Original language:
English Translated from: English
Authors: Ishiguro, Kazuo
Translated by: Žukaitė, Mėta
ISBN: 978-609-479-380-6
Published in: Vilnius
Published on: 2020
Publisher: Baltos lankos
“The Buried Giant” tells a story of an old couple, which lives in ancient Britain, and journey to meet with their son, who has not been seen for many years. The story full of mysticism depicts the old world, which is full of inexplicable phenomena, surrounded by various monsters, and people mysteriously losing their memories. But in the story, the heart is warmed up by the spouses’ sincere communication and concern for each other.
Axl and Beatrice are an elderly couple quietly spending their days on the outskirts of a cave settlement. Unfortunately, the couple is slowly beginning to realize that they hardly remember their past. A few fragments of memories sometimes emerge for Axl, but the thoughts do not connect clearly, and other villagers only condemn his old mind and do not believe in him. Finally, the couple remembers having a son who lives in a nearby village. When more and more memories come back, Axl and Beatrice decide to travel to visit and start living with their son. But during the journey, they both learn more and more about the mysterious fog that is the cause of all people’s oblivion. When meeting new people and old acquaintances, the couple gets back their memories that remind them of old sorrows and open up an even deeper love for each other. The spouses’ short trip to their son turns into a great adventure that reveals a “buried giant.”
The novel is very engaging, and there is not a single moment in the story that does not leave without becoming somewhat special. Each paragraph intrigues and reflects the atmosphere of this rainy, dark and depressing region. Throughout the narrative, a certain sense of ignorance remains, as if the reader himself were affected by the mysterious fog of oblivion. This is why the story is special. The narrative makes the reader feel part of it because the couple remembers only as much as the reader. Finally, there are moments when the reader already knows more than the main characters themselves, who have already managed to forget what they have just said. And as you travel through the prehistoric land of Britain, the truths of this mysterious land are gradually revealed to the reader.
Kazuo Ishiguro is a British writer of Japanese origin who has already received two orders for merit in literature (the Order of the British Empire and the Order of the French Knight of Art and Literature). The Buried Giant has been nominated for two literary prizes: the World Fantasy Award and the International Dublin Literary Award.