Reviews with content warning for Death - Never Let Me Go

I really was engaged with this book which is somewhat of a surprise since I didn't connect to the characters that well (which is usually a sticking point for me). I just loved the slow reveal and the show not tell thing Ishiguro did. I could tell from very near the start what type of thing was going on, but the characters themselves as children were oblivious. It was a very well handled mystery and I think the ending fit it very well.

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poppyedition's review against another edition

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dark emotional 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? No

3.5

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amalielisabeth's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective 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

4.25

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emcheym's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad 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? No

1.0

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gia0203's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective slow-paced

2.0

This was really sad. You really follow along with the characters on their journeys. At first they’re just living their almost normal school life, and they are just so innocent. By the end they know so much yet they still have that innocence about them.

The writing style got tiring after a while. There were so many “and that was when” “and this is why”, it started to feel unnatural and it really started to take me out of the book. I also didn’t enjoy that conversation near the end that revealed a lot of plot points - after such a slow pace throughout the book, it just felt rushed and wrong.

Despite the fact we were constantly in these characters heads, I struggled to connect with them. There was a lot of repetition in their conversations and interactions. I didn’t particularly mind what happened to them. Again, this was in part due to the rushed ending. It was a very “show not tell” style, where I was Told about intimate conversations or important moments, but they never actually happened in the book. Some of the most significant moments in this book are described in a single paragraph.

Character deaths should not be so nonchalant, particularly when they have been there for the entire book. I almost got emotional, but couldn’t. There just wasn’t any payoff.

Tommy was the strongest character here, as well as Ruth. Our narrator was sometimes interesting, and sometimes irritating. I liked that they all had flaws. I also quite enjoyed the unravelling mystery and the journey through time, though it worked far better in the first half than in the second.

I think the author’s style really just isn’t for me.

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