The Remains of the Day

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro     245 pages

This is Kazuo Ishiguro's profoundly compelling portrait of Stevens, the perfect butler, and of his fading, insular world in post-World War II England. Stevens, at the end of three decades of service at Darlington Hall, spending a day on a country drive, embarks as well on a journey through the past in an effort to reassure himself that he has served humanity by serving the "great gentleman," Lord Darlington. But lurking in his memory are doubts about the true nature of Lord Darlington's "greatness," and much graver doubts about the nature of his own life.

This is a masterpiece of prose. Ishiguro is so skilled at writing narrative fiction, his characters always so thoughtful and philosophical. And yet, somehow as you read it, it doesn't get boring or too meandering. This book has almost no plot, and yet I found I didn't mind that. This book is essentially the musings of an English butler, looking back on moments in his life that could be considered "turning points," all brought about by the news that an old acquaintance might be free to return to her post. 

Each moment in the past brings to light more and more of Mr. Stevens' character, and you slowly get a sense of who he is as a person and it also brings into focus aspects about himself that he appears not to see, or is trying to persuade the reader he is not/does not feel, and yet you know he is/does. I love how all of this can be conveyed just through Mr. Stevens' own inner thoughts and recollection, but put in tandem with his remembrances of conversations he held in the past. Is he a reliable narrator? Perhaps, but it is obvious he does not know his own heart, or is trying to reject possible feelings or ideas because it would make his life unbearable. 

The ending itself is so perfect and things come together in such a bittersweet way. I'll just share one quote that really is one of the most beautiful things I've read:

"Perhaps, then, there is something to his advice that I should cease looking back so much, that I should adopt a more positive outlook and try to make the best of what remains of my day. After all, what can we ever gain in forever looking back and blaming ourselves if our lives have not turned out quite as we might have wished?" p. 244

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves realistic fiction, especially fiction that touches on historical - certain events of WWII are mentioned. This is classic English literature at its best.