Well. This was a book. No, just kidding. Sort of. I liked it, but I didn’t love it. Honestly, I subtracted almost a whole star just because Axl kept calling his wife “princess” every other sentence. (That’s not an exaggeration. Every other sentence. Sometimes EVERY sentence.) For context, you should know that I’ve read three previous Ishiguro novels: The Remains of the Day, Never Let Me Go, and We Were Orphans. I disliked We Were Orphans pretty strongly, and liked Never Let Me Go (probably not as […]
A post-Arthurian allegory on the state of the world
Ishiguro’s newest novel is a brilliant undertaking: on one level, a simple story about an elderly couple seeking lost memories and their long-departed son, on another, it is a post-Arthurian adventure story of knights, dragons, ogres, and bloody warfare, with sly touches of Cervantes, Beowulf, Dante’s Inferno, and other classics thrown in. But ultimately, The Buried Giant is a profound allegory on the state of the world today. The plot begins simply enough in the period following the end of King Arthur’s reign. The wars […]
Kazuo Ishiguro reinvents himself again with this lyrical and moving novel about love, memories and society, all while skirting around the edge of fantasy.
I hardly need to say this, but a new Ishiguro novel is a huge deal. It’s been over ten years since his last novel, with only a brilliant collection of short stories in-between to tide us over. The Buried Giant is set some time after the death of the great King Arthur, in the midst of the dark ages, and this strange cultural gap allows him to play with reality and legend in a fluid way. There is a peace of sorts between the two […]
Teaching a novel I love brings new insights.
Last year, I reviewed Never Let Me Go for CBR6, and I almost didn’t review it for CBR7, because I didn’t want to bore you all with a rehash. So here’s what I’ve decided. I’ll attach last year’s review, which contains a pretty decent synopsis, and then I’ll delve into the new things I picked up this year. This time around, I’m teaching it to my ENGL 1002 course, which has been enlightening and eye-opening. At first, I was super nervous teaching them a novel. […]
Warning: nerdy Ishiguro fangirling to follow.
If you’ve followed my CBR Reviews these past three CBRs, then you know of my affinity for literary fiction. Particularly Kazuo Ishiguro’s novels. I’m teaching Never Let Me Go this spring to my ENGL 1002 students (and they actually *like* it, hooray!), and I’ve read all the others. It’s been ten years since Ishiguro’s last novel, and his collection of novellas/short stories, while perfectly serviceable, were nowhere near good enough for his fans as they greedily awaited his next novel. Last year, he announced that […]
Never Let Me Go
Rounded up from 2 1/2 It took me longer then it should to read Never Let Me Go, the writing was so flowery I could only read so much in one sitting without getting drowsy. Kathy, Ruth and Tommy grew up in England at a boarding school, Hailsham, with no parents, lots of rules and little interaction with the outside world; they are also expected to produce artwork for a mysterious Gallery. After they graduate, they go to the Cottages where they are mixed with […]
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