Point of View

The novel’s narration is written in the past tense and the limited third person. At any given time, the narration occupies the perspective of only one character. The primary point-of-view characters are Fumiko, Kohtake, Hirai, and Kei. Each chapter follows changes of the characters’ inner lives as the characters gain new perspectives with the help of the café. Even though the café’s time travel disallows people from changing the present, the point-of-view characters gain new insights thanks to the café. For example, when Fumiko redoes her conversation with Goro, she gains new insights into Goro’s insecurities in the relationship. This information helps Fumiko communicate more clearly with Goro in the present/future, thereby repairing the relationship.

The novel’s time travel premise also functions as a commentary on how memory, regret, action, and interaction can alter a person’s perspective on the...