** spoiler alert ** 
 I loved this movie when I saw it (I'd like to own it, but that's something else entirely) and I really wanted to read the book as a result. I've finally managed that. I was a bit worried, I will admit as my experience indicates that adaptations seldom live up to the book and this can be unfortunate when one is attached to the adaptation before reading the book. That was not the case here. The adaptation captures the feeling of the book wonderfully. There are, of course, nuances in the book that the adaptation simply can't provide. This is a beautifully written book that manages to cast a light on the between-war period in Britain. 
 Stevens is an engaging character and one is left wondering about his true feelings throughout the novel. He talks about his current situation and the past with a detachment that is wonderfully in character and incredibly suspenseful at the same time. What is the meaning of his reticence in mentioning his previous employer to anyone? Particularly when compared with his recollections of that time. Are Miss Kenton's hints about a desire to return real or wholly imagined on his part? 
 I have piles more questions that I could ask. This is a fantastic book (except, of course, that it's not fantastic at all. Words are strange things). If you have the opportunity you should read it.