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A review by richardrbecker
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Kazuo Ishiguro does an amazing job of exploring the opportunities and limitations of 'station' by challenging the first-person account of an English Butler. During a six-day trip along the English countryside, the bullet (Mr. Stevens) reflects on his life and 34-year career at Darlington Hall.
The trip is taken during a vacation prescribed by the new owner of Darlington Hall, an American gentleman who is considerably less formal than the previous owner that Mr. Stevens served. This minor tension proves to be a useful foreshadowing into Mr. Stevens life as part of his trip is to visit Miss Kenton, the former housekeeper of Darlington Hall who left twenty years earlier to get married.
There was a time that Miss Kenton may have fallen in love with Mr. Stevens, but his demeanor may have prevented him from taking action. Now, after receiving a letter from Miss Kenton that her marriage may in trouble, Mr. Stevens sees it as an opportunity to recruit her back to her previous job as a housekeeper.
Along with revisiting his previous 'almost' affair with Miss Kenton, much of the story recounts Mr. Stevens time at Darlington Hall, serving Lor Darlington, an English Lord who misunderstood the aims of Nazis during World War II and was duped into advocating a peaceful understanding between them and England. In addition to his reflections, we also get a sense of how he acts and interacts with the world around him.
The story is a beautiful and cruel reflection of regret. It is beautiful in outlining the opportunities Mr. Stevens has been given. It is cruel how often he lacks the capacity to see them outside what is proper for a person of his station. While tender and true as a work of literary fiction, some readers might find the story too passive for their liking. It worked for me, however, largely because I enjoy such a broad range of stories and storytelling.
The trip is taken during a vacation prescribed by the new owner of Darlington Hall, an American gentleman who is considerably less formal than the previous owner that Mr. Stevens served. This minor tension proves to be a useful foreshadowing into Mr. Stevens life as part of his trip is to visit Miss Kenton, the former housekeeper of Darlington Hall who left twenty years earlier to get married.
There was a time that Miss Kenton may have fallen in love with Mr. Stevens, but his demeanor may have prevented him from taking action. Now, after receiving a letter from Miss Kenton that her marriage may in trouble, Mr. Stevens sees it as an opportunity to recruit her back to her previous job as a housekeeper.
Along with revisiting his previous 'almost' affair with Miss Kenton, much of the story recounts Mr. Stevens time at Darlington Hall, serving Lor Darlington, an English Lord who misunderstood the aims of Nazis during World War II and was duped into advocating a peaceful understanding between them and England. In addition to his reflections, we also get a sense of how he acts and interacts with the world around him.
The story is a beautiful and cruel reflection of regret. It is beautiful in outlining the opportunities Mr. Stevens has been given. It is cruel how often he lacks the capacity to see them outside what is proper for a person of his station. While tender and true as a work of literary fiction, some readers might find the story too passive for their liking. It worked for me, however, largely because I enjoy such a broad range of stories and storytelling.