Reviews

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

smorelore's review against another edition

mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

3.5

marydith's review against another edition

I really wanted to like it but I don’t know, I just couldn’t get into it 

cathleenrenee's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

maia_eve's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.25

jbkarle's review against another edition

4.0

Another hauntingly beautiful tale with characters you can't help loving. This is what the bridge between fantasy and literature looks like.

youraveragedave's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

This story is about memory, love, war, and revenge.  Set in a post-Roman, Arthurian Britain a mist has settled across the land causing people to forget the past.  Britons live next to Saxons in an uneasy tension.  

The main couple we follow is an adorable old couple, Axl and Beatrice, whom he always calls Princess, so cute.  The go on a quest to find their list son and to hopefully regain their memories.  They meet a Saxon warrior raised by Britons, and a Saxon boy being pursued by the church.  There is a kind of channeling of the Canterbury Tales going on here.

Ishiguro has a lot to say about memory in this book.  It can hold us together or drive us apart.  The mist, a magic from the dragon thanks to Merlin, Arthur, and Sir Gawain, did across the land to help the people love in peace following the atrocities of war and to prevent revenge.  It is also there for individuals, the old couple may not have been as perfect a pair as they believe they are in their old age.  The scenes with the ferry man in at the end are a great example of this.  The ambiguity at the end was a great choice for this concept.  

katelauren30's review against another edition

I really tried with this book because I did enjoy the atmosphere the story on audiobook created. However, I found it painfully boring and finally decided I just don't care what happens in the end. 

tashab27's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

paisley2k's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

shiyr's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Violence