A Favorite
5 stars
I love this book. I'm biased. Sue me.
Obviously the big deal here is Stephens' self deception. At no point is it subtle to the reader, of course. What I didn't expect is how warmly funny the book is. Despite there being immense pain in the book, it reads less like a broken-hearted ledger of regret and more a calm, pleasant dawning. This obviously isn't the only Ishiguro book about duty vs. morality and self-deception. But it is extremely engaging from the outset. Stephens' narration is colorful, a man lost not in sadness or madness but in quite witty turns of formality. The seriousness of the situation is then washed with a sort of quaint nostalgia. This is interesting: we aren't asked to condone his employer's politics nor heavily classist British high society. But the sense of loss of that world is palpable and bittersweet. The most painful moments are …
I love this book. I'm biased. Sue me.
Obviously the big deal here is Stephens' self deception. At no point is it subtle to the reader, of course. What I didn't expect is how warmly funny the book is. Despite there being immense pain in the book, it reads less like a broken-hearted ledger of regret and more a calm, pleasant dawning. This obviously isn't the only Ishiguro book about duty vs. morality and self-deception. But it is extremely engaging from the outset. Stephens' narration is colorful, a man lost not in sadness or madness but in quite witty turns of formality. The seriousness of the situation is then washed with a sort of quaint nostalgia. This is interesting: we aren't asked to condone his employer's politics nor heavily classist British high society. But the sense of loss of that world is palpable and bittersweet. The most painful moments are deeply personal, and I expect many can relate to them.
