Quick Review | ‘Nocturnes’ – Kazuo Ishiguro

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book review, Fiction, Haruki Murakami, japanese, kazuo ishiguro, nocturnes, Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall

Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall by Kazuo Ishiguro

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

‘Nocturnes’ comprises of five loosely interwoven stories that tell tales of the relationship between man and music. Set at nightfall, each piece has its own flavour, with characters in different romantic predicaments that culminate to a moment of revelation.

As I was reading this I couldn’t help thinking about this great concept. After all, I’m one big believer in the thing called the ‘soundtrack to life’. It’s funny how songs flavour and shape the happiest and saddest moments of our lives. So it was with excitement that I picked up ‘Nocturnes’, hoping it would be one of those wonderful reads that takes you back to the times when songs and life’s bittersweet lessons met in a glorious serendipitous requiem. But alas, it wasn’t so.

It’s hard to place as to where the disappointment lay, but I think it has something to do with a misplacement between the characters and the music. They just didn’t seem to fit together. Either there was too much music and not enough ‘story’, or the story drowned out the music. The third story in particular held some vile characters. There was a vile married couple who seemed to think their way of life was the best and anyone else was simply a loser. I didn’t care for any of them, nor did I connect with their shallow needs and two-dimensional personalities. The women were always too wishy-washy, not at all like real women. The men were either too passive or the total opposite. In a novel where I expected music to temper these extremes, I found it only served to excite it.

Ishiguro is a great author, and I’m certain that his other works are much better than this. I think this would have been a novel better written by someone like Haruki Murakami, who frequently uses Jazz themes as a delicate undertone in his novels. Murakami would have captured and shaped the mood of each story far more successfully than Ishiguro.

If you wish to read a novel with musical undertones, I suggest ‘South of the Border, West of the Sun’ by Haruki Murakami (click for my review). It’s far superior to ‘Nocturnes’ and it has just the right amount of moody nostalgia to satisfy the reader.

View all my reviews >>

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It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? 19/07

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chinua achebe, hubert selby jr, Its monday what are you reading?, jm coetzee, kazuo ishiguro, l. frank baum, nocturnes, rory gilmore reading list, rum diary, sylvia plath, winter trees

Welcome to ‘It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?’, a weekly meme initially hosted by Sheila at the ‘Book Journey – One Persons Journey Through a World of Books’. This is a great way of letting people know what I’ve been reading over the past week and what I’ve got lined up for this week.

Reading-wise things are finally beginning to pick up a bit. I’m spending far too much time on the blog and real-life seems to be a pain in the backside. There’s been a couple of inteesting reads and a nice little discount discovery I made the Stephen King’s ‘Under The Dome’ – only half price at WHSmith’s which is far better than the full £8.99. I recommend that UK book bloggers check it out as it’s supposed to be quite a cool read. My goodreads friends have recommended it to me. I’m also waiting on news from the arrival of ‘Last Exit To Brooklyn’ by Hubert Selby Jr., an author I’ve been dying to read ever since I heard about him.  

So, here’s the round-up for last week’s reads:

BOOKS READ:
1. Winter Trees by Sylvia Plath

A very short collection of poems that were written during the last 9 months of Plath’s life. As you can imagine, not a happy read, but it certianly satisfied my need to exercise that part of the brain that deals with poetry. It took a while to get into her mindframe, but when I did it totally blew me away. Click here for review. 

2. Nocturnes – Kazuo Ishiguro

Although the cover looks good (very inviting for a music lover like myself), I found this collection of five loosely interwoven stories a little lacking. I felt there was something missing. Maybe the short story isn’t for Ishiguro, he should stick to novels. Having said that, a concept like this would be wonderful to read from Haruki Murakami who also uses Jazz music as an element in his story-telling.

CURRENTLY READING:
1. The Rum Diary – Hunter S. Thompson

Currently on page 110 of this fictional account of Thompson’s journalistic experiences during his short stay in Puerto Rico in the late 1950’s. It was written before Fear and Loathing, and retains the linear writing style of your average reporter. But I’m glad to say I can spot flecks of the pioneering Gonzo style very now and then.

2. Things Fall Apart – Chinua Achebe

I’m halfway through this incredible read. It’s so engrossing that I stayed up till 2am reading till my eyes felt sore. I’ve never read anything as detailed as this about African tribes. Okonkwo is a very powerful character, and the tribe members are all very distinct from each other. The sense of community is very strong in Achebe’s story. Reading his work is like touching warm, fertile soil for the first time. 

3.Disgrace – JM Coetzee

Thanks to the Achebe, I haven’t had a chance to give this one much attention. But it will be finished today, so I’ll have lots to write about next week.

BOOKS TO READ:

1.‘Last Exit To Brooklyn’ by Hubert Selby Jr.

I heard about Selby Jr. through the movie ‘Requiem For A Dream’. I didn’t know it was originally a novel by Selby, and after some research about him I was surprised that not much is know about this unique author. His ad hoc writing style and gritty, dark subject matters make Chuck Palahnuik look like a writer for YA. I quickly decided that Selby Jr. was the real deal, and I would not rest until I’ve read something by him.   

2. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – L. Frank Baum

And for something completely different! I’ve gotten tired of the ‘heavy’ books lately. I feel like a soldier with combat stress! This is on the Rory Gilmore Reading List, and surprisingly I’ve never read it before. Something warm and fuzzy for the child in me.

That’s this weeks round-up fellow book bloggers. I hope you all have a great reading week and if you have any suggestions for good reads I’d be glad to know your thoughts! I’m off to make the rounds!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Tags

audiobook, Character Crush, chinua achebe, disgrace, Dr. Gonzo, fear and loathing, hunter s thompson, jm coetzee, kazuo ishiguro, liz jensen, meme, nocturnes, puerto rico, rum diary, sylvia plath, the rapture

Welcome to ‘It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?’, a weekly meme initially hosted by Sheila at the ‘Book Journey – One Persons Journey Through a World of Books’. This is a great way of letting people know what I’ve been reading over the past week and what I’ve got lined up for this week.

Another slow one this week and I’ve gotten side-tracked a lot, but here’s an honest list of things finished/ pending and currently in the works:

BOOKS READ:
1. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey into the Heart of the American Dream – Hunter S. Thompson

Savoured every last word of this insane epic. Loved it so much that I think I’ve been sitting and re-reading choice paragraphs and committing them to memory. Click here to read my review, and check out my ‘Character Crush’ of the week! 

2. The Rapture (Audiobook) – Liz Jensen 

Finally finished the audiobook version of this dystopian/ environmental/ Armageddon themed book that has a healthy dash of religious fanaticism thrown in for good measure. Click here for my review.

CURRENTLY READING:
1. The Rum Diary – Hunter S. Thompson

Currently on page 50 of this fictional account of Thompson’s journalistic experiences during his short stay in Puerto Rico in the late 1950’s. It was written before Fear and Loathing, and retains the linear writing style of your average reporter. But I’m glad to say I can spot flecks of the pioneering Gonzo style very now and then.  

2. Winter Trees – Sylvia Plath
 
This is where I start to deviate from last weeks reading plans. I felt a dire need for some poetry, so I managed to pick up this very slim (but seriously dense) book of Plath’s poems. Written towards the last 9 months of her life, they evoke the emotional turmoil for a woman trapped in a loveless marriage. She writes like a trapped beast. Each word a cutting claw, a razor tooth. I feel disdain for Ted Hughes…

BOOKS TO READ:

1. Nocturnes – Kazuo Ishiguro

Not the promised Murakami, but still a Japanese author nonetheless. I have been desperate to get my hands on Nocturnes ever since ‘A Pale View of Hills’. Haven’t started it yet, but I’m sure it’ll be wonderful.

2.Things Fall Apart – Chinua Achebe

I have yet to read any Achebe, and I was seduced by ‘Things Fall Apart’ at my local library. Now that the world cup is on I wanted to read some African Literature. Praise for the book goes like this: “The writer in whose company the prison walls fell down” – Nelson Mandela. 

3.Disgrace – JM Coetzee

Again, another book with a setting in South Africa, this time by Coetzee, another first time read. This novel won the Booker Prize in 1999. Took a sneak peek and I think it’s marvellous. 

That’s it for this week folks. Would love to know what you think of my choices.