Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

95 reviews

lilifane's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

This book centers around a really interesting topic with lots of possible discussions... in the most boring and unimpactful way possible. 

I usually like literary fiction with speculative elements, but I was really bored here. I liked the school setting at the beginning, and I was intrigued by the premise (never surprised, though. I think this was all obvious and predictable) and some details and questions. But I really didn't like the characters, their toxic friendships and relationships, their boring everyday problems when there was such a huge thing looming over everything. The writing style was fitting but didn't contribute much to my enjoyment of the book, same as the bleak and depressing atmosphere. 

I'm really glad I read it, though, and I'm still interested in the author's other works. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Confinement, Medical content, Death, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Infertility and Grief

jestro's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Misogyny and Sexual content

guyreadsstuff's review against another edition

slow-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content

dkel10's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I went into this book knowing the underlying plot, and while the book wasn't what I expected it to be it was still beautiful. It spends so much time reflecting on the humanity of the characters and the innocence and really should be a good look at who and what we consider equals and how "lesser" beings are regarded.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Sexual content

luxxltyd's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, and Medical content

Moderate: Infertility, Sexual content, and Death

amiegold's review against another edition

A little slow for me, though the premise is quite interesting.  I didn’t love the entire section on all of the students sex lives

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

elisabeth_with_an_ess's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book is written in the style of spoken reminiscences, with allusions to things that haven't been described yet, and "but maybe I should explain..." 

This device makes you really feel that you are one of Kathy's friends, or maybe just a chance acquaintance, or perhaps one of her donors who has been asking for stories of Hailsham.

All in all, this is a devastating book, will make you ponder all the things that bind us together as humans.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Medical trauma, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Terminal illness, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Blood, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Grief, and Sexual content

Minor: Homophobia, Chronic illness, and Cancer

oceanwriter's review against another edition

dark reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This book has an interesting concept and poses a lot of intriguing questions about life and creativity. I only wish I'd latched onto it more.

The story follows Kathy as she reflects on her life and relationships at the Hailsham boarding school. In this ultimate universe, people like Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy are lumped in these 'schools' as they were created with one purpose in mind — to be organ donors.

I'd call this light sci-fi, which I do like, I just found the pacing to be too slow (a similar issue I had with The Remains of the Day). There was also a glaring lack of world-building. Without a lot of context, I struggled to connect to the characters and the universe.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Sexual content, Infertility, and Bullying

katkatniss's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content and Death

Minor: Infertility and Bullying

jabberwalky's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Sexual content, Child abuse, Death, Gaslighting, Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Homophobia, Infertility, and Toxic friendship