Set in post world war two Britain, the style and content of this novel betray little of Ishiguro’s culture and background. Ishiguro was born in 1954 in Nagasaki, Japan, but immigrated to England when he was five. Although his first two novels deal with characters in Japan following world war two, in “Remains of the Day” he turns to the quintessential English culture of the landed gentry and the demise of a way of life epitomised by the central character Stevens, a butler.
The story is one of regret. Stevens devoted his life to Lord Darlington of Darlington Hall and within his own world was proud of this achievement. His devotion, however, prevented him pursuing happiness. The story tracks Stevens’ trip to visit Miss Kenton, a former housekeeper at Darlington Hall. Much to Stevens’ consternation, Miss Kenton reveals that her life “may have turned out better” had she married Stevens. Their mutual love is never explicit, however.
Lord Darlington was an appeaser to Hitler and arranged and hosted dinner parties between the German and British heads of state to allow a forum for mutual understanding. We must remember that, at the time, appeasement was the popular stance, and it was Churchill who stood largely alone in advocating war with Germany. However, Stevens’ regrets extend to his being part of a view which later was regarded as at least mildly treacherous.
In this wonderfully understated novel, the reader is left to interpret what is at the back of Stevens’ mind. He never states his regrets explicitly nor discusses the meaning of regret. By the end of the novel, it is of course far too late to change what has happened. Stevens has devoted his life to someone of now questionable morals (Lord Darlington) and missed the opportunity of happiness with Miss Kenton. All that remains is for him to perfect his skills at bantering with his new employer, Mr Farraday.
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/remains/
Take some highly topical issues in modern day Britain: school bullying; internet chat rooms and web sites designed to re-unite old acquaintances. Add standard ingredients of serial killing and unrequited love. What you have is a recipe for a fascinating and captivating crime novel executed with Ben Elton’s usual masterly verve. This is a who-dun-it that stands apart from so many. It combines some exploration of the topical issues with candid insights into the insecure thoughts of the central character: Inspector Ed Newson.
Elton has changed style somewhat in this latest novel: you don’t get the belly laughs although the pace is swift and the intriguing plot comes ringing through. The humour is much darker, exploiting Ed Newson’s love for his unavailable assistant, inspector Natasha Wilkie and constructing an unlikely set of consequences to re-union with old school mates.
The final revelation of who-dun-it seems a little unconvincing. This does not detract from the overall good fun and thought provoking experience.
Plot summary (courtesy of the Guardian)
Briony is a successful novelist, but one with a burden. She told a lie when thirteen which had tragic and disastrous consequences. She has had to live with that all her life and turns to her writing to help her come to terms with her pain. This novel is the result. Much of it is true. Some of it is fantasy, relieving her of the burden that lives of happiness were sacrificed to her simple act of childish defiance.
Regarded by some as best in class1 this was the first of Ian McEwan’s works that I read and I am still hoping for that same sense of sheer wonder that it evoked in me from his other works. Enduring Love comes close; but for me
Notes
- Jonathan Yardley’s writing in the Washington Post: Atonement “is the finest book yet by a writer of prodigious skills. [. . .] there is no one writing fiction in the English language who surpasses McEwan, and perhaps no one who equals him”
- http://www.csulb.edu/~bhfinney/McEwan.html
- http://www.ianmcewan.com/