Reviews with content warning for Medical trauma - Never Let Me Go

Much like Klara and the Sun, this novel is a slowly unraveling dystopia where horrifying truths lay just underneath a sweet narrative about love and friendship. Yet, where Never Let Me Go is differs is that it is unrelenting. It squashes any possible hope, leaving the reader heartbroken and with as little choice in the matter as its characters.

Kazuo Ishiguro’s talent is making the most disturbing reality feel almost normal — but what is even more terrifying than that is the thought that if it was our reality, it would probably feel normal to us, too.

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sorkka's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.75

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stutee's review

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emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

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ginbat's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

Beautifully sad, unique. I grew to appreciate this writing style and think it would very well. This book made be feel sad and angry, and I feel like it's a better for a few things. I guess that's what makes it a "good" book. It doesn't make me feel good things, but it does make me feel things.

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scytheria's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-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? Yes

3.75

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danicakvcs's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

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notthatcosta's review

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This is only my second Ishiguro after Klara and the Sun, but I was shocked that this had somehow managed to be even darker and more visceral. Despite it being achingly sad, there's a touching beauty to the melancholy - there's a grace and dignity to Kathy as a protagonist that is really moving.

There is so much about the world this is set in that remains unsaid, which is the most disturbing aspect of it. There's a reverberating, dull dread that gets more and more intense as more is revealed. And yet, once the pieces come together, there's a strange beauty beneath it all.

It is this conflicting tone that makes it such a beguiling read, even by dystopian standards. I'm thrilled to know there is a film adaptation, and if it's even a bit of the level of the book, I'll be in for a treat.

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marissasa's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

2.5

This book has a very interesting premise, especially with the idea of human clones being raised solely to become organ donors or caregivers for other donors. However, the nonlinear storytelling jumping back and forth between present day and past memories of the main trio made it hard to follow the narrative. I didn't connect with any of the characters as much as I wanted to, which is ironic because the whole message of the story is showing the humanity and life within these humans who were othered and seen as a lower class because of their status as clones for donations. I also disliked the ending where the entire reasoning behind Hailsham was just explained to them by one of the teachers as it felt like an easy choice without the same emotional weight it could've had if they had found out on their own somehow instead of being told it.

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