Reviews

The Remains of the Day, by Kazuo Ishiguro

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annarella's review against another edition

5.0

I was more than happy to reread this story and I found as fascinating and enthralling as the first time.
It aged well and I think it can be considered a classic.
It’s not a story for anyone who wants a fast paced and action packed story: you have to sit and let the words and the storytelling take you to another time and place.
Excellent storytelling and character development, a fascinating and vivid historical background.
It’s strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc, all opinions are mine

irenealasclarin's review

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

rebeccadupont's review against another edition

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4.0

A very subtle book and I think a case of a somewhat unreliable narrator; not because there was deception of the audience but because the narrator did not truly know himself. It was very interesting to read between the lines, the little things like him not even realizing he was crying while serving in the lounge or the way conversations with Miss Kenton got away from him and he did not even spare a thought on them. It was sad in multiple ways and certainly reminds me of Ishuguro's "Never Let Me Go." It's all about a missed or wasted life.

miwajoiner's review against another edition

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reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

softlights's review against another edition

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3.0

There's no denying that Ishiguro has immaculate control over prose, but maybe all the emotional restraint left me wanting more and feeling less...

futurememory's review against another edition

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5.0

Wow. Just... wow. I read this after reading and loving Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go. The Remains of the Day is his most famous work, so I knew I had to eventually get my hands on it.

What a dazzling book this is! It is so subtly nuanced, so quiet and powerful, so heartwrenching... yes, the beginning is a bit slow. But Stevens has one of the great voices. Not once does Ishiguro break from tone in his first-person narration. It's a book filled with pain, a deep ache within the gut, and of trying to make the best of what "remains of the day."

On another note, it really reminded me of The Age of Innocence, another one of my absolute favorite novels.

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. What a great way to really kick off 2009.