An Artist of the Floating WorldAn Artist of the Floating World
Score Classic
What it's about
In Japan after the Second World War, Masuji Ono, an aging painter, is trying to arrange his younger daughter's marriage. Once a respected artist, he used his talent to support the imperialism that led Japan into war. As the marriage negotiations go on, Ono slowly, and evasively, reveals what he did, and what he doesn't want to admit.
Why it's worth reading
It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and won the Whitbread Book of the Year. It's a quiet, subtle novel about guilt and memory, from the author of The Remains of the Day.
You'll love it if you liked
The Remains of the Day
Never Let Me Go
KokoroGood to know
Ono is an unreliable narrator, and the story is told through what he leaves out. It's slow.
By the numbers
- Readers7 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics67 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller19 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Dark
More by Kazuo Ishiguro
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Quick answers
Is An Artist of the Floating World worth reading?
Yes. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and won the Whitbread Book of the Year. It ranks #2,195 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 61.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is An Artist of the Floating World about?
In Japan after the Second World War, Masuji Ono, an aging painter, is trying to arrange his younger daughter's marriage. Once a respected artist, he used his talent to support the imperialism that led Japan into war. As the marriage negotiations go on, Ono slowly, and evasively, reveals what he did, and what he doesn't want to admit.
How long does it take to read An Artist of the Floating World?
About 5 hours (208 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after An Artist of the Floating World?
If you liked it, try The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro or Kokoro by Natsume Sōseki.