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Kazuo Ishiguro: The Buried Giant (Paperback, 2015, Knopf)

The Buried Giant begins as a couple set off across a troubled land of mist …

Review of 'The Buried Giant' on 'Goodreads'

This story takes place in ancient England, where a mist keeps people from remembering the past. An elderly couple remembers that they have a son, and they decide to go visit him. Surely he's in a village just a few days away. On the way there, they have some adventures (as you do in a story like this), and there are clues that some of the things that have been forgotten about the past are pretty terrible.

To address a few things I've seen mentioned about this book: yes, the plot is a little slow. I never got bored though, because I was always wondering about the events in the past were being covered up but hinted at.

Yes, the protagonist does call his wife "Princess" constantly. Have you ever been around an old couple? It's meant to show how much he loves her.

Yes, the language in this book is unnatural. You do have characters talking around things and not explaining clearly what they mean. You have enemies calmly talking in an almost friendly way about how they will go about killing each other. This story takes place not long after the time of King Arthur, and the dialog is meant to evoke that chivalrous time.

I really enjoyed this book. It's written beautifully. It's a touching love story, in its own way. It makes you think - is it better to forget about the sins of our past, or to remember them? Is it better to have justice or peace?

Don't read this if you just want a lighthearted adventure, but do read it if you want a beautiful story that will make you think about your life and your relationships.