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josman's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: War
sakisreads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I LOVED Klara and the Sun so I thought I’d give this one a go. Maybe I read it too quickly or I couldn’t appreciate Ishiguro’s writing, but this one was a bit of a miss for me. Sachiko infuriated me throughout and I just felt Etsuko was too meek 🥲 I’m reading other peoples’ reviews and realising I might’ve missed out on a significant amount of symbolism, but I don’t think this is one I want to skim through again to find it. Sorry 🙈
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide
shoulder_pads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
sketchydelusion's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Sexism, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Moderate: Murder, Domestic abuse, War, Abandonment, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Alcoholism, Classism, Death, and Colonisation
ryster's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
It’s one of those books where you feel that the writer will become great, but just isn’t there yet. A good read, but lackluster.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Suicide
laurenkimoto's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
Just eerie vibes the whole time but I would expect nothing less from this man
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy, Suicide, Animal death, Child death, Murder, War, Colonisation, and Genocide
caribbeangirlreading's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
A Pale View of Hills is Kazuo Ishiguro’s debut novel. It starts out as a very simple story about a middle-aged woman reminiscing about the past. Sometimes those memories are clear as day, sometimes they are quite hazy. And sometimes the dreamy memories feel more like nightmares. This was a very slow read. The language is stilted. It reads like just like the narrator, someone who grew up speaking another language and still translates into English in her mind. There are flashes of the brilliant writer Ishiguro will become, but in the end, it was a boring read. The character development could have been better and some of the side stories should have been either fleshed out or deleted altogether. The one positive thing I can say is that the ending of the story blew me away.
I’m still glad I read this. I will continue to read Ishiguro’s novels in the order they were published. Next up, An Artist of the Floating World.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Child death
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: War
lulsycc's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty
Minor: Suicide
mog261's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Animal cruelty
Moderate: War
Minor: Suicide
ajdotcom's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book reminded me of a David Lynch movie, in that I felt that there was some great thematic narrative just beyond my reach, but I didn't quite understand it. Ishiguro's minimalist style leaves room for reader inference, and the entire book, especially the parts set in Japan, have an overwhelming sense of foreboding. This contrasts with the parts set in England, where Etsuko is looking back at tragedy rather than feeling it coming. This book is complex, and I think it is about many different things- family, grief, cultural and generational differences, pre- and post-war Japan. I wouldn't recommend it if you need to "understand" a story or reach a satisfying ending (or really any ending at all)- I'd say this is written in a way that allows you to drift with the ominous flow of the storytelling. I was entirely wrapped up in it and the tone, moreso than the plot, will stay with me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Grief, and Suicide
Minor: Murder
A major plot point is the recent suicide of the narrating character's daughter; the circumstances of this are discussed, but there is not a play-by-play description.