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hoffmann_fanatic's review against another edition
4.0
For a book that is a fantasy novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, the people who have recommended this book to me are invariably neither fantasy fans nor Ishiguro fans, which always struck me as a bit of a curiosity. But I now realize that this makes perfect sense. For fantasy fans, this metaphysical, allegorical novel must seem rambling and derivative - for people who have read a lot of Ishiguro before, there's nothing new here. The Unconsoled, while confusing and long, is considerably more lighthearted, funnier, and optimistic than The Buried Giant - and one of the most impressionable books I have ever read. The Buried Giant hits hard in the moment, but that is largely the responsibility of the last few chapters.
The Buried Giant was my fifth Ishiguro, and, like Klara and the Sun, I felt he has been running out of plot and character tricks for a while. The slow reveal of the memories behind the mist, the coincidences of characters meeting each other, mysterious figures appearing on roads, and the sunny-at-first relationship of Axl and Beatrice, came straight out of his previous two novels. It was not until the ending that I found myself surprised or unable to predict a plot point - maybe I've been reading too much epic fantasy, but I wanted more.
Thematically, this might be Ishiguro's strongest and most committed novel. The book employs a wholehearted assault on fundamental Christianity, nationalism, and civil war, while raising sincere questions about the seemingly inverse relationship between objectivity and the building of community. The exceptionally creative ending was quite possibly my favorite of Ishiguro's thus far, and unlike in many of his other books, kept me sustained until the very end.
I will start recommending this as a starting point for readers looking to discover Ishiguro. Its pastoral aesthetic, accelerating plot, and committed themes are particularly convincing to readers of my Gen Z and millenial generation. This is Ishiguro at his most transparent, active, and sincere, and I anticipate this would have easily been five stars had I not encountered many of his tropes beforehand.
The Buried Giant was my fifth Ishiguro, and, like Klara and the Sun, I felt he has been running out of plot and character tricks for a while. The slow reveal of the memories behind the mist, the coincidences of characters meeting each other, mysterious figures appearing on roads, and the sunny-at-first relationship of Axl and Beatrice, came straight out of his previous two novels. It was not until the ending that I found myself surprised or unable to predict a plot point - maybe I've been reading too much epic fantasy, but I wanted more.
Thematically, this might be Ishiguro's strongest and most committed novel. The book employs a wholehearted assault on fundamental Christianity, nationalism, and civil war, while raising sincere questions about the seemingly inverse relationship between objectivity and the building of community. The exceptionally creative ending was quite possibly my favorite of Ishiguro's thus far, and unlike in many of his other books, kept me sustained until the very end.
I will start recommending this as a starting point for readers looking to discover Ishiguro. Its pastoral aesthetic, accelerating plot, and committed themes are particularly convincing to readers of my Gen Z and millenial generation. This is Ishiguro at his most transparent, active, and sincere, and I anticipate this would have easily been five stars had I not encountered many of his tropes beforehand.
analogn's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
winterbee's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
I understand the whole story as a metaphor about love and loss. It‘s a strange mix of fantasy and myth with a lot of foreshadowing. I liked it but I also think you have to be in the right mood to read it because it‘s altogether quite melancholic.
jakewilliams93's review against another edition
4.0
Love this author’s precise writing. Beautiful but simple.
The story is LOTR-esque with less magic and way shorter. The end of the book reminds me of the train station scene from the last Harry Potter book.
The story is LOTR-esque with less magic and way shorter. The end of the book reminds me of the train station scene from the last Harry Potter book.
jrbachus's review against another edition
3.0
This was an interesting read…but I didn’t like the ending. I feel like I still have lots of questions.
carrielouwho22's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mighty_lizard_queen's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
A slow, contemplative story in a dreamlike landscape.
I loved it, but I recognize it won’t be for everyone.
I loved it, but I recognize it won’t be for everyone.
elisatognon's review against another edition
2.0
https://medium.com/@jakefreeland/the-buried-giant-or-how-kazuo-ishiguro-made-me-never-want-to-read-again-d5583a038a99 agree with every word. Stopped at page 293.
Days later: I am still so sad I didn't like this..
Days later: I am still so sad I didn't like this..
wolfbridge's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
An anti-romance novel in that it’s about what happens at the end of a long relationship, about trust, forgiveness, bitterness, tragedy, and so on. I consider it a novel about human relationships.