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talonsontypewriters's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol, Misogyny, Child abuse, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Suicide, and Animal death
Minor: War, Violence, Alcoholism, and Domestic abuse
sadiaa's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
It's easy to read but like most Japanese novels, nothing really happens. The pov changes throughout the book to the past when estuko was pregnant and had spent the summer with Mariko and her mother, to the present when estuko is dealing with the suicide of her daughter kieko. Mariko is kieko, it's just brushed over with no explanation . It's a shame that the ghost woman storyline was not explored more, whilst we find out who the woman was, there's no resolution. Ultimately the book ends with us feeling sorry for estuko as the book ends with her being left alone.
Despite this I enjoyed the book and will be reading more from Ishiguro.
Despite this I enjoyed the book and will be reading more from Ishiguro.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Sexism, Domestic abuse, and Death
Moderate: Child death
Minor: War
surelyinthefountain's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I love Ishiguro's work, so I suppose I'm biased. I love the quiet contemplation, the competing urges between looking forwards and looking back. The book is in a quiet liminal space of sorts -- the small, flawed recollections of a woman who is very much alone and has been for some time. We are to wonder if the fate of all the women here is to one day be alone in a big house; many of the things Niki says to her mother echo things her mother once said at a similar age. The book lets us sit with sadness at the passing of time and of people and of ideas; it's bleak but the small joyful moments are allowed to shine.
One thing to keep in mind, before you go in, is that a lot of Etsuko's stories aren't really about what she says they are. The frame is barely talked about directly and is instead circled obliquely, so a lot has to be inferred. Still waters run deep; I probably want to reread this at some point, honestly, as I think it deserves a closer reading.
One thing to keep in mind, before you go in, is that a lot of Etsuko's stories aren't really about what she says they are. The frame is barely talked about directly and is instead circled obliquely, so a lot has to be inferred. Still waters run deep; I probably want to reread this at some point, honestly, as I think it deserves a closer reading.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Misogyny, Death, Animal cruelty, and Suicide
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