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blau_elmo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The way Ishiguro sets up this seemingly normal universe at the start, but sprinkles in these tiny clues throughout the book of the true nature of the tritagonists, makes the pay-off at the end all the more amazing. The ending, in particular, is extremely poignant yet purposeful.
This is my favourite book of all time, for its drawn out human drama, for its tragic elements regarding inevitability, for its brilliant relatability regarding growing up (and the propensity to ignore the world that is bigger than us as teenagers), and its commentary on the ethics of technological advancements. There is a resigned fatalism that veils the entire narrative that grounds the story is realism, one that is crushingly unavoidable and real, regarding the smallness of us human beings.
Minor: Death and Sexual content
hmatt's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Forced institutionalization, and Classism
Moderate: Terminal illness, Infertility, Grief, and Medical 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
ginbat's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Terminal illness
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, and Confinement
Minor: Torture, Child abuse, and Medical content
impeachnixon'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
5.0
Graphic: Body horror and Death
mlewis's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Medical content, Death, Bullying, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Xenophobia, and Cancer
danicakvcs's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Ableism, Chronic illness, Medical content, Death, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Infertility, Blood, and Body horror
notthatcosta's review against another edition
- 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
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.
Moderate: Medical trauma, Bullying, Death, Grief, and Medical content
scienceoftrash's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Minor: Death and Medical content
seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Moderate: Stalking, Death, Sexual content, Medical content, and Bullying
Minor: Cancer