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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
Ishiguro is my favorite living author, and while I wouldn't put this book in his top tier--which consists of The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go--it's probably my favorite of his others. That said, I've read it a few times and still don't fully understand exactly what he's trying to get across here. It's a very surreal book, and Ishiguro does such a good job creating the surreal mood and world that it keeps me absorbed, even when I don't understand the specific meanings of the individual dreamlike moments and scenes. There are a lot of recurring tropes throughout the book--dysfunctional couples and dysfunctional parent-child relationships, all of which parallel each other; the use of good music as a substitute or stand-in for functionality and love, whether in interpersonal relationships or larger civic structures; the need for exaggerated forms of hospitality--and while I'm not sure what all of them mean in relation to each other, I do get the sense that there is a meaning, and I like the experience of spending time in the novel's world.
challenging
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is a bizarre, dream-like, meandering and somewhat bewildering book – and I think I rather loved it.
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Firstly the absurdity and delusional aspect of the books is fascinating, but the repetitive diction and syntax, which I know is a purposeful use of literary techniques, made the book feel boring and frustrating. Personally I enjoyed the first half of the book, but the characters are so infuriating that it felt like a chore to finish the book.
I did not understand the point of this book at all. It made me anxious to read it, and in the end, nothing was resolved satisfactorily. I know it was supposed to be "an anxiety dream," but why did it have to be over 500 pages?? Three stars only because Ishiguro is a great writer; anyone with half his skill would only get one or two, if I could have even finished the book.
slow-paced
challenging
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Bleary and vague, dreamlike and surreal. What an interesting book that answered very few questions and truly left the characters and myself Unconsoled