Beyond the Letters

I have some confusing impressions from this book. It feels like classics but not quite. It feels like a book for teenagers but not quite. Like " Dandelion Wine ", " Little Women " or " Tuck Everlasting " this novel, though seemingly childish, provokes many thoughts in the reader's mind. Isn't it what the classics is supposed to do? The only thing I am certain about is that "I Capture the Castle" is very British and very charming. The novel fascinates you from the first lines,  the combination of cosy rural England and enigmatic ancient castle create a special atmosphere   , supplying the reader with bright and surprisingly realistic visual images. Half ruined towers, fortifications, the moat around the castle bring you back to medieval times, the landscape, little rural inn "The Keys", beautiful countryside church and friendly neighbours remind of Victorian England while cars, radios and gramophones roughly intrude to turn...

The novel "The Remains of the Day" presents a butler named Stevens who has served to a lord Darlington for most of his life and who appeared to be on the crossroads after the death of his master. When Darlington Hall is purchased by a rich American, Farraday, Stevens has to get used to the new house rules. This is the moment when, for the first time in his life, he begins to consider a nice long vacation. His travel throughout England will help Stevens to reconsider his values and attitude, look backwards and forwards, and give an answer to a very difficult question: what is waiting for him at the remains of the day? The style, the atmosphere, the setting The style of Kazuo Ishiguro is simply marvellous - very rich, very beautiful and... very British. As well as the novel itself. Every little detail in it is purely British, be it landscapes, conversations or behaviour of the characters. That came as a great surprise for me. Of course I was aware that the author ha...