Book 0084
A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro
Donated by Peter Kosminsky, who says...
This is the great Kazuo Ishiguro’s first book. I read it when it first appeared in the early 1980s and fell in love with it. All of Ish’s masterful trademarks are already in place: the understated style; the gently elusive characters; the effortless juxtapositions. But, in addition, Ish includes the most extraordinary twist in the final pages – the entire sense of the novel turning on the use of a single word. It’s a stunning literary coup which has captivated me for 30 years. I’ll say no more, for fear of ruining what will certainly be an entrancing reading experience for you.
Having never read any of Kazuo’s works before I wasn’t sure what to expect and that feeling of unknowing never really left me.
A short novel that calls for slow, patient reading so as not to miss the subtly developing story and characters and a final chapter that almost begs for the whole novel to be reread in a different light.
I can’t say for sure I’ll be pursuing Kazuo’s other works but this novel will certainly stay with me for a long while.
I thoroughly enjoyed the flat wistful haunted tone of this engaging novel.
A Pale View of Hills contains a brilliant exploration of the relationship between the story being remembered, that being told, and the person of the storyteller. An incredible first novel but also with classic first book traits – the scene with the catbox especially. I look forward to reading more Kazuo Ishiguro.