The Buried Giant mixes genre no more than any of Ishiguro’s other works.

When researching the book, it quickly became clear that there has been much discussion about the genre of The Buried Giant, and in retrospect I feel that the attention drawn to this topic is unwarranted. Ishiguro expertly navigates the dying influence of Arthur’s court a unique perspective which has not been thoroughly explored in fiction (historically, writers have preferred to track the rise, and then the fall), and although King Arthur does not feature prominently in the novel and (as far as I can remember) does not have any dialogue, his tracks can be seen everywhere in The Buried Giant.

In fact, this innovation applies to the setting of the book as a whole. Īs with Axl and Beatrice, much of the innovation of Gawain’s character comes from the fact that he is reaching the end of his life. Ishiguro dedicates two chapters to Gawain’s reveries, which are bumbling, aimless and digressive in the most charming way. I was extremely excited to hear that Ishiguro was somewhat inspired by Sir Gawain and the Green Knight whilst writing this novel, and I think this influence shows most in his depiction of Sir Gawain as a figure travelling through the dangerous English landscape, with ‘ no fere bot his fole‘. My favourite character by far was Sir Gawain. These genres tend to favour younger and able-bodied heroes, but Axl and Beatrice’s ailments and struggles made their journey feel much more tangible to the reader.

Axl and Beatrice are highlights among the cast of players, and it was extremely refreshing to see a large part of the story through Axl’s eyes, particularly in a historical/fantasy setting. The plot which unravels represents a unique combination of historical, fantastical and literary fiction, and the narrative proves to be both delightful and immensely endearing.Īlthough there’s a fair share of action, The Buried Giant is fundamentally a character-driven novel. Their journey is quickly diverted off course, and they become the travelling companions of Wistan, a Saxon warrior from the Fens Edwin, a promising young lad shunned by his village, and Sir Gawain, the last remnant of King Arthur’s court. Elderly Britons Axl and Beatrice set out to visit their son in a nearby village. The Buried Giant is a fantastically tender tale.

Freakboy by Kristin Elizabeth Clark