An Artist of the Floating World

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Kazuo Ishiguro is an author that I recently discovered.  His most famous book is The Remains of the Day.  Last time it was my turn to choose the book club book I chose another book of his: Never Let Me Go, and I liked it quite a bit.  So, for Christmas I asked for some more books by Ishiguro, and I received two!  Thank you Shannon for getting me An Artist of the Floating World!

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Unlike The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go, An Artist of the Floating World is set in Japan.  Ishiguro was born in Japan, but raised in England.  I haven't read many books set in Japan, so this was new and interesting.  The book is set a few years after WWII ended, but the narrator spends much of the book looking back over his past, so most of the "action" of the book is before and during the war.  The main character is an artist, and the book focuses on how his art changed over time.  The changes were due to his progression from student to teacher, but also were related to the political climate.

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Both this book and Never Let Me Go are told from the first person perspective.  But one thing that is unique is that they both have narrators that talk to you.  It's not just that you are hearing the main character's story, but he is actually saying things like "If you've every been to the Bridge of Hesitation, you'll remember that . . ." or "I don't know how it was where you were, but for us . . ."  I don't think I've every read another author that uses this particular technique.

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I liked this book, and would recommend it for people who are interested in Japanese culture, as well as people who are interested WWII.  There isn't much of a beginning-middle-end feel, it's more a book that makes you think, even after it's ended.