"In bantering lies the key to human warmth", reads one of the concluding lines of this book. I think I will quote that a lot. So, finally, I have finished "The Remains of the Day" two years after reading "Nocturnes" (see post on 20th April 2015). Several people have recommended me this (including a somewhat hyperactive Waterstones cashier). I did the unwise thing of starting it straight after "Orlando", which made the languid opening a bit lethargic to read, but once one has got going, there is something gravitational about the narration that drags you in, keeps you there and implodes in you. All the irreversible losses caused in the name of professionalism are quite saddening, and the last 30% of the book is emotionally turbulent to go through. The political commentaries, especially those on direct democracy, are topical to read, if also rather elementary. I can see why this book resonates with so many people, though I actually find "Nocturnes" more intense and rewarding. "Never Let Me Go" next.
This entry was originally published in my private Instagram account.
