A review by mcyewfly
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

emotional reflective relaxing sad fast-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

I started reading this book months ago, and it just didn’t click with me. I can either work through a book cold and without any additional context, or I need the back of the book to tell me everything I’m reading for. I wish there was an in between. Once I understood the book was deconstructing a life dedicated to a bygone cause (to be an expert in a dying field, as they say), it clicked. It fully enraptured me. 

 

This book just broke my heart over and over again. Stevens’s religious commitment to what ought to be, regardless of what is or what will be, is heartbreaking. At the heart of his life is this expectation that things will fall into place as they ought to. And while nothing tragic or soul crushing happens to him, nothing falls into place. He’s this bumbling fool, constantly stubbing his own toe without realizing the more permanent nerve damage he’s causing. His myopic view of the world, while constantly challenged and scrutinized, ultimately never wavers. It’s shocking that despite the many confrontations he encounters, it never sticks. He doesn’t change; in fact, he often gets offended that anyone would suggest something’s wrong. I absolutely love Kenton’s constant prodding, insults, and outbursts throughout, reminding the reader of just how out of touch Stevens is. 

 

On the one hand, there’s this natural present perspective to view Stevens as being on the spectrum given his inability to understand or parse through social cues both big and small, as well as the constant need to follow the rules set in front of him. And while that perspective holds some water, I guess, I think its literal reading loses a lot of the metaphor intended. Also, it feels plainly insulting that if this is the case, this book really fails to depict people with Autism as anything but the most rudimentary stereotype. I lean more towards Stevens being a victim of a world in transition, and not because of the transition exclusively, but because of how the people in power exploit Stevens and his social position. 

 

The Britain-in-transition narrative because of World War II is in-your-face, yet it feels far less important than the social situations Stevens gets stuck in. The pompous elites mocking the pitfalls of democracy and the current American homeowner versus the past British homeowner pale in comparison to Stevens pretending to be something he’s not. And yes, there is a richness in using Stevens as a stand-in for Britain itself needing to stop pretending globally, or holding onto outdated Conservative values against its better judgment, when progress is essential. I know Stevens would die for his post because he believes in it, and I know that his post will happily replace him the second he dies. Applying that to how the British treated its citizens in the war(s) is brilliant. 

 

Ultimately, I find that reading less engaging compared to the power of the interpersonal relationships being impacted by Steven’s politics; how individuals treat each other daily is far more compelling than how countries view each other globally, especially for a novel centered around it. I really felt the impact of every memory Steven recalls throughout his recollections, and I can’t remember the last time I wanted to break out a character from their own prison. For someone who prides himself for “getting it,” and for dedicating himself to being the best butler he can be, man, he just misses the mark. It’s short, narrow, and impactful; I’m glad I finally finished it, and that it clicked!