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The Unconsoled Paperback – October 1, 1996
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The setting is a nameless Central European city where Ryder, a renowned pianist, has come to give the most important performance of his life. Instead, he finds himself diverted on a series of cryptic and infuriating errands that nevertheless provide him with vital clues to his own past. In The Unconsoled Ishiguro creates a work that is itself a virtuoso performance, strange, haunting, and resonant with humanity and wit.
- Print length535 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherVintage
- Publication dateOctober 1, 1996
- Dimensions5 x 1 x 8 inches
- ISBN-100679735879
- ISBN-13978-0679735878
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
From the Inside Flap
"A work of great interest and originality.... Ishiguro has mapped out an aesthetic territory that is all his own...frankly fantastic [and] fiercer and funnier than before."--The New Yorker
From the Back Cover
"A work of great interest and originality.... Ishiguro has mapped out an aesthetic territory that is all his own...frankly fantastic [and] fiercer and funnier than before."--"The New Yorker
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
The taxi driver seemed embarrassed to find there was no one-not even a clerk behind the reception desk-waiting to welcome me. He wandered across the deserted lobby, perhaps hoping to discover a staff member concealed behind one of the plants or armchairs. Eventually he put my suitcases down beside the elevator doors and, mumbling some excuse, took his leave of me.
The lobby was reasonably spacious, allowing several coffee tables to be spread around it with no sense of crowding. But the ceiling was low and had a definite sag, creating a slightly claustrophobic mood, and despite the sunshine outside the light was gloomy. Only near the reception desk was there a bright streak of sun on the wall, illuminating an area of dark wood panelling and a rack of magazines in German, French and English. I could see also a small silver bell on the reception desk and was about to go over to shake it when a door opened somewhere behind me and a young man in uniform appeared.
'Good afternoon, sir,' he said tiredly and, going behind the reception desk, began the registration procedures. Although he did mumble an apology for his absence, his manner remained for a time distinctly off-hand. As soon as I mentioned my name, however, he gave a start and straightened himself.
'Mr Ryder, I'm so sorry I didn't recognise you. Mr Hoffman, the manager, he was very much wanting to welcome you personally. But just now, unfortunately, he's had to go to an important meeting.'
'That's perfectly all right. I'll look forward to meeting him later on.'
The desk clerk hurried on through the registration forms, all the while muttering about how annoyed the manager would be to have missed my arrival. He twice mentioned how the preparations for 'Thursday night' were putting the latter under unusual pressure, keeping him away from the hotel far more than was usual. I simply nodded, unable to summon the energy to enquire into the precise nature of 'Thursday night'.
'Oh, and Mr Brodsky's been doing splendidly today,' the desk clerk said, brightening. 'Really splendidly. This morning he rehearsed that orchestra for four hours non-stop. And listen to him now! Still hard at it, working things out by himself.'
He indicated the rear of the lobby. Only then did I become aware that a piano was being played somewhere in the building, just audible above the muffled noise of the traffic outside. I raised my head and listened more closely. Someone was playing a single short phrase-it was from the second movement of Mullery's Verticality-over and over in a slow, preoccupied manner.
'Of course, if the manager were here,' the desk clerk was saying, 'he might well have brought Mr Brodsky out to meet you. But I'm not sure . . .' He gave a laugh. 'I'm not sure if I should disturb him. You see, if he's deep in concentration . . .'
'Of course, of course. Another time.'
'If the manager were here . . .' He trailed off and laughed again. Then leaning forward, he said in a low voice: 'Do you know, sir, some guests have had the nerve to complain? About our closing off the drawing room like this each time Mr Brodsky requires the piano? It's amazing how some people think! Two different guests actually complained to Mr Hoffman yesterday You can be sure, they were very quickly put in their place.'
'I'm sure they were. Brodsky, you say.' I thought about the name, but it meant nothing to me. Then I caught the desk clerk watching me with a puzzled look and said quickly: 'Yes, yes. I'll look forward to meeting Mr Brodsky in good time.'
'If only the manager were here, sir.'
'Please don't worry. Now if that's all, I'd very much appreciate . . .'
'Of course, sir. You must be very tired after such a long journey. Here's your key. Gustav over there will show you to your room.'
I looked behind me and saw that an elderly porter was waiting across the lobby. He was standing in front of the open elevator, staring into its interior with a preoccupied air. He gave a start as I came walking up to him. He then picked up my suitcases and hurried into the elevator after me.
As we began our ascent, the elderly porter continued to hold on to both suitcases and I could see him growing red with the effort. The cases were both very heavy and a serious concern that he might pass out before me led me to say:
'You know, you really ought to put those down.'
'I'm glad you mention it, sir,' he said, and his voice betrayed surprisingly little of the physical effort he was expending. 'When I first started in this profession, very many years ago now, I used to place the bags on the floor. Pick them up only when I absolutely needed to. When in motion, so to speak. In fact, for the first fifteen years of working here, I have to say I used that method. It's one that many of the younger porters in this town still employ. But you won't find me doing anything of that sort now. Besides, sir, we're not going up far.'
We continued our ascent in silence. Then I said:
'So you've worked in this hotel for some time.'
'Twenty-seven years now, sir. I've seen plenty here in that time. But of course, this hotel was standing long before I ever got here. Frederick the Great is believed to have stayed a night here in the eighteenth century, and by all accounts it was a long-established inn even then. Oh yes, there have been events here of great historic interest over the years. Some time when you're not so tired, sir, I'd be happy to relate a few of these things to you.'
'But you were telling me,' I said, 'why you consider it a mistake to place luggage on the floor.'
'Ah yes,' the porter said. 'Now that's an interesting point. You see, sir, as you can imagine, in a town of this sort, there are many hotels. This means that many people in this town have at some point or other tried their hand at portering. Many people here seem to think they can simply put on a uniform and then that will be it, they'll be able to do the job. It's a delusion that's been particularly nurtured in this town. Call it a local myth, if you will. And I'll readily confess, there was a time when I unthinkingly subscribed to it myself. Then once-oh, it was many years ago now-my wife and I took a short holiday We went to Switzerland, to Lucerne. My wife has passed away now, sir, but whenever I think of her I remember our short holiday. It's very beautiful there by the lake. No doubt you know it. We took some lovely boat rides after breakfast. Well, to return to my point, during that holiday I observed that people in that town didn't make the same sorts of assumptions about their porters as people here do. How can I put it, sir? There was much greater respect paid to porters there. The best ones were figures of some renown and had the leading hotels fighting for their services. I must say it opened my eyes. But in this town, well, there's been this idea for many many years. In fact there are days when I wonder if it can ever be eradicated. Now I'm not saying people here are in any way rude to us. Far from it, I've always been treated with politeness and consideration here. But, you see, sir, there's always this idea that anyone could do this job if they took it into their heads, if the fancy just took them. I suppose it's because everyone in this town at some point has had the experience of carrying luggage from place to place. Because they've done that, they assume being a hotel porter is just an extension of it. I've had people over the years, sir, in this very elevator, who've said to me: "I might give up what I'm doing one of these days and take up portering." Oh yes. Well, sir, one day-it wasn't long after our short holiday in Lucerne-I had one of our leading city councillors say more or less those exact words to me. "I'd like to do that one of these days," he said to me, indicating the bags. "That's the life for me. Not a care in the world." I suppose he was trying to be kind, sir. Implying I was to be envied. That was when I was younger, sir, I didn't then hold the bags, I had them on the floor, here in this very elevator, and I suppose in those days I might have looked a bit that way. You know, carefree, as the gentleman implied. Well, I tell you, sir, that was the last straw. I don't mean the gentleman's words made me so angry in themselves. But when he said that to me, well, things sort of fell into place. Things I'd been thinking about for some time. And as I explained to you, sir, I was fresh from our short holiday in Lucerne where I'd got some perspective. And I thought to myself, well, it's high time porters in this town set about changing the attitude prevalent here. You see, sir, I'd seen something different in Lucerne, and I felt, well, it really wasn't good enough, what went on here. So I thought hard about it and decided on a number of measures I would personally take. Of course, even then, I probably knew how difficult it would be. I think I may have realised all those years ago that it was perhaps already too late for my own generation. That things had gone too far. But I thought, well, even if I could do my part and change things just a little, it would at least make it easier for those who came after me. So I adopted my measures, sir, and I've stuck to them, ever since that day the city councillor said what he did. And I'm proud to say a number of other porters in this town followed my lead. That's not to say they adopted precisely the same measures I did. But let's say their measures were, well, compatible.'
'I see. And one of your measures was not to put down the suitcases but to continue to hold them.'
'Exactly, sir, you've followed my gist very well. Of course, I have to say, when I took on these rules for myself, I was much younger and stronger, and I suppose I didn't really calculate for my growing weaker with age. It's funny, sir, but you don't. The other porters have said similar things. All the same, we all try to keep to our old resolutions. We've become a pretty close-knit group over the years, twelve of us, we're what's left of the ones who tried to change things all those years ago. If I were to go back on anything now, sir, I'd feel I was letting down the others. And if any of them were to go back on any of their old rules, I'd feel the same way. Because there's no doubt about it, some progress has been made in this town. There's a very long way to go yet, that's true, but we've often talked it over-we meet every Sunday afternoon at the Hungarian Caf? in the Old Town, you could come and join us, you'd be a most welcome guest, sir-well, we've often discussed these things and each of us agrees, without a doubt, there have been significant improvements in the attitude towards us in this town. The younger ones who came after us, of course, they take it all for granted. But our group at the Hungarian Caf?, we know we've made a difference, even if it's a small one. You'd be very welcome to join us, sir. I would happily introduce you to the group. We're not nearly as formal as we once were and it's been understood for some time that in special circumstances, guests can be introduced to our table. And it's very pleasant at this time of the year with this gentle sunshine in the afternoons. We have our table in the shade of the awning, looking across the Old Square. It's very pleasant, sir, I'm sure you'll like it. But to return to what I was saying, we've been discussing this topic a lot at the Hungarian Caf?. I mean about these old resolutions we each made all those years ago. You see, none of us thought about what would happen when we got older. I suppose we were so involved in our work, we thought of things only on a day to day basis. Or perhaps we underestimated how long it would take to change these deeply ingrained attitudes. But there you are, sir. I'm now the age I am and every year it gets harder.'
The porter paused for a moment and, despite the physical strain he was under, seemed to get lost in his thoughts. Then he said:
'I should be honest with you, sir. It's only fair. When I was younger, when I first made these rules for myself, I would always carry up to three suitcases, however large or heavy. If a guest had a fourth, I'd put that one on the floor. But three, I could always manage. Well, the truth is, sir, four years ago I had a period of ill-health, and I was finding things difficult, and so we discussed it at the Hungarian Caf?. Well, in the end, my colleagues all agreed there was no need for me to be so strict on myself. After all, they said to me, all that's required is to impress on the guests something of the true nature of our work. Two bags or three, the effect would be much the same. I should reduce my minimum to two suitcases and no harm would be done. I accepted what they said, sir, but I know it's not quite the truth. I can see it doesn't have nearly the same effect when people look at me. The difference between seeing a porter laden with two bags and seeing one laden with three, you must admit, sir, even to the least practised eye, the effect is considerably different. I know that, sir, and I don't mind telling you it's painful for me to accept. But just to return to my point. I hope you see now why I don't wish to put down your bags. You have only two. At least for a few more years, two will be within my powers.'
'Well, it's all very commendable,' I said. 'You've certainly created the desired impact on me.'
'I'd like you to know, sir, I'm not the only one who's had to make changes. We discuss these things all the time at the Hungarian Caf? and the truth is, each one of us has had to make some changes. But I wouldn't have you think we're allowing each other's standards to slip. If we did that, all our efforts over these years would be for nothing. We would rapidly become a laughing stock. Passers-by would mock us when they saw us gathered at our table on Sunday afternoons. Oh no, sir, we remain very strict with each other and, as I'm sure Miss Hilde will vouch, the community has come to respect our Sunday gatherings. As I say, sir, you'd be most welcome to join us. Both the caf? and the square are exceptionally pleasant on these sunny afternoons. And sometimes the caf? proprietor will arrange for gypsy violinists to play in the square. The proprietor himself, sir, has the greatest respect for us. The caf? isn't large, but he'll always ensure there's plenty of room for us to sit around our table in comfort. Even when the rest of the caf? is extremely busy, the proprietor will see to it we don't get crowded out or disturbed. Even on the busiest afternoons, if all of us around our table at one and the same time were to rotate our arms at full stretch, not one of us would make contact. That's how much the proprietor respects us, sir. I'm sure Miss Hilde will vouch for what I'm saying.'
Product details
- Publisher : Vintage
- Publication date : October 1, 1996
- Edition : Reprint
- Language : English
- Print length : 535 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0679735879
- ISBN-13 : 978-0679735878
- Item Weight : 14.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 5 x 1 x 8 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #80,236 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #686 in Contemporary Literature & Fiction
- #779 in Fiction Satire
- #3,549 in Literary Fiction (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

KAZUO ISHIGURO was born in Nagasaki, Japan, in 1954 and moved to Britain at the age of five. His eight previous works of fiction have earned him many honors around the world, including the Nobel Prize in Literature and the Booker Prize. His work has been translated into over fifty languages, and The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go, both made into acclaimed films, have each sold more than 2 million copies. He was given a knighthood in 2018 for Services to Literature. He also holds the decorations of Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from France and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star from Japan.
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book enjoyable for fans and appreciate its humor. The writing style receives mixed reactions - while some find it well written, others describe it as wordy and difficult to read. Moreover, the story quality and readability are also mixed, with some considering it a masterpiece while others find it frustrating like a bad dream. Additionally, the character development receives negative feedback, with customers noting there are no relatable characters. The book's emotional content is mixed, with customers describing it as sad, and the mystery aspect is also mixed, with one customer describing it as a complicated dream/reality plot.
AI Generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book humorous, with one mentioning its deadpan irony.
"Great novel! So funny and so sad in the same time, just the real life is. The language is great, sentences are beautifu - I enjoyed reading it." Read more
"...On the other hand, some parts are downright funny, whether it be the childish -and numerous-outbursts from Ryder (he has so many responsibilities!)..." Read more
"...but Ishiguro manages to infuse Ryder's narrative with many miraculous moments of comedy, pathos, and deadpan irony...." Read more
"...Funny, brutal, heartbreaking, - a book that makes one think and reflect, and will stay with me for a long time ." Read more
Customers find the book enjoyable, with one describing it as deeply rewarding and another mentioning it as reading to live.
"...Not his best but very enjoyable for fans." Read more
"...But I hope you will also find that it is deeply rewarding." Read more
"...It's fun, frustrating, sad, really weird, and yes, now you can be certain you're not the only one who thinks like this...." Read more
"...amazing story as an extended lucid dream, containing anxiety, grief, exuberance, humor, hope, and resignation. A truly remarkable performance...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the story quality of the book, with some finding it brilliant and dreamlike, while others describe it as boring.
"Great novel! So funny and so sad in the same time, just the real life is. The language is great, sentences are beautifu - I enjoyed reading it." Read more
"...The main difference though, seems to be that the story symbolic is never truly uncovered. There's no "ah ah" moment here...." Read more
"I am an Ishiguro fan and have thoroughly enjoyed his other novels, especially the failure to communicate between protagonists, which characterizes..." Read more
"...almost as if it were a dream narrative, with all the frustrations of a bad dream...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the writing style of the book, with some finding it well written while others describe it as wordy and filled with endless monologues in simplistic language, making it a hard read.
"...Streets lead to hotel rooms, minds are read, places magically connect, childhood friends appear, family ties are blurry, to say the least and the..." Read more
"...And his prose is an unqualified marvel: an elegant, controlled, and precise writing that casts a fragile veneer of sanity over a disturbing and..." Read more
"...In fact some of the monologues were so agonizingly detailed and went on for so many kindle pages that I found myself skimming to get past it..." Read more
"...set in motion by the first of a series of fascinating, if somewhat long-winded monologues...." Read more
Customers have mixed reactions to the mystery elements of the book, with some finding it intriguing and one describing it as a complicated dream/reality plot, while others find it mystifying in a bad way.
"too strange!...well written but I kept waiting for an illness revelation of some kind to explain the very strange behaviors" Read more
"...with characters he's seemingly encountering for the first time are intriguing and dreamlike, and there are shades of Kafka in the way people and..." Read more
"...No continuity in thoughts or goal is present and he is permanenty jumping from one thing to the next in a chaotic dance that leaves us breathless..." Read more
"...years after its first publication, this book continues to infuriate, mystify and beguile readers...." Read more
Customers have mixed reactions to the emotional content of the book, with some finding it sad, while others describe it as disturbing.
"...apply to all the characters, there is NO resolution, they start the story being miserable and end up as miserable, as if they were all acting in a..." Read more
"Great novel! So funny and so sad in the same time, just the real life is. The language is great, sentences are beautifu - I enjoyed reading it." Read more
"Reading "The Unconsoled" was quite disturbing...." Read more
"...It's fun, frustrating, sad, really weird, and yes, now you can be certain you're not the only one who thinks like this...." Read more
Customers criticize the character development in the book, noting that there are no relatable characters, with one customer specifically mentioning that the protagonist is a very important white man.
"...aware, as one ploughs through this book, how little the characters know about each other, how wrong all their impressions of each other are...." Read more
"...My biggest criticism so far is just that the protagonist is a very important white man in the center of a world that (at least so far) is extremely..." Read more
"...The characters are constructed rather than encountered...." Read more
"...And yes, I’ll admit that the character behaviors are surreal and unorthodox, it certainly adds to the dream-like atmosphere...." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2015Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseThe Unconsoled tells the story of Ryder, an acclaimed pianist, who comes to play in an European town as part as what looks like a tour.
And that's -or is it???- about the only clear cut fact of the book.
From Ryder's arrival to his hotel, we are -reader and Ryder- embarked in a roller coaster of events, thoughts, interactions, with a narrative following a dream pattern. The sense of time and space are suspended, as are logic and rationality. Streets lead to hotel rooms, minds are read, places magically connect, childhood friends appear, family ties are blurry, to say the least and the anxiety is rising.
The dream quickly turns into nightmare as we are trying to make sense of the what, when, who and where. Many parts reminded me of a When we were orphans gone mad, with common themes and characterization.
Ryder needs to play a huge part in many events leading to a key performance - the famous Thursday night- but has no idea of any of it. He tries to get a sense of his schedule but is always a step behind, pulled out of his unknown main tasks by constant side line emergencies.
Ryder never seems to be acting, but only reacting to external events, pushing him around like a leaf in the wind. No continuity in thoughts or goal is present and he is permanenty jumping from one thing to the next in a chaotic dance that leaves us breathless and on the brink of a claustrophobia attack! That's the teeth grinding bit... Yes, some parts are quite frustrating and you wish Ryder would just suddenly wake up and get on with a "normal" life. Kazuo Ishiguro is literally plunging us in this never ending bad dream and the sense of absolute lack of control is quite something to experience.
On the other hand, some parts are downright funny, whether it be the childish -and numerous-outbursts from Ryder (he has so many responsibilities!) or some of the characters' monologues, like Brodsky's.
Embodiment of surreal literature, the Unconsoled echoes of course Kafka, but also Sartre and Vian .
The main difference though, seems to be that the story symbolic is never truly uncovered. There's no "ah ah" moment here.
Moreover, many tantalizing hypothesis seem to disappear as you go on reading.
To start with, I wondered if Ryder was in a coma... Then if he was dead and living in his own personal hell. Then if he was in a highly dissociated state and experiencing simultaneously all his personae. And then again, if he was meeting his own self at different stages of his life. Or I f the story was experienced from the perspective of a 2 years old.
I hoped the ending would provide some kind of answers, but grew less and less hopeful as I went on reading.
And no, it didn't. There is no neat red ribbon tying everything nicely together. The interpretation is only down to us, readers.
What is truly masterful though, is that for Ryder, all the events he goes through do not constitute a journey. He seems to be exactly the same at the very end and at the very start. There's no learning. Events just pass through him and he remains unchanged. Upsetting things are forgotten, replaced by what comes next, hurt and emotions give way to present needs. Without spoiling the end, the last few pages are such a vivid demonstration of the latter...
The same apply to all the characters, there is NO resolution, they start the story being miserable and end up as miserable, as if they were all acting in a forever circular pattern.
When it came to giving it some sense, I chose to think that this work of literature was an allegory of our own mind. That it shows how we get caught up in things lacking utter relevance to help us live our present. How we obsess about trivia and are self obsessed. How we can be prisoner of our own concepts, ways, limitations.That we are made of dozens of contradictory pieces, pulling us in different ways and making clear vision and action difficult. Or may be, it's all about letting go of our mental pieces of luggage, which would put Gustav and his porter job in a interesting new light!
So, a very original read, to embark on with an open mind...
- Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2007Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseThis is an unusual novel, written almost as if it were a dream narrative, with all the frustrations of a bad dream. I would like to discuss three aspects of the novel; the use of a dream narrative to form the basis of the novel, Perl's dream theory, and the modern sense of anxiety and neurosis.
The narrative of this novel is dream-like in many ways. A dream has its own sense of time and space and sequencing of events. Oftehn in a dream the sense of time is distorted and space is bent and shortened. That is certainly the case in this novel. The anxieties of everyday life are taken into the dream and thus the dreamer feels a sense of emergency or urgency around nonsense in a dream. Logic,which follows rules in the real world, no longer follows those rules in the dream world. There were wonderful clues to this process throughout the novel. For example, early in the novel Ryder and Boris try to keep up with Sophia as she walks through a maze of old-town streets. No matter how they try to hurry, she always turns a corner ahead of them and they become anxious trying to catch up to her. In another scene, Ryder goes to a movie but the movie seems to be a conglomeration of several films including 2001: A Space Odessey as well as a Clint Eastwood western. In another scene, Ryder responds to an emergency in his bathrobe, ends up in a formal partly, is invited to speak, and when he does the bathrobe opens exposing his nude body. All of these images tell the reader that he is in the world of the dream. Dreams don't necessarily resolve issues. They usually only point to problems and hint at answers. In the Jungian approach the hints are big. However in our modern existence, when we search for a myth to live by, the sense of anxiety becomes the predominant feature of the modern dream. Jung's dream theory indicates that dreams can be used to enrich or existance whereas Perl's dream theory indicates that the anxiety and dread experienced in dreams are symptoms of a larger neurosis, caused by the conditions, pace, relationshis of modern life, to say nothing of the need in modern existance to find meaning in life since we can no longer rely on the dominant forces of the church or state to define our reason for living.
I think the dream theory developed by Fritz Perls and revealed in his Gestalt Psychotherapy would shine light on the meaning of this odd novel. Perls would say that everyone and everything in the dream is actually a part or aspect of the dreamer. One way to interpret this is that the young boy Boris reflects Ryder's childhood, the young pianist Stephen reflects the artistic awakening of Ryder, and the elderly drunken Brodsky reflects the despair and end of the artist, no longer able to produce with vitality and creativity. Another piece of evidence that everyone in the dream reflects some aspect of Ryder's personality is the similarity of voice of many of the male characters in the story. They had this extremely polite way of manipulating. Perl's thought that uncertain vague anxiety was a symptom of neurosis, the psychological state of modern man. This dream was full of the anxious dread characteristic of neurosis.
Which comes to the point of my review that if a dream reflects the anxiety of modern existence and a novel should reflect modern existence, then the novel should be as anxious as a neurotic dream. This aspect of the novel obvious drove many readers and reviewers to distraction, as evidenced by their scathing reviews of this novel.
But what is the source of the anxiety? This novel would indicate that it is our inability to be all things to all people. Ryder is continually asked by strangers to help with this issue or that issue, all of which divert him, cause him discomfort, and yet always help him understand himself better. When modern man is in the state of anxiety, he looks for authoritarian answers. Ryder, a great musician, is seen by others an a wise authority figure and Ryder knows that he has not real expertise in the live and troubles of others.
Another interpretation may be that Ryder is a rider, that he is the human soul, continually bouncing from one illogical and nonsense experience to another.
Ryder has dream amnesia, not clinical amnesia, since he easily flows from situations where he has no member to a realization that he is familiar with the situation and the persons and flows back into uncertain illdefined relationships with the other characters.
Who are the unresolved? I think the unresolved are the vast range of characters, searching for the expert, the wise old man, the artist, the star to in some way address their issue and solve their problem.
I did not give this book 5 stars because I found it overly long and overly frustrating. It got on my nerves, as it was suppose to do.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2025Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseI confess I did not read the whole book. Endless conversations with strangers who will never be happy, or at least not during the 2 or 3 days during which the book takes place. I did read about half and then skipped to the last part, only to discover that nothing except long conversations, one after another, were about all that was in between. The main character, writing in first person, wants to help each of these people but seemed helpless to do so. I can see the similarity to "Remains of the Day."
Top reviews from other countries
- allemandeReviewed in Singapore on February 3, 2022
3.0 out of 5 stars Cover different from what is shown here.
It was in good condition. But the cover is different from what is advertised - it sort of matters to me given it now doesn't match the rest of my set and needs to be given away and is thus a waste of money.
- Omer CustReviewed in France on April 4, 2022
1.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinary
This is the most extraordinary literature that I have ever read. I should say incomprehensible. It seems as if the author has finished each scene, asking himself “What is the most illogical and ridiculous thing that could happen now?” And then answering himself by putting it to paper. It is a structure that I have never come across before. It must be unique and is obviously meant to be, creating a new “ism”. It will without doubt generate an endless flood of theses in the future and literary circles and university café customers will talk of of nothing else. That said , unless you are a masochist I would hesitate in purchasing it.
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Giovanni DominoniReviewed in Italy on May 19, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Libro non complesso, non difficile, semplicemente originale
Non mi ha annoiato come molti altri romanzi che raccontano storie in modo lineare. Complesso? No, per nulla. Originale. Basta usare la propria testa, invece che sedersi a leggere come se si andasse al cinema a vedere un blockbuster con i popcorn in mano. In realtà questo libro è tale e quale tutti gli altri libri dell'autore, ci sono sempre gli stessi leitmotiv, le stesse pulsioni di fondo. È solo lo stile ad essere più radicale. Ma se non capite questo libro, allora non avete capito nessun altro libro di Ishiguro (anche se pensate di averlo fatto).
- Kindle CustomerReviewed in Germany on November 6, 2015
5.0 out of 5 stars masterpiece
Brilliant piece of writing. Style is quite confusing at first ,but once you let go and just experience it - you revel in Ishiguro's wit and wisdom
- harald kjellinReviewed in Sweden on August 21, 2022
2.0 out of 5 stars A book about not being contact with reality
Once you have read the first chapter you can get a thrilling insight when you realize that what is going on in the book is very much the same as what you can experience in a dream where you continuously get lost.
Then the whole book repeats itself chapter after chapter which makes it very boring unless you have an autistic diagnosis. In such a case the book can provide you with a mirror of your own life.