Book review - "A Pale View of Hills" by Kazuo Ishiguro

It did not take me long to realize that I had made the wrong choice of the book “A Pale View of Hills” as the one following “The Remains of the Day” on my reading list. By comparison, it is inferior to the latter in its content and linguistic appeal. There is no surprise at all, though, as it is Kazuo Ishiguro’s very first novel.

I won't say I don’t enjoy the reading. But the pleasure from the perusal must have somehow been affected by the Japanese elements that pervade the entire story - the Japanese names, the frequent exchange of bows, and whatnot - which I find a bit exotic in an English novel. 

The frequent use of long conversations serves, I think, to enhance the reader's understanding of the background of the story. From the exchange of words between father and son, we learn about the generation gap in the wake of the bombing of Nagasaki and the subsequent increase of the American influences on the youths. The writer mentions repeatedly the couple's divided opinions about the election of a political candidate, which was unknown to the Japanese culture prior to the arrival of the Americans. What happened to a Japanese woman and her daughter also hints at the tendency towards intermarriages and emigration to the United States. The author is intent on impressing the reader with this part of the Japanese history. Aside from these details, however, there are few focuses of dramatic interest.

The one I’ve read is a New York Times publication. On the book cover the name of the author is highlighted with the phrase “Author of the Remains of the Day”. Though the need for the borrowed fame is understandable, “A Pale View of Hills” is itself the winner of the Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize.

Perhaps it would be fairer if I would not bother to compare the two books or if the comparison serves only to encourage me with the truth that diligence pays, for Kazuo Ishiguro has made amazing improvement since his first novel.