Cute modern day references, good pacing. Reminded me how similar the X-Men story is to Planet of the Apes. Some of the characterizations felt off. Scott and Hank kind of grew into themselves by the end of the book, but it was weird not to see any trace of themselves in how they are at the start of the book. Jean’s main role in this is a damsel in distress, lmao. The male focus holds pretty true to the original comics, I guess.

I felt transported by this! Makes me want to re-read the full novel

Obviously picked this up for purely vain reasons

Cute and informative, but I see it as more helpful to queer folks than to their cis/het family and friends

Was maybe trying to do too much? Like the flashbacks from her parents’ and aunt’s perspectives didn’t really add anything to the story, other than some historical context, which I think we got enough of during the main timeline. I liked that they were just a couple of science nerds. Not a very neat ending, but I couldn’t see it happening any other way.

A slog to get through. No likable characters, weird and confusing storytelling format, and thrice incest.

Bleak ass novel! I might need to start reading Ishiguro instead of listening, because I feel like I missed a lot. I read an analysis after finishing it and there were a lot of little things I didn’t notice, mainly

Sachiko and Mariko being either partially or entirely fictitious. It came to me a little towards the end when Etsuko talks to Mariko like her own child,

but without giving the book my undivided attention, I don’t think I was able to appreciate the nuances super well. Sachiko was annoying af to listen to. Ishiguro uses a lot of repetitive dialogue, which can get really tiresome in audiobooks.

Ishiguro ranking so far:
1. Never Let Me Go
2. Klara and the Sun
3. A Pale View of Hills
4. Remains of the Day

I love books about tv and books about how tv has impacted people and books about how different tv shows influenced each other

Jesus fucked a leper! Stories were all unsettling. The Drive Thru was my favorite. Skillful, don’t think I would read again.

Felt true to my other Ishiguro reads in the story telling style. The narrator starts off telling their story in a linear way but backtracks and recollects memories not in chronological order but in a way that still manages to make sense. 

There were moments that I felt fond for Mr. Stevens solely because he reminded me of Adrian Monk.

But I can’t really understand Miss Kensington’s love for him, honestly. Especially after defending his anti-Semitic employer and then denying that he defended him years later? 

I understand that Mr. Stevens’ failings to understand the benefits of democracy over monarchy don’t actually reflect the views of the author but? I didn’t really get what his perspective was meant to teach the reader. Maybe this one’s just for the Brits.

It’s such a bummer that the two other Ishiguro books I’ve read are his only sci-fi/dystopian novels because I think it’s a genre he does so well. It’s not even my favorite genre but it is when he does it. I’m interested to read more of his literary works and his one fantasy novel and see how they stack up. My ranking so far is:

1. Never Let Me Go
2. Klara and the Sun
3. Remains of the Day