Book Club April - The Buried Giant

We all agreed we didn't like this book, The Buried Giant, by Kazuo Ishiguro. His first book in ten years; we were anticipating a doozie. Most of us have read, "Never let me Go" and "The Remains of the Day" and admire the writer. 

Book Cover - Deluxe Edition has edge colored pages

This tale takes place in Britain in the 6th or 7th century at the end of a war between Saxons and Britons. An elderly couple leaves their home to reunite with their son, lost to them for many years. It's very confusing; nothing is clear. Nobody can remember anything because a "mist" has made them forget almost everything and almost as fast as it happens. Events of the morning are fuzzy by afternoon. The saga goes on and on - a fantasy story replete with ogres, dragons, imps and knights. None of us are fans of this genre. 

Kazuo Ishiguro - casting a spell?

Strangely, we had one of our better discussions about this book. We shared lots of ideas; many of them quite unexpected. Even more oddly, after our discussion about forgetting everything or maybe because of the discussion about forgetting, we spend quite some time reminiscing and remembering events in our past. Is this a psychological trick hidden in pages of The Buried Giant? Is there an emanation from the dye on the black page edges on Roz's deluxe edition of the book? Did Ishiguro spend ten years figuring out how to cast a spell over his readers? It doesn't appear that he spent those years honing the story. Time-wise, he wrote one page every ten days. That leaves nine days for spell conjuring.

www.telegraph.co.uk, Photo: Carrie May

Why else, but under the influence of a spell, would one of our members tell us about streaking a bar in Idaho? Why would two others share stories about wearing hot pants to a bar to get in free? Why would we talk about our high school reunions and who was still hot for whom? I felt the urge to confess to having been on the run from the RCMP for a brief period but just barely managed to keep myself from spilling the beans.

www.bigissue.com, Illustration: Dom McKenzie

Were we drinking, do you ask? Well, a little red wine (two very nice bottles), some really spicy edamame from "Thai, Thai" and Twix bars for dessert. Perhaps we stumbled on a formula for True Confessions? 

 PLUS

PLUS

EQUALS = GUT SPILLING????

Nancy chose a cast for the potential movie and it's a good one. She asked for our suggestions and mine are listed beside hers below. Her movie version of the book would be memorable (ha). Not being able to compete with her, I went for the worst cast of all time, ala Ishtar. 

FT.com

   
           Nancy's Cast                                  My Cast

Axl: Max von Sydow                        Al Pacino
Beatrice: Maggie Smith                   Goldie Hawn
Wistan: Russel Crowe                     Arnold Schwarznegger
Sir Gawain: Anthony Hopkins        Steve Buscemi
Edwin: Andrew Garfield                 Chastity (Chas) Bono

Have any casting suggestions?