The Remains of the Day

4.5 stars and a potential to be a 5, but we'll see. Masterfully written in the stream of consciousness style that is Ishiguro's trademark. There is such finesse in the language he uses and the intricate weaving in of his memories into the road trip at present, that you feel like you have inhabited Mr Steven's very being. It isn't an Ishiguro book if you do not feel deeply the helplessness of the character. The final 20 pages were probably the most impactful, so it really is worth it to read till the very end.

- SPOILER ALERT FROM THIS POINT -


At one point I did feel a little annoyed at Miss Kenton for her lack of forthrightness with her feelings. However, the book is about people's mental self-imprisonment, with Stevens' being the most. I liked how the book was wrapped up, helping us make sense of why the book was named as such. The ending came to a full circle with the beginning, with the talk about banter. Also, I couldn't help thinking back to Stevens' father when Stevens was reflecting about his loss of ability as he aged. And the helplessness sets in again because we know that Stevens does not have the mind to retire like the butler at the pier and inevitably his father's end will come to him too, yet we know that at this point he has more hope in his life, to enjoy the remains of the day, to do something new in his work. The book makes me feel things acutely which I cannot necessarily put into words.