Name: Nocturnes
ISBN: 9780307397874

Kazuo Ishiguro

This quintet ranges from Italian piazzas to the Malvern Hills, a London flat to the 'hush-hush floor' of an exclusive Hollywood hotel. Along the way we meet young dreamers, caf ̌musicians and faded stars, all at some moment of reckoning.

Five Stories of Music and Nightfall

Nocturnes

From the piazzas of Italy to the Malvern Hills, a London flat to the 'hush-hush floor' of an exclusive Hollywood hotel, the characters we encounter range from young dreamers to cafe musicians to faded stars, all of them at some moment of reckoning. In this title, the author explores ideas of love, music and the passing of time.

was bittersweet with extra bitter. ending was BRUTAL

 was really really funny and one of the very few times i've ever seen ishiguro write a comedy. really wish he'd do it more often because this felt like an episode of seinfeld

 was boring and directionless. crooner clears

 is the second comedy in this collection and just as good as the first, had me ROLLING

 was... strange. not really sure what the takeaway was supposed to be about the teacher and the narrator

smile??

one bullet point for each story:

- crooner was bittersweet with extra bitter. ending was BRUTAL

- come rain or come shine was really really funny and one of the very few times i've ever seen ishiguro write a comedy. really wish he'd do it more often because this felt like an episode of seinfeld

- malvern hills was boring and directionless. crooner clears

- nocturne is the second comedy in this collection and just as good as the first, had me ROLLING

- cellists was... strange. not really sure what the takeaway was supposed to be about the teacher and the narrator

Some of the dialogue and character actions just had me scratching my head. Distracted from an otherwise fun atmosphere

Joe Zimet

i love how ishiguro writes. the way he writes about disappointment, not achieving your dreams and goals in nocturnes got to me. he doesn't talk about it like it's a colossal failure, no. he describes them like they are - they are normal and natural, and almost everyone's reality in one way or another.

it's a story about being mediocre even if you thought you would be great, and i think that reality happens to all of us at some point when we grow up to see past the rose coloured glasses of our hopes and dreams for the future and we have to come to terms with making the best of the life we have. 

it's definitely not my favourite read from him (when he wrote never let me go, a pale view of hills, etc) but it didn't disappoint me and i liked it a lot, still. 

i love how ishiguro writes. the way he writes about disappointment, not achieving your dreams and goals in nocturnes got to me. he doesn't talk about it like it's a colossal failure, no. he describes them like they are - they are normal and natural, and almost everyone's reality in one way or another.

it's a story about being mediocre even if you thought you would be great, and i think that reality happens to all of us at some point when we grow up to see past the rose coloured glasses of our hopes and dreams for the future and we have to come to terms with making the best of the life we have. 

it's definitely not my favourite read from him (when he wrote never let me go, a pale view of hills, etc) but it didn't disappoint me and i liked it a lot, still. 

3.5/5

i rlly love how kazuo ishiguro writes ^~~^  u have all ur attention w his books,, they r so detailed and interesting,, they also have a warm feeling ♡

mimi

heather

I've never enjoyed reading short stories because they either have not much substance or there just isn't enough explored in the stories themselves but Kazuo Ishiguro omg... This was quite an exquisite collection... 

Some of the characters were so realistically unhinged, I actually really liked them. While there aren't strong storylines within each story, we get a sneak peek of certain significant or quirky episodes/events that happened to a particular character. Most importantly, Ishiguro's writing make the stories seem so much more personal and intimate :") So overall, I really liked this collection and also especially since it was a pretty easy read!

Josephine Lemonade 

*Kazuo Ishiguro's new novel Klara and the Sun is now available to preorder* From the Nobel Prize-winning author of The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go In Nocturnes, Kazuo Ishiguro explores the ideas of love, music and the passing of time. From the piazzas of Italy to the 'hush-hush floor' of an exclusive Hollywood hotel, the characters we encounter range from young dreamers to café musicians to faded stars, all of them at some moment of reckoning. Gentle, intimate and witty, this quintet is marked by a haunting theme: the struggle to keep alive a sense of life's romance, even as one gets older, relationships founder and youthful hope recedes.

Erin 

Overall I think I'm a fan of Kazuo Ishiguro, but this lacked a something that I can't quite put my finger on.

Crooner: 4.5 stars
Come Rain or Come Shine: 3 stars
Malvern Hills: 4 stars
Nocturne: 2 stars - Bit odd that the title story is the lowest rated, but oh well.
Cellists: 2 stars

Lucy Li

HelyaSameni

caro

Libby

charlotte

Kat Albanese

Landen Angeline

sharkie

beth

five stories of music and nightfall

Lydia Rose

Niki Sotiropoulou-Nassika

In this sublime story cycle, Kazuo Ishiguro explores love, music and the passage of time. This quintet ranges from Italian piazzas to the Malvern Hills, a London flat to the “hush-hush floor” of an exclusive Hollywood hotel. Along the way we meet young dreamers, café musicians and faded stars, all at some moment of reckoning. Gentle, intimate and witty, Nocturnes is underscored by a haunting theme: the struggle to restoke life’s romance, even as relationships flounder and youthful hopes recede.

Nocturnes Five Stories of Music and Nightfall