He won the Nobel last year, and I had previously read Never Let Me Go, which was 180, so I figured I'd give his first novel a shot. Obviously Japanese, but he was educated in England and writes in English (adeptly so).

Plot is first-person narration by an English butler in the early 20th century, thus far almost exclusively reminiscing about his past. Almost like Victorian style shit like Pride and Prejudice or Jane Eyre, where not a whole lot "happens," but the character development is very strong and the dialogue is awesome. An extended passage about the "dignity" displayed by the narrator's father, who was also a butler, was outstanding.

I am excited to read the rest this weekend.

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=3974929&forum_id=2#36035008)

but if you haven't read Never Let Me Go, start with that

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=3974929&forum_id=2#36035052)

Never Let Me Go is essentially sci-fi, but in its most minimalist form. The sci-fi element is so fundamental to the entire plot, and yet you barely notice it's there.

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=3974929&forum_id=2#36035077)

the one you described in the OP seems more interesting though

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=3974929&forum_id=2#36035087)

Butler approaches kid and is like "I have a message to convey. You are aware, I presume, that there are several important distinctions between ladies and gentlemen?"

then tries to steer the conversation toward nature (geese, fish, etc.)

He never successfully finishes the talk because he always gets interrupted by other matters to attend to.

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=3974929&forum_id=2#36035099)

im sold!

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=3974929&forum_id=2#36035110)

as I stated above ITT, it's extremely understated sci-fi. Like the sci-fi element is so crucial to the whole plot, yet it's very rarely even discussed

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=3974929&forum_id=2#36059856)

you're right on all fronts

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=3974929&forum_id=2#36059863)

but I am always a book-before-moviemo. I have to develop my own imagination of the characters before I take in someone else's intepretation.

looks good, though. got a bunch of Oscar noms.

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=3974929&forum_id=2#36035086)

Luckily, the chapter break happens right after it, so I was able to put it down and digest.

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=3974929&forum_id=2#36035137)

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=3974929&forum_id=2#36035134)

Watched the film adaptation, and although it was more or less fine (Hopkins and Thompson turned in great performances), they took some subtle yet serious liberties, two in particular that I remember, both involving Stevens (the narrator) and Miss Kenton. One is when Stevens is walking past Miss Kenton's room and he hears her weeping (shortly after she had told him she was getting married). In the book, he pauses and listens for a few moments, but then just keeps walking, another example of a time when a less aspie man (or at least a man less type-A dedicated to his job) would've been a friend and comforted her. In the movie, they have him go in and talk to her. Then, even more inexplicably, right at the end: in the book, Miss Kenton basically straight up tells Stevens in their last conversation that she sometimes imagined what life would've been like "with" him, clearly meaning if they had been together. In the movie, they somehow deleted this line entirely and just left the connection strongly implied. Really pissed me off.

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=3974929&forum_id=2#36059710)

Cormac?

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=3974929&forum_id=2#36059866)

you can blaze through it in a few days

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=3974929&forum_id=2#36059803)

mind your own business.

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=3974929&forum_id=2#36059851)