Kazuo Ishiguro

[steffee]

lol, that's so typical

 

[jaynebosco]

lol, that's so typical

I am guessing you have had the same problem

 

[ions]

Remains of the Day was on my TBR list until I read the borathon Never Let Me Go. I'm not sure I'll bother with Remains now. Oddly enough I griped about spoiler tags above when spending five minutes with Never Let Me Go told me exactly where it was going anyway.

 

[steffee]

Remains of the Day is better than Never Let Me Go, Ions. Don't let that "borathon" put you off.

 

[pontalba]

Remains of the Day was on my TBR list until I read the borathon Never Let Me Go. I'm not sure I'll bother with Remains now. Oddly enough I griped about spoiler tags above when spending five minutes with Never Let Me Go told me exactly where it was going anyway.

Ions Steffee is right. It is worth reading. Once you get thru Stevens going on and on about what a 'good butler' is, the sailing is much smoother and far more readable.

I really, really, really doubt I'll read any more of Ishiguro. But I hasten to add that I am glad I read Remains.

 

[Ell]

I read and loved Remains of the Day, but from what I'm reading here, it sounds like I should pass on Never Let Me Go. I took a quick peek at the BOM discussion and there seems to be a similar level of dissatisfaction.

Ions, I know your opinion. Shade, what's your more recent take on it? After Remains of the Day, I thought NLMG would be a must buy for me. Now I'm not sure. Perhaps I should get a used copy or take it out from the library as a hedge against disappointment.

 

[Gem]

I just finished reading A Pale View from the Hills. I thought the delicate sentences and the clever, subtle way it used the charaters to explore the themes was amazing. Then it ended - leaving me feeling .
Yes it is interesting when an author leaves it up to the reader to make sense of things and understand for themselves, but for this reader it means sleepless nights trying to figure things out.
So could someone please kindly tell me:

Spoiler

The trip to the Inasa Hills with Mariko & her mother - yet later the narrator tells us that 'Keiko was happy that day'. Does this mean:
1)That Mariko is Keiko - which would mean that Etsuko is Sachiko & Frank is therefore Niki's father
2) By saying that Keiko was happy that day the narrator is just recognising that perhaps she was a bad mother to Keiko like Sachiko was to Mariko?
3) Something completely different?

I apologise if I am making no sense whatsoever.

 

[Gem]

Steffee,
Did you finish A Pale View from the Hills?
What did you think?

 

[steffee]

Sorry Gem, just seen this. Er, no, I didn't finish it yet. But I started it (well, the first page anyway ), and I just read your spoiler.

Have you read any others by Ishiguro, Gem?

I think I might leave A Pale View of Hills and plump for An Artist of the Floating World instead. Or, oh what the hell, let's have The Unconsoled. Maybe someone in the know will come along offering advice...

 

[Gem]

Sorry Gem, just seen this. Er, no, I didn't finish it yet. But I started it (well, the first page anyway ), and I just read your spoiler.

Ah well no point n finishing it now.

Have you read any others by Ishiguro, Gem?

We Were Orphans & I think Remains of the Day, I have a sort of memory of it.

Maybe someone in the know will come along offering advice...

Not many seem to have read this one .

 

[steffee]

Ah well no point n finishing it now.

Oh, there is. I'm weird and like to know what's going to happen. Familiarity, and all that, stops nasty surprises. Okay I know that's daft...

We Were Orphans & I think Remains of the Day, I have a sort of memory of it.

You think TROTD? Only think? Go reread.

Not many seem to have read this one .

Shade will have, he's read everything.

 

[Gem]

Oh, there is. I'm weird and like to know what's going to happen. Familiarity, and all that, stops nasty surprises. Okay I know that's daft...

No that makes sense, in a daft sort of way .

You think TROTD? Only think? Go reread.

Yes boss, consider it done.

Shade will have, he's read everything.

Everything? I want to read everything too .

 

[steffee]

No that makes sense, in a daft sort of way

Awww, you're nice you are.

You think TROTD? Only think? Go reread.

Yes boss, consider it done.

Wow, that was quick. You should be on the telly, you know, offering your version of speed reading.

Everything? I want to read everything too .

Me too, I think. Only I don't, because I am already slightly upset that I have read three and a half Irving's books and there's only about eight and a half left, or something. And I have read a third of Ishiguro's, and... etcetera.

But then I suppose there's always other authors, and if we had read everything, already, then even all the new books that come out in the next five years will be enough to last us the rest of our lives. Oh God, that's worse... and will somebody please stop me spamming!

To provide a teeny bit of on-topicness in this thread, Gem, I have no idea, but I'd say the answer to your spoiler is 3.) just because it's the only one I understand.

 

[Gem]

Wow, that was quick. You should be on the telly, you know, offering your version of speed reading.

Yep, I'm fast I am, hang on that doesn't sound quite right...I found Remains of the Day on my shelves, which is half the battle won, reading it is the easy part, which is what I meant by consider it done. Of course now I can't find the book again, I was sure I left it on this here desk, but perhaps, disgusted that I didn't remember it in full, Remains of the Day has sprouted legs and done a runner.

Me too, I think. Only I don't, because I am already slightly upset that I have read three and a half Irving's books and there's only about eight and a half left, or something. And I have read a third of Ishiguro's, and... etcetera.
But then I suppose there's always other authors, and if we had read everything, already, then even all the new books that come out in the next five years will be enough to last us the rest of our lives.

Exactly. (I'm hoping that's the right response )

To provide a teeny bit of on-topicness in this thread, Gem, I have no idea, but I'd say the answer to your spoiler is 3.) just because it's the only one I understand.

You are most likely right, and since it seems that no one is going to come and clear things up for me....hurry up and read it Steff, then you can do my thinking for me.
Have you read When We were Orphans?

 

[Shade]

As it happens I have read The Unconsoled - see post 7 in this very thread. If you're having difficulties with Ishiguro's other works, I wouldn't really recommend it. It's for converts only.

 

[Gem]

As it happens I have read The Unconsoled - see post 7 in this very thread. If you're having difficulties with Ishiguro's other works, I wouldn't really recommend it. It's for converts only.

I hadn't really considered reading Unconsoled yet, An Artist of the Floating World was next on my list.

A Pale View from the Hills - It wasn't so much that I had difficulties in reading it, (in fact I loved every sentence) it was just that it made a huge impact on me. I kept thinking about it over and over,and when I finally reached a state of agitation, I figured the best thing was to post here and talk it over with fellow readers (boy was I wrong ).

I did read your posts Shade, and would have addressed you directly, only you mentioned in an earlier post that you couldn't really remember anything about the book.

 

[Shade]

Sorry Gem, I misunderstood the earlier posts when someone said "Not many people seem to have read this one" I thought they meant The Unconsoled. Not sure why.

Anyway, there are some more detailed thoughts (by someone who can remember it! ) here.

 

[Gem]

No need for the sorry. I think the spam was to blame .
Thanks for the link Shade, I suppose now is the time to delurk and sign up to Palimpsest.

 

[steffee]

I figured the best thing was to post here and talk it over with fellow readers (boy was I wrong ).

Oy! Cheeky.

 

[Ronny]

I just finished the Remains of the Day and I thought it was a wonderful book. I'm not sure why, I had a hard time explaining to my husband what I liked so much about it but it was very good. It seems the way the story was told made it much more interesting than it could of been. Ah, I'm not good at analysis but it seems much of the story is revealed in the way it is told, does that make any sense?

I also liked Never Let Me Go but I do think Remains of the Day was better.