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emmagreenwood's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Sexual content, Genocide, Infertility, Abandonment, Ableism, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Murder, Slavery, Child abuse, Confinement, Gaslighting, Grief, Trafficking, and Death
biobeetle's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Grief, Death, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Bullying, Toxic friendship, Medical trauma, Medical content, Infertility, and Chronic illness
m_colls's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Classism, Death, Gaslighting, Medical content, and Toxic friendship
eva_vva's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Infertility, Toxic friendship, Forced institutionalization, Terminal illness, Confinement, Death, Medical trauma, Sexual content, and Medical content
Moderate: Gaslighting, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, and Bullying
Minor: Cursing, Pregnancy, Blood, Cancer, Injury/Injury detail, and Infidelity
mishaalalala's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
The novel did fall a bit flat for me in terms of world building - the reader is pretty much in the dark the entire time, despite many hints being dropped throughout the novel. We're never fully aware of what's going on.
I also wasn't the biggest fan of Kathy herself, her character was flawed and while I understand that it was crucial to the plot. I did find myself incredibly irritated with her.
Overall, it is a novel that does make you think for a while, despite it being challenging to get through.
Moderate: Medical trauma, Bullying, Death, Toxic friendship, and Forced institutionalization
torturedreadersdept's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Confinement, Medical content, Body horror, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Infertility, Death, and Gaslighting
Minor: Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Sexual content, Cancer, Grief, Vomit, and Drug abuse
emequalsme's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Moderate: Medical trauma and Toxic friendship
hadys's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Quando terminei a leitura me senti impotente. O que eu queria era gritar: façam alguma coisa, se rebelem! Queria abrir os olhos dos personagens para que eles pudessem ver o sistema falido em que viviam. Mas pensando bem... se tivesse sido escrito diferente, a história não teria mexido tanto comigo.
O que Kazuo Ishiguro faz neste livro é sombrio. Ele transmite uma sensação generaliza de impotência, frustração, desesperança e, principalmente, resignação de pessoas que cresceram condicionadas a um "propósito".
No início, somos apresentados a Kathy, que é ex aluna de Hailsham, um internato bucólico situado no interior da Inglaterra. O livro foi escrito do ponto de vista de Kathy e é uma releitura de suas memórias e experiências de vida em Hailsham e com seus amigos mais próximos, Tommy e Ruth.
Os três amigos são clone que foram criados e mantidos com o único propósito: colaborar com a ciência ao doar seus órgãos até "concluir". Suas vidas, seus sonhos e sentimentos não são levados em conta.
A leitura não apresenta nenhuma revelação chocante; desde do começo há aquela sensação de "sei no que isso vai dar". Mas é difícil aceitar, então, mesmo não tendo esperança, junto com Kathy, tentei reunir informações para dar sentido ao que está acontecendo.
Para mim foi difícil processar. Eles eram complexos e HUMANOS, não apenas cópias! Mas os personagens deste livro não sabem muito sobre a distopia em que vivem, então não conseguem enxergar. Eles só aceitam o que são, o que farão e fim que levarão.
Fiquei pensando, e se isso fosse realidade? E se eu fosse a "normal", será que sentiria a mesma compaixão pelos doadores quando me coloquei na pele deles? E se fosse uma escolha entre a vida de alguém que eu amo e alguém que eu fui condicionada a ver só como um repositório de órgãos? E se situações parecidas com o que Ishiguro escreveu, estiverem acontecendo ao nosso redor? Será que não estamos completamente insensíveis às pessoas?
Por isso que gosto de distopias, por mais que seja assustadoras, elas me ajudam a refletir sobre a minha própria existência e realidade.
O final do livro é um dos mais lindos que eu já li nos últimos tempos. Quase chorei.
"Não me abandone jamais", talvez, num resumo muito simplório, seja sobre: "ninguém deveria ter o direito de decidir quem é uma pessoa e quem não é".
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Grief, Death, and Medical content
sorkka's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Trafficking, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Slavery, Infertility, Classism, Emotional abuse, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Sexual content
caroisreading's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
2.5
The writing is repetitive and meandering, a first-person POV with a protagonist I had a hard time liking, surrounded by other characters that were faintly filled in, and just as difficult to warm up to, often frustrating me. No one likes each other, any relationships are rote.
It's a story with no satisfaction intended, and there are no spikes of events, just a long narrative. The entirety is desolate.
The commentary is clear: humanity is cruel. Life is futile. Innocence is lost. The real world is a lie.
Maybe I'll try re-reading when I'm in a different mindset.
Moderate: Cancer, Death, and Toxic friendship