"The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro - Book Review
Summary
"In the summer of 1956, Stevens, a long-serving butler at Darlington Hall, decides to take a motoring trip through the West Country. The six-day excursion becomes a journey into the past of Stevens and England, a past that takes in fascism, two world wars, and an unrealised love between the butler and his housekeeper."
Review
I discovered this book through a recommendation from another book about storytelling. It was used as an example of a character who defines his life through the values of restraint and emotional control. Throughout the story, we see this character gradually change his beliefs, not in a dramatic way, but slowly over time. Although the overarching psychological transformation is compelling—especially considering the conflicting transitional period between an old world and a new world—I found the narrative itself to be less engaging.
The book contains valuable insights and complex characters, but I didn’t feel invested in the journey. Some readers might find more enthusiasm for it, particularly since it’s considered a classic of modern literature. While I appreciate the psychological depth, I wasn’t thrilled by the experience.
Key Takeaways
- Complex characters and significant psychological development
- Illustration of how the beliefs we create can limit and shape us
- A classic short book
Who Should Read This
Readers interested in contemporary classics and psychological transformation.
Favourite Quotes
"And yet what precisely is this ‘greatness’? Just where, or in what, does it lie? I am quite aware it would take a far wiser head than mine to answer such a question, but if I were forced to hazard a guess, I would say that it is the very lack of obvious drama or spectacle that sets the beauty of our land apart. What is pertinent is the calmness of that beauty, its sense of restraint. It is as though the land knows of its own beauty, of its own greatness, and feels no need to shout it."
Rating
⭐⭐⭐½ (3.5/5 stars)