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4.08 AVERAGE

challenging emotional funny mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
funny reflective relaxing 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: Complicated
emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
reflective 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
medium-paced

A masterclass in under-the-surface melancholia.

Ishiguro uses the minimum amount of allusion and subtext possible to imply what he wants to imply, an effect which beautifully illustrates the repressed trauma of the narrator and of his class and generation.

Slow burner but worth it
emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
emotional reflective sad medium-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
adventurous emotional 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: No

While I was reading this I would pause and think “wtf is with all this literary bloviation about this book, it’s nice but life changing?!?” But the layers build up and by the end you realize how quietly devastating and beautiful the book is.

As the book ends all of these banal, sometimes redundant or problematic memories fit together like pieces in a puzzle addressing the ultimate fear that people have - conscious or not - as we live our lives: Are the decisions I’m making now going to prevent me from living my best life? Is my life going to mean anything? What will I leave behind when I’m gone?
sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes