The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

 When I finished reading The Remains of the Day, it became for me one of those books that I felt a need to share. If I didn't have a blog before, a place to wax lyrical about all things bookish, then this novel by Kazuo Ishiguro might have been one of those works that inspired me to start one.

If you haven't read this book then, before you read further, I suggest that you do, or beware, spoilers may follow!

The protagonist of The Remains of the Day is Stevens, the ageing butler of Darlington Hall, and at the beginning of the novel we meet him as he is preparing for a leisurely motoring holiday that will take him deep into the English countryside. The purpose, we come to learn, is so that he might meet with Miss Kenton (or Mrs Benn, as she then is), a former housekeeper of Darlington Hall. And so, in the summer of 1956, we join Stevens on his journey where, through his meetings with people along the way and his reminiscences, the story is told.

Stevens is a hard man to know. He has spent his life in service and his position as head butler at Darlington Hall is of great importance to him. However, in striving to gain the dignity and propriety of his position, he has become distanced from his own feelings. We see this in a number of instances throughout the novel where he tells us, as he narrates the story, of his feelings for certain situations, but his actions do not demonstrate this. He struggles when trying to decipher people's motivations and emotions. When his new employer demonstrates an liking for banter, he is unsure of how to engage - this is a theme that arises throughout the novel.

Stevens is a character that I love - beautifully drawn, a little heartbreaking, and memorable. He is flawed but not cruel, and his worst faults ultimately hurt him the most.

He is sheltered and a little blinkered because of his devotion to propriety and his profession. From the beginning of his journey he tells us of how little he knows of the world, that he hasn't seen much of the country beyond what his duties as butler have allowed him to see. And, as we make our way through the novel with him, we learn that he is mostly unaware of the affairs of the world. However, we also see that there is some appreciation for beauty there, some hope, and some desire for connection.

As he makes his way through the English countryside, Stevens often demonstrates that he has an appreciation for beauty - at one point driving out of his way just see a beauty spot recommended to him. We also see him appreciative of connection and friendship, though often more so than he allows to be known to anyone. Basically, we see that Stevens is someone, however subdued he may seem emotionally, is a man with heart.

At the end of the novel, we see Stevens' heart break. In fact, by the end of the novel, he tells us that this is so. The reader is left wondering about Stevens, about what the future might hold for him . . .

Personally, I think that Stevens would spend the rest of his working days in service, seeing out his life lonely and, now and then reflecting on lost causes and lost love.

The Remains of the Day became an international bestseller and won the Booker Prize, establishing itself as a modern classic. It evokes beautifully and hauntingly life in a grand English house in the years between the two world wars. Ultimately though, it is a story about loss, love, and things left unsaid.

The Remains of the Day was also adapted into award-winning film (1993) starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson which is also definitely worth checking out.

If you've read The Remains of the Day, tell me what you think, and if you haven't read it then I whole heartedly recommend that you do!

You can purchase a copy of this book here (Disclosure: if you make a purchase through links in this blog, I may earn a commission from the seller, but that does not influence the content of this blog).