Before Your Memory Fades (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #3) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi – heartfelt time travel fiction

Before Your Memory Fades is a cozy, heartfelt exploration of grief, loss, and healing through the lens of magical realism.

Previous Books In The Series

Before the Coffee Gets Cold (Book 1)

Tales from the Café (Book 2)

Synopsis

The latest novel in the international bestselling Before the Coffee Gets Cold Series, following four new customers in a little Tokyo café where customers can travel back in time.

In a small back alley in Tokyo, there is a café that has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time.

From the author of Before the Coffee Gets Cold and Tales from the Cafe comes another story of four new customers, each of whom is hoping to take advantage of Café Funiculi Funicula’s time-travelling offer. Among some familiar faces from Kawaguchi’s previous novels, readers will also be introduced to a daughter, a comedian, a sister, and a lover, each with something they wish they had said differently.

With his signature heartwarming characters and immersive storytelling, Kawaguchi once again invites the reader to ask themselves: what would you change if you could travel back in time?

Review

Before Your Memory Fades begins seven years after the events of the previous book, set in Café Donna Donna, located on the hillside of Mount Hakodate. The café, like its Tokyo counterpart, is renowned for its time-travel experiences. This café is run by Yukari Tokita, the mother of Nagare Tokita.

The story opens with familiar characters, Nagare and Kazu. We learn why Nagare was absent in Tokyo when his wife traveled to the future to meet their daughter. He is now managing Café Donna Donna in Hakodate, as his mother has abruptly left for America.

In the Tokita family, only the women possess the ability to serve the coffee required for time travel. With Kazu having lost this gift, which has now transferred to her seven-year-old daughter, Sachi, both mother and daughter join Nagare in running the café.

The book features four stories, each following a café patron’s journey through time to connect with their loved ones—whether living or deceased. These tales unfold chronologically and are deeply moving, with each ending on a hopeful note except for the last one, The Young Man, which is heartbreakingly poignant.

Although time travel in this series cannot alter the present, I loved how these experiences transformed the characters’ perspectives and emotions, instilling hope and encouraging them to live their lives to the fullest. The overarching message about embracing happiness and purpose after the loss of loved ones was particularly touching. It conveyed how finding joy can honor those who’ve passed, giving deeper meaning to both life and death.

A recurring element in the stories is the fictional book, What If the World Were Ending Tomorrow. It presents characters with realistic, binary choices, which play a pivotal role in their personal growth and decision-making. I found it fascinating to read how each character responded and how their answers influenced their actions.

The novel also provides new insights into the Tokita family and their connection to time travel. Sachi, with her innocence and charm, is a delightful addition to the story. Kazu’s growth throughout the series is commendable, and her evolved perspective helps her guide the café’s customers. Although Yukari is absent in the narrative, her presence looms large as other characters reveal intriguing facets of her personality. While her decision to leave for America initially seemed impulsive, by the end, it’s clear there was more to her actions. Her perceptiveness and compassionate nature mirror Kazu’s in many ways.

However, the book’s tendency to repeat information—such as Yukari’s sudden departure, the café’s past incidents, and the rules of time travel—felt tedious at times. That said, I appreciated the new revelations about the Tokita family, the specifics of time travel, and the timeline of events. The vivid descriptions of Hakodate’s setting, festivals, and cultural details were beautifully rendered and added depth to the story.

Overall, Before Your Memory Fades is a cozy, heartfelt exploration of grief, loss, and healing through the lens of magical realism. Written in simple yet elegant prose, it’s a touching continuation of the series.

What to Expect

Time Travel Fiction
Magical realism
Character Growth
Emotional Depth
Theme of grief and healing

My Favorite Lines

“Things that you put off saying until tomorrow are sometimes never said”

“surviving alone is much the same as dying alone”

“Indecisiveness is self-destructive”

“Something I strongly believe is that we mustn’t allow the death of a person to be the cause of unhappiness. The reason for that is simple: if we let everyone who dies be a cause for unhappiness, that would mean people are being born to be unhappy. But the opposite in fact is true. People are always born for the sake of happiness.”

“Inside every person is an inherent capability to make it through any kind of difficulty. Everyone has that energy. But sometimes when that energy flows via our anxiety valve, the flow can be restricted. The greater that anxiety, the greater the strength needed to open the valve and release the energy. That strength is empowered by hope. You could say that hope is the power to believe in the future.”

“Even though I die, as long as you don’t forget me, I’ll always be in your heart.”

Book Links

Goodreads | Amazon.in | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Have you read any of this or any in this series?
What was your ?

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