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inherentlysleepy's review against another edition
5.0
Reread on March 2023: still my favorite book of all time. Never Let Me Go has a hold on me no other book has.
----------
Original review in 2016:
Note: this review contains spoilers.
Halfway through, before finishing Never Let Me Go, I knew I won't be able to start reading another book right after because I sure would be bothered—dysfunctional, even—by every bit of it.
There was only one word I'd been whispering to myself throughout my read, though, it was "melancholic"—if not at all tragic. That was me being so emotional as ever as a reader. I could go on about the technicals of the book and Ishiguro's writing technique: conversational that makes the reader feel like they are "students" themselves. So as not to be "surprised" and bewildered when things and reasons—we all knew were being subtly revealed with clues one by one as the story wore on—have unclouded officially. How he used stream of consciousness as a device to appropriately deal with the former matter. It is something that comes close to telling a story which gives off a certain intimacy between the protagonist and its reader. It really worked out well for me.
But I don't think that's the whole point. The beauty and importance I found in this book is that not only can it tug at readers' hearts, but is also a retelling (if not in the most honest and literal way) of truths about our world and how we move forward as a person included in a society, but some times we feel as though we really aren't exactly.
(Side note: this whole donation thing kind of reminded me of Jonathan Swift's Modest Proposal.)
Kathy, Ruth, Tommy and the rest of the "students", I can't help but think how unfortunate their fates were. First they live to learn and at least get a glimpse of how it really is to feel like a real human (and to test whether or not they had souls) by their guardians' teaching of them to appreciate art—all of these weren't told until the anagnorisis of the book. Thereafter they'd been given just enough time before training and becoming carers to explore and understand the world outside Hailsham and sort things out for themselves, which includes discovering and rediscovering things they haven't yet known and knew all their lives without completely considering it. And finally settling in to mainly why they were made for: to donate, and "complete" by the end of their time. However I think their fates unfortunate according to my own measure stick, it was all redeemed by their bound to fulfilling the purpose of their existence.
I find this utterly melancholic as they knew all along how and what their lives should be, like it's written in the books that can never be altered. But at the same time, I can't help but ponder how much truth that weighs in on this story across the real situations in our lives. That we sometimes question ourselves against the gush of wind, but given no choice better than to accept and take contentment in the way the tide of fate for us is supposed to be. That love may be infinite, like how we drink in the sea view as though the waters can go on forever unbounded by mountains, but—at the very same recognition—we knew it must come to an end.
Never Let Me Go, in a fascinating manner, is so disturbing of a book that will haunt me for quite some time.
----------
Original review in 2016:
Note: this review contains spoilers.
Halfway through, before finishing Never Let Me Go, I knew I won't be able to start reading another book right after because I sure would be bothered—dysfunctional, even—by every bit of it.
There was only one word I'd been whispering to myself throughout my read, though, it was "melancholic"—if not at all tragic. That was me being so emotional as ever as a reader. I could go on about the technicals of the book and Ishiguro's writing technique: conversational that makes the reader feel like they are "students" themselves. So as not to be "surprised" and bewildered when things and reasons—we all knew were being subtly revealed with clues one by one as the story wore on—have unclouded officially. How he used stream of consciousness as a device to appropriately deal with the former matter. It is something that comes close to telling a story which gives off a certain intimacy between the protagonist and its reader. It really worked out well for me.
But I don't think that's the whole point. The beauty and importance I found in this book is that not only can it tug at readers' hearts, but is also a retelling (if not in the most honest and literal way) of truths about our world and how we move forward as a person included in a society, but some times we feel as though we really aren't exactly.
(Side note: this whole donation thing kind of reminded me of Jonathan Swift's Modest Proposal.)
Kathy, Ruth, Tommy and the rest of the "students", I can't help but think how unfortunate their fates were. First they live to learn and at least get a glimpse of how it really is to feel like a real human (and to test whether or not they had souls) by their guardians' teaching of them to appreciate art—all of these weren't told until the anagnorisis of the book. Thereafter they'd been given just enough time before training and becoming carers to explore and understand the world outside Hailsham and sort things out for themselves, which includes discovering and rediscovering things they haven't yet known and knew all their lives without completely considering it. And finally settling in to mainly why they were made for: to donate, and "complete" by the end of their time. However I think their fates unfortunate according to my own measure stick, it was all redeemed by their bound to fulfilling the purpose of their existence.
I find this utterly melancholic as they knew all along how and what their lives should be, like it's written in the books that can never be altered. But at the same time, I can't help but ponder how much truth that weighs in on this story across the real situations in our lives. That we sometimes question ourselves against the gush of wind, but given no choice better than to accept and take contentment in the way the tide of fate for us is supposed to be. That love may be infinite, like how we drink in the sea view as though the waters can go on forever unbounded by mountains, but—at the very same recognition—we knew it must come to an end.
Never Let Me Go, in a fascinating manner, is so disturbing of a book that will haunt me for quite some time.
maria_c's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
jessiemcg's review against another edition
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? It's complicated
2.0
…eh. This is the second book I’ve read from Kazuo Ishiguro, and just like the first I was DESPERATE to get it finished. It’s a snooze fest, I can’t lie.
Concept? Cool. But I need MORE, stop alluding to things - I’m a simple gal, spell it out, give me the details, give me a PLOT for heavens sake.
Just not my kinda fiction and unfortunately not an author i’ll be returning to for a third book. Not my cup of tea!
Concept? Cool. But I need MORE, stop alluding to things - I’m a simple gal, spell it out, give me the details, give me a PLOT for heavens sake.
Just not my kinda fiction and unfortunately not an author i’ll be returning to for a third book. Not my cup of tea!
ma9enta's review against another edition
3.0
I didn’t enjoy this book that much.
The plot idea was great, very interesting and thought provoking but the execution could be better. Overall it was a bit boring for me and I felt like something was missing, I can’t even tell what.
The plot idea was great, very interesting and thought provoking but the execution could be better. Overall it was a bit boring for me and I felt like something was missing, I can’t even tell what.
megmoos's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
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
3.5
I feel like this book has holes in it and I feel like the holes are probably where the really really good parts were.
eyeoweyooone's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
rozwei3's review against another edition
5.0
Really easy read. Slightly repetitive in that a lot of it is speculative assumptions from the narrator, but this makes the protagonist relatable
clearlyreading's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
saraatonin's review against another edition
4.0
man, this was my first read of Kazuo Ishiguro's and honestly, I was not 100% sold at the beginning, but I am SO glad I stuck around. I suspect this one could even be a 5* for me after a re-read, but it definitely took me some time to get into it so for now I'll leave it at a 4*.
my experience of this book was interesting because I knew almost nothing more than the blurb on the back of the book and a very vague but emphatic recommendation from a very cute employee at my local B&N. the blurb on the back describes this book as a sort of coming-of-age story about three friends who grew up knowing they were special. I would absolutely not say that this blurb is inaccurate, but there is also SO much more depth to this story than that. as I came to realize the depth of the story, my interest grew as I became more and more attached to Kath, Ruth, and Tommy.
this book is dystopian with lots of feelings of nostalgia, melancholy, existentialism, and even just straight-up despair, but it's done in a way that is quieter and more delicate than most others I've read. from about 1/3 of the way through the book, I knew and had begun to understand what was going on, but the finale is where it really hit home and I realized just how much I was FEELING.
very, very excited to read more of Ishiguro's work - this was gorgeous.
my experience of this book was interesting because I knew almost nothing more than the blurb on the back of the book and a very vague but emphatic recommendation from a very cute employee at my local B&N. the blurb on the back describes this book as a sort of coming-of-age story about three friends who grew up knowing they were special. I would absolutely not say that this blurb is inaccurate, but there is also SO much more depth to this story than that. as I came to realize the depth of the story, my interest grew as I became more and more attached to Kath, Ruth, and Tommy.
this book is dystopian with lots of feelings of nostalgia, melancholy, existentialism, and even just straight-up despair, but it's done in a way that is quieter and more delicate than most others I've read. from about 1/3 of the way through the book, I knew and had begun to understand what was going on, but the finale is where it really hit home and I realized just how much I was FEELING.
Spoiler
the feelings of despair really started for me when Madame & Miss Emily ripped the rug out from under our feet and made you realize - there is no hope. there is no getting out of this fate.very, very excited to read more of Ishiguro's work - this was gorgeous.
jarrettwdavis's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0