The UnconsoledThe Unconsoled
Score Classic
What it's about
Ryder, a famous musician, checks into a hotel in a Central European city, sure he's due to perform in a few days. But as the porter shows him to his room, he senses this visit is about much more.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read.
You'll love it if you liked
The Remains of the Day
Never Let Me Go
The CastleGood to know
It's long, and nothing is quite what it seems.
By the numbers
- Readers3 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller16 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
- #486 of the 504 fantasy books we rank
- #911 of the 924 classics we rank
- #3006 of the 3,056 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
More by Kazuo Ishiguro
The Remains of the DayNever Let Me Go
An Artist of the Floating World
Klara and the SunIf you like this, read next
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
The Master and Margarita
Beloved
Midnight's Children
The Magus
Invisible CitiesExplore the best-of lists
All 47 best-of lists →
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 504 ranked
Classic booksTop 25 · 924 ranked
Books of the 1980sTop 25 · 229 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 623 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 325 ranked
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelsTop 25 · 63 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 333 rankedQuick answers
Is The Unconsoled worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #3,006 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 52.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Unconsoled about?
Ryder, a famous musician, checks into a hotel in a Central European city, sure he's due to perform in a few days. But as the porter shows him to his room, he senses this visit is about much more.
How long does it take to read The Unconsoled?
About 13 hours (535 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Unconsoled?
If you liked it, try The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro or The Castle by Franz Kafka.