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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
One of the most boring books I have read in a long time. I liked some of it, and kept on expecting more to happen so I finished reading...but I can't really say how I feel about it overall. I liked the occasional omniscience of Ryder's narration and I enjoyed the differently, randomly but carefully developed backstories we were exposed to.
I picked up the book because a lot of reviews called it Kafkaesque, and I love Kafka. But for most of this book, the furious urgency and sense of dread I find in much of Kafka's work was not present, nor was the humor I enjoy in Kafka. So, yes, it was a rambling, long but still structured story, with me often asking, "how can it still be the same day? How can all these streets always end up back at the hotel? How can these same people keep on appearing" as happens while reading Kafka. But the overall feeling was missing, which I found disappointing.
I picked up the book because a lot of reviews called it Kafkaesque, and I love Kafka. But for most of this book, the furious urgency and sense of dread I find in much of Kafka's work was not present, nor was the humor I enjoy in Kafka. So, yes, it was a rambling, long but still structured story, with me often asking, "how can it still be the same day? How can all these streets always end up back at the hotel? How can these same people keep on appearing" as happens while reading Kafka. But the overall feeling was missing, which I found disappointing.
This is the most frustrating book I've ever read. It's a slow, winding crawl through one of those dreams where you never quite reach your goal because new random events keep popping up. I understand what Kazuo Ishiguro is doing here, and he does it masterfully. If it was half the length, I think I would enjoy it way more. But, for as much as I enjoy the righting itself, I cannot muster the motivation to continue. I'm just too annoyed.
Ishiguro does Kafka.
Ishiguro can write in many different genres.
[b:Never Let Me Go|6334|Never Let Me Go|Kazuo Ishiguro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1353048590l/6334._SY75_.jpg|1499998] and [b:Klara and the Sun|54120408|Klara and the Sun|Kazuo Ishiguro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1603206535l/54120408._SY75_.jpg|84460796] are sci-fi.
[b:The Buried Giant|23210067|The Buried Giant|Kazuo Ishiguro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1415296888l/23210067._SX50_.jpg|41115424] is fantasy.
[b:When We Were Orphans|44417610|When We Were Orphans|Kazuo Ishiguro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1552422269l/44417610._SY75_.jpg|3333606] (a seriously underrated book) is detective fiction.
[b:An Artist of the Floating World|28922|An Artist of the Floating World|Kazuo Ishiguro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327786035l/28922._SY75_.jpg|2464610] and [b:The Remains of the Day|17666627|The Remains of the Day|Kazuo Ishiguro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1363891174l/17666627._SY75_.jpg|3333111] are historical fiction.
And [b:A Pale View of Hills|28920|A Pale View of Hills|Kazuo Ishiguro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348339374l/28920._SY75_.jpg|1676317] is ... well, just his first book. Doesn't really fit into any category beyond literature.
But The Unconsoled is very different. A 400-page dream where people and locations change and morph into something more familiar and strange at the same time. There are ideas of memory and journeys Ishiguro plays around with in this book that he then masters in The Buried Giant. Dream logic and absurdist encounters. There were so many scenes where the protagonist has his family within reach, but then loses them. Like a frustrating dream where you'll lose more the harder you try to control your situation.
I'm such an Ishiguro fangirl that it pains me to give this book only three stars. But I'm being honest. Kafka is powerful because he gets to the point, quickly. This book doesn't do that. It goes on too long and takes forever to get to the point.
There was one passage that will circulate in my mind for years to come, I'm sure, and it was about an artist searching for this one perfect moment or time in their life when it wasn't just practice or a good performance, but a transcendent performance. That day that the artist will look back on and say, "Yes, that was it. That was the moment I was perfect." It's a fool's errand. Something that may never come, but the artist's life is sacrificed to this endeavor. The entire city echos this ideal, that they are cultured and everyone must strive to be better. They have standards to uphold.
Someday, I will be perfect and have a family and my parents will witness my perfect day and be proud. But we all know how that plays out in our dreams.
Story: 2 stars
Character Development: 3 stars
Writing: 5 stars
Ishiguro can write in many different genres.
[b:Never Let Me Go|6334|Never Let Me Go|Kazuo Ishiguro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1353048590l/6334._SY75_.jpg|1499998] and [b:Klara and the Sun|54120408|Klara and the Sun|Kazuo Ishiguro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1603206535l/54120408._SY75_.jpg|84460796] are sci-fi.
[b:The Buried Giant|23210067|The Buried Giant|Kazuo Ishiguro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1415296888l/23210067._SX50_.jpg|41115424] is fantasy.
[b:When We Were Orphans|44417610|When We Were Orphans|Kazuo Ishiguro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1552422269l/44417610._SY75_.jpg|3333606] (a seriously underrated book) is detective fiction.
[b:An Artist of the Floating World|28922|An Artist of the Floating World|Kazuo Ishiguro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327786035l/28922._SY75_.jpg|2464610] and [b:The Remains of the Day|17666627|The Remains of the Day|Kazuo Ishiguro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1363891174l/17666627._SY75_.jpg|3333111] are historical fiction.
And [b:A Pale View of Hills|28920|A Pale View of Hills|Kazuo Ishiguro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348339374l/28920._SY75_.jpg|1676317] is ... well, just his first book. Doesn't really fit into any category beyond literature.
But The Unconsoled is very different. A 400-page dream where people and locations change and morph into something more familiar and strange at the same time. There are ideas of memory and journeys Ishiguro plays around with in this book that he then masters in The Buried Giant. Dream logic and absurdist encounters. There were so many scenes where the protagonist has his family within reach, but then loses them. Like a frustrating dream where you'll lose more the harder you try to control your situation.
I'm such an Ishiguro fangirl that it pains me to give this book only three stars. But I'm being honest. Kafka is powerful because he gets to the point, quickly. This book doesn't do that. It goes on too long and takes forever to get to the point.
There was one passage that will circulate in my mind for years to come, I'm sure, and it was about an artist searching for this one perfect moment or time in their life when it wasn't just practice or a good performance, but a transcendent performance. That day that the artist will look back on and say, "Yes, that was it. That was the moment I was perfect." It's a fool's errand. Something that may never come, but the artist's life is sacrificed to this endeavor. The entire city echos this ideal, that they are cultured and everyone must strive to be better. They have standards to uphold.
Someday, I will be perfect and have a family and my parents will witness my perfect day and be proud. But we all know how that plays out in our dreams.
Story: 2 stars
Character Development: 3 stars
Writing: 5 stars
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It took me quite some time to finish because I grew so impatient and frustrated with the people the protagonist encountered, I would put down the book several times. I particularly disliked the hotel manager and Sophie. However, apart from that, I think it’s a brilliant book. The style was different and I think very difficult to write, so cheers to Ishiguro for this piece.
challenging
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don’t know how to distill my thoughts on this book into something less than an essay on anxiety and seeing our own stories mirrored back to us from other people’s interactions in our lives. So I’ll say it’s Ishiguro does Kafka and assume that such a description is enough to let someone know if they want to read this XD
I did not enjoy reading this book, but I don't feel like I am qualified to give it a proper review. I never was sure of what was going on and I hoped I would have a better idea when I got to the end, but nothing really gelled for me. The problem I had with this book is its surreal aspect. I am sure the whole story is some sort of allegory or metaphor, but basically I am not interested in figuring it out. That is what I mean by saying I don't feel qualified. Maybe I will revisit this book, maybe I will just let it be.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I believe that this book is a great representation of the whimsy and magic that results from dreaming. The entire storyline read as if the character, Mr. Ryder, was navigating through an unknown world that he had created in his sleep. If you're someone that can appreciate the mundane intricacies of life, then you will enjoy this book. But if you're someone that prefers a big story with a punchy storyline and a definite conclusion, then you may want to forego reading this. However, I enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to picking up another Ishiguro sometime soon.