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A review by gw7
The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
1.5
How can I explain that this is not an angry, or disappointed, or otherwise strongly negatively intended star rating?
Much of this review I'll put in spoilers (meaning theories) just cause. But I'll put here that I could not shake the feeling, beginning around a third of the way into the book, that Ryder is the portrait of the artist, and we are all of the townsfolk who clamor to rain down showers and showers of praise at the slightest show of even nonsensical pointless drivel from... the artist... A view which a scan of the reviews on the back of the book throughout the reading of the book, couldn't help but reinforce.(i.e. the reviews on the back of the book are saying *almost exactly* the same things as the audience members/townspeople when Ryder was, at the very least, a complete dick, and then also in the very upmost way, did not do his job
Ok, so theories:
1. the writing
So, this is the most lulling, dull, repetitive, pointless narrative. All of the characters are... *the same person* (figuratively (?)) and it's almost like you could read any of the chapters in any order, and come out with exactly the same result. So. How he could have stood to write this? Beyond me. HOW anyone could have EDITED this???? My goodness that experience must have been awful. So I didn't care about anything, all that to say, but I guess (hope) that's not the goal of the book.
2. ~the dickery~
Ryder's a dick. Yeah. The way Ishiguro made this surrealist setting so we (I) didn't figure that out for 100 or so pages...ok??? But, to be real, if we're gonna look at this (somewhat (UNTRAINEDLY)) critically, Sophie has no voice, by all accounts Ryder's abandoned his family to do this job and the surrealism is a metaphor (more on that later) for how his choice of how he conducts himself has ended him up... yeah, ok??? Ryder's a Dick. I don't care. We know this story, I don't care to read it with ~The Unconsoled~ yeah, no resolution.
3. ~~ The Metaphor~~~
Ok I'm really not sure on this... but... so basically this dude's wrapped up in his career and has ruined his and his family's lives, and all the public clamor after him showing their braindead need for celebrity, but then the end is they ~figure out they don't need him~... and all the surrealism is... there for the point of metaphor? Ok???? I don't think that's *good*??????????
ok, but the thing is, I would like to talk to someone about this book. How long it remains in my mind only time will tell (there was something oddly readable about it- this is not my usual kind of book, but if it was *bad* it would have been infuriating? I think? (don'y get me wrong, I did not like it)), but the fact I want to discuss it with someone... I guess that's a measure of a book in and of itself? But in the end, as of right now, I kinda wanna forget it. I don't think it was all that useful, I think it could have been done in a more skilled way had it been around 200 pages, with more elements slightly pushed and pulled to the more extreme. But who am I to know what's good, really? I just don't think it was a) good and b)that useful a contribution to whatever conversation I think it's talking to. Perhaps it was a self indulgent project.
Wouldn't recommend if you're wanting to explore Ishiguro (I've only read Never Let Me Go). I'm interested to go and read other reviews and see if I change my thoughts. Also think I'm still interested to read more Ishiguro and see... what's up with that...
Much of this review I'll put in spoilers (meaning theories) just cause. But I'll put here that I could not shake the feeling, beginning around a third of the way into the book, that Ryder is the portrait of the artist, and we are all of the townsfolk who clamor to rain down showers and showers of praise at the slightest show of even nonsensical pointless drivel from... the artist... A view which a scan of the reviews on the back of the book throughout the reading of the book, couldn't help but reinforce.
Ok, so theories:
So, this is the most lulling, dull, repetitive, pointless narrative. All of the characters are... *the same person* (figuratively (?)) and it's almost like you could read any of the chapters in any order, and come out with exactly the same result. So. How he could have stood to write this? Beyond me. HOW anyone could have EDITED this???? My goodness that experience must have been awful. So I didn't care about anything, all that to say, but I guess (hope) that's not the goal of the book.
2. ~the dickery~
Ryder's a dick. Yeah. The way Ishiguro made this surrealist setting so we (I) didn't figure that out for 100 or so pages...ok??? But, to be real, if we're gonna look at this (somewhat (UNTRAINEDLY)) critically, Sophie has no voice, by all accounts Ryder's abandoned his family to do this job and the surrealism is a metaphor (more on that later) for how his choice of how he conducts himself has ended him up... yeah, ok??? Ryder's a Dick. I don't care. We know this story, I don't care to read it with ~The Unconsoled~ yeah, no resolution.
3. ~~ The Metaphor~~~
Ok I'm really not sure on this... but... so basically this dude's wrapped up in his career and has ruined his and his family's lives, and all the public clamor after him showing their braindead need for celebrity, but then the end is they ~figure out they don't need him~... and all the surrealism is... there for the point of metaphor? Ok???? I don't think that's *good*??????????
ok, but the thing is, I would like to talk to someone about this book. How long it remains in my mind only time will tell (there was something oddly readable about it- this is not my usual kind of book, but if it was *bad* it would have been infuriating? I think? (don'y get me wrong, I did not like it)), but the fact I want to discuss it with someone... I guess that's a measure of a book in and of itself? But in the end, as of right now, I kinda wanna forget it. I don't think it was all that useful, I think it could have been done in a more skilled way had it been around 200 pages, with more elements slightly pushed and pulled to the more extreme. But who am I to know what's good, really? I just don't think it was a) good and b)that useful a contribution to whatever conversation I think it's talking to. Perhaps it was a self indulgent project.
Wouldn't recommend if you're wanting to explore Ishiguro (I've only read Never Let Me Go). I'm interested to go and read other reviews and see if I change my thoughts. Also think I'm still interested to read more Ishiguro and see... what's up with that...