The Remains of the Day

The Remains of the Day is about an aging English butler on a road trip reflecting back on his long life of service, confronting uncomfortable truths about his employer and painful regrets regarding his friendship with the housekeeper, Miss Kenton. It's about disillusionment and remorse and, finally, trying to make the best of what remains of one's day.

One of the first things that struck me about this book is how clear a picture one gets of the main character, Stevens. Stevens narrate...The Remains of the Day is about an aging English butler reflecting back on his long life of service, confronting uncomfortable truths about his employer and painful regrets regarding his friendship with the housekeeper, Miss Kenton. It's about disillusionment and remorse and, finally, trying to make the best of what remains of one's day.

One of the first things that struck me about this book is how clear a picture one gets of the main character, Stevens. Stevens narrates in first person, and I felt immediately like he was a real person I could watch and listen to. He's very formal and reserved, proud yet humble. Every word of this book sounds like something this character would say - the voice and tone are flawless.

The sophisticated narrative structure also impressed. The plot centers on a short vacation during which Stevens pays a visit to Miss Kenton, whom he hasn't seen in years. It's written as a journal of this trip, but woven in with that we get decades of history at Darlington Hall, philosophical reflections on big ideas like the definition of dignity and the democratic responsibilities of the ordinary man, memories of fork-in-the-road moments in his relationship with Miss Kenton. The narrative is very intricate yet "flows" so naturally one hardly notices.

To sum up: I found this a beautiful novel - brilliantly written, quiet, heartbreaking. Highly recommended.