A review by elderlingfool
A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro

challenging reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book is about a Japanese woman named Etsuko that is currently living in England and dealing with the suicide of her oldest daughter. The story is mostly about Etsuko’s memories from when she lived in Nagasaki and became friends with a woman named Sachiko. It addresses the struggle of rebuilding a life after the war and how much it changed the values of the people.
I really liked the dream-like quality of the writing style as the main character remembers her past and the themes addressed like the traditional Japanese values vs the new ones, memory, suicide, motherhood and marriage. I found the characters complex and unlikable, which made them interesting to follow. I also loved the parallels between the lives of the two women.
This is a novel that can have various interpretations and it’s great for discussion. 
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