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leslie_gannon's review against another edition
3.0
This book was good, but the movie was better. Perfectly cast.
dennisfischman's review against another edition
4.0
And now I want to go back and watch the movie again.
What distinguishes the book is the pitch-perfect voice of Stevens, the butler, the tragic hero of this novel. Ishiguro made me believe in him and, at the same time, made me gradually aware of all that Stevens was not noticing, not saying, not allowing himself to think. Anthony Hopkins had to do all that with his face and posture (and with tremendous help from Emma Thompson). Ishiguro does it with diction and dramatic irony.
What distinguishes the book is the pitch-perfect voice of Stevens, the butler, the tragic hero of this novel. Ishiguro made me believe in him and, at the same time, made me gradually aware of all that Stevens was not noticing, not saying, not allowing himself to think. Anthony Hopkins had to do all that with his face and posture (and with tremendous help from Emma Thompson). Ishiguro does it with diction and dramatic irony.
kristinmarta's review against another edition
5.0
A beautiful and restrained novel. Ishiguro creates a complete and flawed narrator in Stevens. He is so constrained by his position as a butler he fails to recognize how his formality deeply affected his ability to form intimate relationships until its too late. It's a touching rumination on dignity, class, and regret all set against the backdrop of a great house in England leading up to World War II and the twenty years following.
In a quote the author gave about the novel, Ishiguro stated, "What I'm interested in is not the actual fact that my characters have done things they later regret. I'm interested in how they come to terms with it. On the one hand there is a need for honesty, on the other hand a need to deceive themselves - to preserve a sense of dignity, some sort of self-respect." And witnessing that balance, can be heartbreaking.
In a quote the author gave about the novel, Ishiguro stated, "What I'm interested in is not the actual fact that my characters have done things they later regret. I'm interested in how they come to terms with it. On the one hand there is a need for honesty, on the other hand a need to deceive themselves - to preserve a sense of dignity, some sort of self-respect." And witnessing that balance, can be heartbreaking.
tolstoj4ever's review against another edition
4.0
The entire book is the butler trying to convince himself that he has led a valuable, fulfilling life, despite it becoming clear that he sacrificed all of his own individuality and freedom for the sake of an unworthy gentleman. Yet, in contrast, Miss Kenton, the polar opposite in this sense - she let her own morals and desires decide her life's course - also did not have a perfect happy ending. Both paths, self-sacrificing and self-empowering, seemed unsatisfactory in the end. Perhaps it is because both of these paths led apart from one another, perhaps had they stayed together, in one way or another, the ending would have been happier.
The language of the novel is so pompous and lacking in true feeling and honesty that it sometimes seems like a parody of a person. The character of the butler never even lets the reader see behind the facade of his role, perhaps he himself does not even let himself know himself. But without knowing oneself, how can one truly try to understand anyone else? His apathy to the people around him were perhaps not only because of his job as a butler, but a fear of uncovering something within himself. Something like regret. For he never showed a glimmer of emotion towards his dying father, nor towards Jewish servants fired because of their faith, and nor towards Miss Kenton, upon hearing of her departure, which must have, had he had the bravery to let himself feel it, been heartbreaking. If I were to take a lesson from this book it is to always prioritise the soul over any pursuit of greatness. For once greatness is achieved, one is found empty. Unlike the butler, who met this fate, Miss Kenton, despite not being completely satisfied in her life, had grandchildren to look forward to. No life path is perfect, but one must strive to have one with as few regrets as possible.
The language of the novel is so pompous and lacking in true feeling and honesty that it sometimes seems like a parody of a person. The character of the butler never even lets the reader see behind the facade of his role, perhaps he himself does not even let himself know himself. But without knowing oneself, how can one truly try to understand anyone else? His apathy to the people around him were perhaps not only because of his job as a butler, but a fear of uncovering something within himself. Something like regret. For he never showed a glimmer of emotion towards his dying father, nor towards Jewish servants fired because of their faith, and nor towards Miss Kenton, upon hearing of her departure, which must have, had he had the bravery to let himself feel it, been heartbreaking. If I were to take a lesson from this book it is to always prioritise the soul over any pursuit of greatness. For once greatness is achieved, one is found empty. Unlike the butler, who met this fate, Miss Kenton, despite not being completely satisfied in her life, had grandchildren to look forward to. No life path is perfect, but one must strive to have one with as few regrets as possible.
elli_swld's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
talentedmallow's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Ishiguro subtly draws out and then sinks in various small, stifling tragedies. Stevens is a protagonist unlike any other in his very real and very frustrating propriety, but the layers of repression and regret peel themselves back finely. I was left with a lightly sweet, mournful heart– one that might have been more struck with just a bit more darkness to Stevens’ allusions.
erinrouleaux's review against another edition
5.0
Again, hate the star system, because this was a masterpiece and I was completely engrossed, but it’s not a book that I savored or will linger quite like Under the Tuscan Sun which I finished the day before and had flaws, but the imperfections made it that much more personal.
renny_reads's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book. The plot went in a different direction than I had anticipated (I thought there was a romance between Stevens and
Miss Kenton), but I really loved the path it took.
I didn't find that I disliked Stevens; but I definitely felt sorry for
him. Like me, Miss Kenton seemed to also anticipate a romance between
Stevens and herself. It is a pity that he was never able to separate
himself from his dignified duty and allow himself that one meaningful
human connection. I found myself sadly chuckling at Stevens as I read
the last line of the book. As he sat at the end, watching the crowds
of people, and the sunset, and the lights coming on, I felt certain he
was on the brink of "getting it". He seemed so close to breaking out
of that restraint and identifying himself as an individual for the
very first time. Just as I thought he was about to take that hesitant
first step, he resumes his self-coaching on how to "banter". And
again, falling victim to that need to satisfy his employer...if only
he can learn to "banter", he'll find safety and connection with
Faraday.
On a related note, I thought it brilliant that Ishiguro used
"bantering" as the symbol of Stevens' struggle to connect to other
people as people. Bantering, one of the simplest things we learn to
do, at least as Americans!
One aspect of the book that I truly enjoyed (if that's the correct
word) was Lord Darlington's path toward Fascism. In college, I took a
course on the history of the Holocaust. While it was a very difficult
course to sit through oftentimes, it provided a tremendous amount of
insight regarding how the Nazi party was able to come into power in
the first place. The course examined very thoroughly the economic
implications of the Treaty of Versailles, and how the German
people suffered and were so paralyzed by the war reparations
they were dying under. I found the parts about Darlington and his
German friend (the one who was homeless and died, I'm sorry, I'm at
work right now and don't have my book in front of me. Shhh, don't
tell!) to ring of truth and show how mostly decent people were
captivated by the allure of the Nazi party. I don't think the
Darlingtons of the world EVER expected it to go where it went...and in
many cases by the time they found out, they had already given Hitler
too much power.
Just as a little side note, Ishiguro's portrayal of a "proper" British butler was interesting as contrasted with what I am more familiar: the servants who play roles in the Agatha Christie/Dorothy L. Sayers' books. Often, they are portrayed in those books as lower class, dismissive, comedic, or gossips. Or, of course, murderers! Ha! Though Stevens was in a position of service, his "dignity" cast him as a refined character, as if he absorbed the aristocracy by immersing himself in it.
Miss Kenton), but I really loved the path it took.
I didn't find that I disliked Stevens; but I definitely felt sorry for
him. Like me, Miss Kenton seemed to also anticipate a romance between
Stevens and herself. It is a pity that he was never able to separate
himself from his dignified duty and allow himself that one meaningful
human connection. I found myself sadly chuckling at Stevens as I read
the last line of the book. As he sat at the end, watching the crowds
of people, and the sunset, and the lights coming on, I felt certain he
was on the brink of "getting it". He seemed so close to breaking out
of that restraint and identifying himself as an individual for the
very first time. Just as I thought he was about to take that hesitant
first step, he resumes his self-coaching on how to "banter". And
again, falling victim to that need to satisfy his employer...if only
he can learn to "banter", he'll find safety and connection with
Faraday.
On a related note, I thought it brilliant that Ishiguro used
"bantering" as the symbol of Stevens' struggle to connect to other
people as people. Bantering, one of the simplest things we learn to
do, at least as Americans!
One aspect of the book that I truly enjoyed (if that's the correct
word) was Lord Darlington's path toward Fascism. In college, I took a
course on the history of the Holocaust. While it was a very difficult
course to sit through oftentimes, it provided a tremendous amount of
insight regarding how the Nazi party was able to come into power in
the first place. The course examined very thoroughly the economic
implications of the Treaty of Versailles, and how the German
people suffered and were so paralyzed by the war reparations
they were dying under. I found the parts about Darlington and his
German friend (the one who was homeless and died, I'm sorry, I'm at
work right now and don't have my book in front of me. Shhh, don't
tell!) to ring of truth and show how mostly decent people were
captivated by the allure of the Nazi party. I don't think the
Darlingtons of the world EVER expected it to go where it went...and in
many cases by the time they found out, they had already given Hitler
too much power.
Just as a little side note, Ishiguro's portrayal of a "proper" British butler was interesting as contrasted with what I am more familiar: the servants who play roles in the Agatha Christie/Dorothy L. Sayers' books. Often, they are portrayed in those books as lower class, dismissive, comedic, or gossips. Or, of course, murderers! Ha! Though Stevens was in a position of service, his "dignity" cast him as a refined character, as if he absorbed the aristocracy by immersing himself in it.