Tuesday 11 January 2011

The first novel that I chose to read in 2011 after taking the following pledge.....


...was 'A Pale View of the Hills,' by Kazuo Ishiguro. I was a little bit disappointed with it. Maybe I was expecting too much....He's won tons of awards for his writing including an O.B.E. for services to literature.


This is the first of his works that I've read, and the first that he wrote. You know when you go to see a film that everyone's talking about and been nominated for loads of awards but when you finally get to see it, it's a bit of a let down....you don't like it?!

Well that's how I felt with 'A Pale View of The Hills'.

...Maybe it's just me....but I found it clumsy, kind of awkward....a bit cold. I was slightly unnerved too that the narrative involved a small child constantly being left at home alone. Silly of me because I've read much worse things in novels. I wondered why Ishiguru was not only telling a woman's story but writing as the woman.....and when I'd finished reading it I kind of felt that the story wasn't worth telling....exactly what was he trying to tell me.....


I recognise that some of this could be his way of portraying the formality of the traditions of his Japanese heritage, something I know very little about.

It must be difficult writing from the perspective of the opposite gender but I've read examples by authors who've done it really successfully. Like 'A Thousand Splendid Son's' by Khaled Hosseini. I think he told a woman's story sensitively. Not only was it compelling, it rang true, and it was beautifully written.



3 comments:

  1. Silly me...I've done it again that should be 'A Thousand Splendid Suns 'and not 'Sons'.....OOps....must concentrate more......

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  2. There is nothing more depressing than getting all excited about a new book and then finding it doesn't live up to expectations, but I guess the first book of 2011 had some pretty lofty standards to meet! I've just had a similar experience after reading Zoe Heller's The Believers. I've never read a book with such wholly detestable characters and it was a real struggle to finish. Next on the list is Hand Me Down World by Lloyd Jones, which I'm hoping will be better...

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  3. I know.....and you wonder whether to continue reading because it might improve and also because it seems a bit narrow to just read things you enjoy! But it is difficult when you really don't like the characters.

    I hope you have more luck with Hand Me Down World.....

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