The Remains of the Day

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, 213 pages

After decades serving as butler at Darlington Hall, Mr. Stephens is convinced by his new American employer to take a short holiday, which Stephens sees as an opportunity to visit Miss Kenton, the former housekeeper of Darlington Hall. During this long drive to visit his former colleague, Stephens reminisces about his years of service to the late Lord Darlington, to whom Stephens was loyal, despite his lordship's many flaws, which become apparent through the course of the book. With page-long paragraphs and almost nonexistent dialogue, it took me a while to settle into this narrative. But once I did, I was swept up by Ishiguro's clever storytelling and characterization. It's no wonder this book has received so many accolades over the years.