With Kazuo Ishiguro’s new book being recently released, I decided I’d better read the one that’d been collecting dust on my shelf first - and I have to admit I was a little disappointed. I’m a big fan of Ishiguro’s style of writing, and in general I’m onboard with a gentle plot line and long philosophical musings. I absolutely loved Remains of the Day, which perhaps set this novel up with an unjustly high expectation. An Artist of the Floating World is a first-person recollection of a man living through the first half of the twentieth century in Japan as an esteemed Artist. Structured via four sections split simply by date (October 1948 - June 1950), our protagonist Ono reflects on his choices, surroundings, family members and the affects of World War Two by way of meeting with his two daughters and grandson.
I did enjoy several aspects of this book. As ever, it is written very well - and even though it lacked the charm of Remains of the Day, it was still very easy to read. The tale very skilfully captures a specific moment in history that is completely unique; a period of time I have often wondered about having spent a couple of months living in Japan. The vast amount of change during the American Occupation to infrastructure, education, patriotism, politics, business, technology and values must have created vast divisions between generations; and this book does an excellent job of encompassing that feeling. Ishiguro’s descriptions are timeless, and I felt like I was really right there in the lantern lit bars of old, spacious verandas or strolling through quiet suburban parks in the fifties. As the narrative develops, Ono reflects on his decision to move away from traditional Japanese art towards a more European style, then changing again just before WW2 to painting in service of the imperialist movement (a much more political approach).
The book fell flat for me largely in the unlike-ability of the characters. I found the grandson particularly annoying, and the sexist attitude he (and all the male characters) inhabited a bit too simplistic - although it may well have been very accurate for 1950. Another irritating but accurate quality is the evasive conversation style and everyone’s inability to just say what they mean. This is something I’ve come to associate with Japanese culture, and my annoyance is not with the nuanced linguistic practice but rather in using it as a literary hook to thread a narrative. It was realistic but frustrating! I also found it a bit remiss that the main character dwelt so heavily on his past, but barely mentioned the death of his wife and son.
All round a well written novel, but not one I’d read again. I am excited to check out Klara and the Sun though!
CW: References to WW2 & the nuclear bombing of Japan, suicide, references to death, violence, torture & PTSD.