sohxpie 's review for:

Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall by Kazuo Ishiguro

4.0

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A nice little short story collection that serves well as a little break between heftier reads. For me it is the way the stories are told as opposed to the stories themselves that makes this collection stand out. They are very well-written and a joy to read, even if you find a few of the narrator's less than likeable, as I did. I really enjoyed the first story, 'Crooner' I found it beautifully sad, it has definitely been the one to linger with me. I liked 'Come Rain or Come Shine', it didn't quite end how I expected but that always tends to be the case with Ishiguro's works. I think I would have enjoyed 'Malvern Hills' more if I had liked the narrator, though I do feel as if you are not supposed to like him anyway. 'Nocturne' was a little disappointing, I again disliked the narrator but I wanted him to improve and develop by the end of the story but I didn't get that, just more hatred of him. 'Cellists' was quite an interesting read, I kept expecting something to implode but it was all so subtle which really worked. Overall, I did really enjoy this collection of short stories.