Anyone who knows me will know that I have a real passion
for Arthurian legend. I have done countless projects on it throughout my time
in education, the BBC adaptation of ‘Merlin’ still remains one of my favourite
tv shows and I even went as far as naming all my Apple devices after ‘Knights
of the Round Table’… Yepp my passion runs that deep…
So naturally I was beyond excited for this book when I saw
it on my first year reading list.
Set in post Arthurian Britain where there
is currently peace between the Briton and Saxon tribes, The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
tells the tale of Axl and Beatrice, an elderly Briton couple, as they embark across a
mist-infused land on the quest of a lifetime. Originally in the hopes of
finding their estranged son, their quest quickly takes an unexpected turn when
they meet the infamous Sir Gawain and a Saxon Knight, Sir Wistan, and soon they
set off to discover the root of the mysterious mist that causes them to forget…
Desperate to regain their memories, and reunite with their son, Axl and Beatrice
face many battles, but none-more-so than the battle to prove their true love.
This is a beautiful tale of unconditional love woven
amongst the magic and mystic of Arthurian legend and was a pleasure to read
from start to finish.
The third person narrative creates an omniscient feel which
allows you to feel like you are watching the story unfold from a detached
perspective and adds to the recital ambiance that legends exhibit. I could
envision myself sitting around a campfire or in a pub listening to a
storyteller regale the crowd.
While the plot is slow and not all together gripping, it
does hold an element of curiosity and is fitting since the protagonists are an
elderly couple. I was immersed in the story, not because of the fast-paced action
and adventure, or lack of, but because of the characters. It is clear that each
character has hidden secrets, and these become an integral part of the plot.
Ishiguro effortlessly manipulates those secrets to capture the readers
curiosity, and for me that was the driving force of the novel.
The Ambiguous ending leaves you pondering and ensures the
novel remains in your thoughts long after you have put it down, always a
winning quality for me!
This was
the first of Ishiguro’s books I have read, and it was very clear from his use
of language and literary techniques that he holds a Nobel Prize in literature –
in my opinion well deserved if his other works are as moving as The Buried
Giant. He has written an enthralling tale and while I may not pick up his other
works out of choice right now, I know I will be in for an exceptional and
imaginative journey should I ever pick them up in the future.
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