Couldn't put it down ... 2010-02-18

Reviewer: Oldie But Goodie

I had watched the movie prior to reading the novel. An interview with Kazuo Ishiguro on the DVD intrigued me. Kazuo's writing style is beautiful.

The story is told in the first person and captures your attention from the first paragraph. I was glad I had watched the movie first as Anthony Hopkins nailed the character of Stephens, including all the subtleties of his personality. Normally books and the movies made from them do not coincide so well, but I could hear Anthony Hopkins voice in my head as I read the book. They enhanced one another. In fact, seeing the movie first was a plus.

What really hit me, even moreso in the book, was how detached Stephens was from his own emotional side preventing him from having a real connection with other people. When his father died, Lord Darlington approaches Stephens while he is working and asks if he is alright. Stephens is puzzled for a second regarding the question and then Lord Darlington comments that Stephens is crying. Stephens was so detached from his emotions that he did not seem to realize he was doing so.

When Mr. Farraday comes on the scene, he attempts to engage Stephens in what Stephens refers to as "banter". Fact of the matter is, it was simply regular conversation people engage in. But, Stephens is at a loss and attempts to practice so as to develop this skill to please his new boss.

Even at the end of the book, after he meets with Miss Benton and realizes that his heart is breaking, he still cannot let it show. He sits on the pier listening to other people engaging in general conversation and once again thinks he will have to practice this banter to be a better serve Mr. Farraday.

Stephens spent so much of his life, all his life actually, trying to achieve that perfect dignity he felt would make him a superlative butler. He dedicated his life to serving a man who, it turns out, was not necessarily the grand gentleman Stephens had believed he was.

The title is such a metaphor for so many aspects of this book. The remains of the literal day, which Stephens simply endures alone. The remains of his life, which is devoid of real human interrelating. The remains of what could have been with Ms. Benton. The remains of Lord Darlington's reputation and how Stephens feels this reflects on him in terms of having dedicated his life in service to this man.

I highly recommend this book. I'm sure I will be reading it a second and third time. Right now I'm reading "A Pale View Of Hills" and enjoying it thoroughly. Kazuo Ishiguro is a fantastic writer. I look forward to reading all his works.

Dignity Reserved 2010-02-14

Reviewer: Alison

Remains of the Day is such a sad book; Mr Stevens seems defined only by his job as a butler and his dedication to duty and dignity. He suffers humiliations from his employer and employers acquaintances and yet feels a sense of pride and professional triumphs. His relationships are formal and repressed and again his professionalism takes priority over any personal interactions. He either does not realise or does not want to realise the feelings of those around him. He doesn't seem aware of how his loyalties damage his personal relationships. He is the perfect example of the British 'stiff upper lip'.

Ishiguro paints a wonderful picture of a stoic butler coming to terms with the struggles of British class in post-war England and his inability to conduct any close relationships. It's the third Ishiguro book that I've read and all three have been very different; all wonderfully written. Highly recommended.

The Painful Elegance of Longing ~ 2010-01-21

Reviewer: Yasmin H. McEwen

When climbing into Kazuo Ishiguro's, "The Remains of the Day," one feels as if they have stepped out into the manor of a great and romantic landscape; winding vales and flowering trees among green hedges, a scenic pond in the countryside that begs attention; it is as if the verdant air rises from the pages fermenting the reader in a haze of beauty, longing, and the great undertow of dignity within this life; such large planets of questions orbiting; the way that Stevens voice literally melds like a sunset so easily into the mind, his inner dialogue, so succinct, so clear; so refined and with such great desire to succeed; that I can hear him now talking to himself about the validity of his witticisms, and whether or not he showed enough attention to Miss Kenton during their evenings with cocoa and conversation. The International upheaval and the moral implications of siding with the Germans during WWII; such an unforgivable error, this costs the Lord Darlington dearly, and even Stevens whom it is obvious, is more bound up in his Lordship than even his poor and trying father. The images of Stevens father trying so hard in his old age to do the simple tasks, is quite heartbreaking; and that he is referred to in conversations so removed; stills the soul, I say.

Sureness of tension rises to shake the dust from their rugs and bats the drapes with fierceness. Stevens puts all else aside for the sake of his profession, rather, he denies his own life; the validity and importance of events taking place in his life, in order to eclipse and follow the needs of his Lord. He has become the epitome of Butler in such a way that he falls into an ocean of other people's needs, regrettably, the lower staff, or even the equal staff become invisible to him and he pushes their lives, and sufferings aside in order to concentrate on his job; yet, internally, he is quite a mess of all this pushing aside.

On the night of losing his father, one gives a sudden gasp, when the reality of the event is upon Stevens and he turns throughout the evening with such a terrible grace; a great ease in suffering, as if he were a member in a silent dance troupe and following a set number; he keeps turning and turning away from the reality of the situation, his father is dying - - his father has died! - - Stevens is crying and doesn't even know it; such heartbreak in stepping over the lives of our loved ones in order to pretend and put away reality as if it were simply silver to be shined and set in place; and rather, Stevens only source of hope is his pride on pretending or rather carrying on; and this is the stoic role that so many men are made to play within their lives; he believes he is sacrificing for others; and tells himself that he is sacrificing for his Lordship, and ultimately for the sake of world affairs; yet, this is such a lie. If he had only prepared himself a bit more, and trained someone else to step in should an emergency arise, then he could have pulled himself away for just a few moments to help his father. Such a thought would not be entertained for Stevens would n'er have someone else step in to do his job; "My Lordship needs me," I can almost hear him say.

One of the most heartbreaking of scenes is when Stevens is trying to figure out how to see his father and the Frenchman says he needs his feet attending to; this is the crux of the situation; and Stevens, I do feel his soul was torn in great sections of despair, without missing a beat tells the Frenchman that the Doctor is on his way; a death has occurred in the house, his father has died and look what is being attended to, the feet of a noble man. Such heartbreak.

It is Miss Kenton who tries to pry him out of his little shell and force him to pay attention to the rest of the players around him. This is not a solo, Stevens. Life, is not a solo affair; though he has made it out to be as such. Not necessarily that the other people do not matter; not at all, moreso, that Stevens and his feelings do not matter. He has spent his entire life serving others that he cannot serve his own life. This is the tragedy. And it is only in such great pockets of life that seem to withhold themselves until almost the very end; that the past comes out from behind a cloud and beckons to Stevens; he finally snaps out of his life long stupor and grants his heart one wish: Miss Kenton.

One does not come away untouched from this novel. And rather, like the swell of a defiant wave moving stealthily towards the shore, with a deliberate undertow set on taking out at least one inhabitant from their cherished island; this story moves up and over the very deliberate workings of a life; and washes him out to sea, tearing him to shreds at the end; and Miss Kenton, in her defeat, turning away from someone she loves so dearly, in order to simply go on.

I do not want to let the grand masse of superlatives out of the gate to come and crash upon Mr. Ishiguro's novel, for he over writes such pretensions with finesse; a novel so simple in its complexity that it lands atop a wiser branch; creating a standard all its own.

Understated elegance 2009-12-30

Reviewer: T. Casey

What a beautifully written book. In a quiet and understated way, Ishiguro masterfully tells a story of class, loyalty, responsibility, unfulfilled longings and what makes a good butler, which is ultimately an allegory of what makes a good man. Due to Ishiguro's unassuming style, the book steals upon you bit by bit until its elegance overwhelms you and resonates in that special place in your heart.

INTERESTING, GOOD TO LEARN ENGLISH 2009-11-12

Reviewer: Jose Luis Alarcon Ruiz

I am not English, and I enjoyed this novel to learn such polite English. Rather entertainig.

By the way, great delivery service by Amazon. Very fast.