Reviews tagging 'War'

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

33 reviews

rissaur's review against another edition

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

4.75

This novel is a masterpiece if your willing to get through the first half. This novel's writing relating to the characters is incredibly nuanced. It perfectly showed the reader how Mr. Stevens, (the main character's) ideology will ultimately cause him failure, while making him into a character that is able to be empathized with. 
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jennino's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional reflective 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

3.75

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nisima's review against another edition

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

5.0

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oceanwriter's review against another edition

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

4.0

At first, I found the book painfully slow (and admittedly uninteresting). Though I can't say it exactly picked up the pace, I got more invested. I enjoyed the exploration of Stevens' reserved relationships and the dedication to his work. The messages of the story are subtle. Compared to other books not a lot happens, but that somehow seems to resonate deeper. Even though the book is being told by Stevens, Miss Kenton's longing comes through strongly despite the wall Stevens' has built surrounding any sort of intimacy.
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madamenovelist's review against another edition

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

4.5

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bisexualwentworth's review against another edition

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  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
This is one of the best books I've ever read. I just didn’t necessarily enjoy it. It’s a fascinating, layered, beautifully-written character study of one of the most boring characters I’ve ever encountered. He’s a deeply tragic figure in a lot of ways, but wow.
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reneetrinket's review against another edition

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

5.0

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nofacelif's review against another edition

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

2.5

I enjoyed that the protagonist's flaws and character growth were a significant part of the novel and the discussions surrounding dignity. Ishiguro brilliantly manages to establish a political undertone without it being the main focus. However, I think I just didn't connect much with the novel. There isn't really a story, and it's very slow-paced and boring at times. Therefore, it came as a letdown after reading Never Let Me Go.
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paulinevb's review against another edition

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

4.0

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miagw962's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective relaxing sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

"But we could still have chaps like you taking messages back and forth, bringing tea, that sort of thing. Otherwise, how would we ever get anything done? Can you imagine it, Stevens? All of us rooted in the soil? Just imagine it!"

Third book in a row that I've rated 5 stars which is extremely exciting. I picked up The Remains of the Day simply because it was Ishiguro - I've only ever read Never Let Me Go which I liked but didn't move me in the way that I expected it would. I did, however, enjoy Ishiguro's quiet, sensible yet emotive style of writing that made his characters seem so tangible. I did not expect to fall in love with The Remains of the Day  - in fact, I was told I might find it tedious or just kind of odd considering it is a little historical fiction that only shows the perspective of Mr Stevens, a butler in the mid-19th century. Guess what? I did indeed fall in love with every moment of it. There was a point where I kind of slowed down reading the book but that was mostly because I had other stuff on. I don't know how Ishiguro has written something so purposefully emotionally charged yet so indifferent and content. At every moment, I felt like I knew how Stevens was going to react to things, I felt after all this time I completely understood why he reacted in the ways that he did. He both frustrated me and warmed my heart. I can barely describe it - I just wanted to tell him 'hey, it's ok to let your feelings show' and he'd probably reply back 'I'm perfectly fine, I have no idea what you're talking about' (but probably in some proper, more polite English). I was crying maybe for the last 20 pages of the book. I was getting really upset knowing it would end with Stevens being like 'oh well, I've had a pretty nice career' WHICH HE HAS but I need him to know that people love him and he deserves happiness. AHHHHHH I feel so strongly for this character. I was just so upset by the end, it was so so so bittersweet. Indescribable things I feel. Anyway I will indeed be watching the movie which I've heard is a beautiful adaptation and am really looking forward to it.
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