafe – that one can travel through time if they’d like to. However, there is a set of rules which need to be followed at all times. For one, a person can travel through time only while sitting in a particular seat (which is usually occupied by the woman in the white dress). A cup of specially brewed coffee is poured for the occasion, and one must return before the coffee gets cold. Oh, what happens otherwise, you ask? Well, the woman in the white dress is a ghost, and now you know why. However, the rule I find most fascinating is that no matter what one does, the present does not alter. Then what is the point of travelling through time? If the outcome remains the same, why do people still choose to revisit something that has already happened? This is the question the novel tries to answer.
Magical realism, when done right, is a wonderful reading experience. The book achieves this to some extent. While most of the plot is grounded in reality, the element of magic gives it a whimsical touch. Kazu Tokita, who works at the cafe, is the one who helps the customers with the process. The imagery produced as Kazu pours the piping hot coffee in a cup makes the reader feel warm as well. The stories give a sense of hope, joy, and love, and the reader can emotionally resonate with the characters.
What is interesting to note is that the cafe survives on very little business. Maybe this too, along with the other unusual things about Funiculi Funicula, can be attributed to its mysterious magic. The atmosphere created is simple and lovely. That being said, the characters do seem a little flat at times, especially so for the characters of the cafe owners Nagare and Kei Tokita. Nagare is the serious, stoic man while his wife Kei is always smiling and bringing cheer wherever she goes. Don’t get me wrong, the gloomy x sunshine trope is great to read when written well, but here it’s just so one-dimensional. Kei is always caring, emotional, optimistic, no matter what. This flatness also creates some emotional distance between the reader and the characters which leads to us not caring enough about what happens to them. (I know I said the reader can “emotionally resonate” earlier, but hey, what am I if not self-contradictory?)
Moreover, the writing comes off as clunky sometimes and doesn’t flow as smoothly. This could be due to the translator trying to stay true to the original Japanese, I suppose. However, some things are always lost in translation, and I must say that Trousselot has done a pretty good job. Kawaguchi’s characters, while telling tales of hope and emotional growth, are also representative of certain moral positions. The four stories have a moral message to send, for instance, placing filial piety above individualism. The women characters, more often than not, tend to respect traditional, conservative beliefs.
All in all, Before the Coffee Gets Cold is… fine. It’s okayish, I’d say. The time travelling is what pulled me in, and maybe it will interest you too. It’s a quick read if you’re looking for something to fit in your busy schedules (reading during classes works best, in my opinion). And I’m sure it’ll go nicely with your coffee breaks!
Edited by Amirtha Varshini V C
Design by Rosello Biju K & Alphin Tom
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