By Kazuo Ishiguro
SPOILER-FREE
In his highly acclaimed debut, A Pale View of Hills, Kazuo Ishiguro tells the story of Etsuko, a Japanese woman now living alone in England, dwelling on the recent suicide of her daughter. Retreating into the past, she finds herself reliving one particular hot summer in Nagasaki, when she and her friends struggled to rebuild their lives after the war. But then as she recalls her strange friendship with Sachiko – a wealthy woman reduced to vagrancy – the memories take on a disturbing cast.
REVIEW
THEMES: HISTORICAL, EMOTIONAL, REFLECTIVE, EERIE, MEDIUM-PACED.
Etsuko lives alone in the countryside of England. She enjoys her quiet life, but the suicide of her daughter has caused her to ponder.
She is brought back to the hot summer she met Sachiko. A strange and formally wealthy woman with an even stranger daughter. The more she digs, the eerier her memories become.
Warnings: Animal abuse and suicide.
What an impressive debut novel.
I don’t know how Ishiguro does it. He has a way of writing that completely captivates me. Even when the story is about something simple, like this one.
When looking back, I recall how relaxed I was while reading. Which is strange considering the quietly disturbing and sometimes unsettling content. It reminds me of The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea in that way.
The characters are realistic and stay true to their nature. I am particularly fascinated by Sachiko, as she is such a peculiar character. It was difficult to glean her motives. Only towards the end did I understand her more.
Everything in the story is subtle, yet impactful. I did a little research after reading, and there were aspects brought to my attention that I hadn’t even thought of. It just makes me want to re-read it and take it all in again.
If you couldn’t tell already, I recommend everyone read this book. But please heed the warnings above (in red).
Click link below for Storygraph overview, which includes general rating, summary (same as above) and other reviews.