Nemângâiaţii

Ryder, a pianist hailed as the finest alive, visits a European city to give a recital. He thinks the place is new to him. Yet its streets, buildings and people all seem familiar. Adults and children act as though they know him. They ask for favours and seek to use his fame.

Then he meets Sophie, who may once have been his lover or wife. Her son reminds Ryder of himself as a child. Ryder comes to see that he has been there before. With pride, he takes on the role of saving the townspeople. Before his recital, he tries to help them bridge their divides. They struggle to talk to one another and feel empty and cut off.

Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel explores these strained ties through Ryder’s strange visit. Anca Boldor translated this edition from English. It forms part of the TOP 10+ series.