Reviews with content warning for Death - Never Let Me Go

Reviews tagging 'Death'

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

200 reviews

hmatt's review against another edition

challenging reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

I've been meaning to read this for over a decade now, so I'm mostly very pleased with myself for getting to it. I think it earns its place as a contemporary classic - it's well-written, the pacing is great, and I liked how it was broken up by "era".

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caroisreading's review against another edition

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challenging dark 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? It's complicated

2.5

Sometimes you don't vibe with a book, and this is one of those for me. I made the mistake of listening to the hype, seeing the awards, and inflating my expectations. I still think this book is still important, and worth a read, with a sobering message.

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.

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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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impeachnixon's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

ugly cried for the last 50 (60? 70?) pages. beautiful, gut wrenching.

fascinating how they know and don't know so much, and how that effects their worldview, where they're very nonchalant about the doning until it's their time. by 'fascinating' i meant that i don't think i'll ever be able to stop crying. also the last line bringing up NORFOLK is i think a crime against humanity

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mlewis's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-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? Yes

4.0

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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 against another edition

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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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