“So then, there seems little reason why I should not undertake my motoring trip to the West Country.” pg 20, ebook
The Remains of the Day is mainly told through the memories of a butler named Stevens of Darlington Hall as he takes a short vacation to visit an old friend.
“It is sometimes said that butlers only truly exist in England.” pg 44, ebook
Throughout the story, Stevens again and again demonstrates his inability to connect with or show his emotions. But he believes this to be a positive attribute, something that he calls, “dignity.”
He gives all that he has to his position as a butler of Darlington Hall. And I was hoping his striving was worth it. In the end, the reader gets to decide if his was a life worth living or not.
Kazou Ishiguro received the Nobel Prize for this book and it is very well written. I was impressed by how Ishiguro tells the story and finds a way to connect the reader with this character who can be very unlikeable at times.
Despite some of his more infuriating attributes, I found myself cheering for Stevens anyway.
I did not like the ending of this book, which I won’t spoil for anyone. It reminded me of The Buried Giant, another well written book by Kazou Ishiguro with an ending I didn’t connect with.
This story is easier to experience than describe. If you read it, please let me know what you think about it.
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