Reviews

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

carmentxx's review against another edition

mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

never let me go has always been a novel that people have generally said is pretty good and a must read. i will say that i feel a little disappointed in it, only in that it was built up so much and it didn’t reach what i thought it would be. maybe if i didn’t have a preconceived notion of it i would think it was pretty alright. at the core of this novel is the love between three friends who are as close as family, both love wise and fighting wise. for this reason i think this novel would have been better suited to a 3 person pov style. i didn’t find Kathy to be a particularly interesting protagonist and I found Ruth and Tommy to be much more engaging. still, not a bad novel. just a bit too slow and on the edge of boring for me. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Medical content

beaq's review against another edition

dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

photodude's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

ben83's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.25

spideyrx's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad

4.5

tianaamari18's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

Looking for parents kind of. 

The boat 

Desire to be loved! 

The point of life / pointless 

Controversy   Should they have been sheltered or mistreated 

Robots given human experience 
Unfair 

Hope and ignorance can create happiness 

The objects and stories we tell ourselves and our creations that define our lives. 

False human life. Not real with family or social 

Animals/live stock

Probably no funerals. 

No one to remember them 

Their whole lives only in their own memories 

What makes a human real or not. Have a soul. Clones are just as human as humans. So wouldn’t robots be as well 

Crazy hearing that other people don’t think you have a soul or matter 

Poor creatures 

I keep thinking of the bigger picture of how all the other donors everywhere else and after jail when closed that it will be in bad conditions and they are devestated just about their own conditions which are much better than others both in real life and donors lives. 

I had to see Tommy scream to understand the pain. Reading it and audio book still do not hit the spot for me. I don’t truly feel and understand unless I see it. Facial expressions, tone of voice, tears. 

Memories is what makes any of our lives meaningful and it’s all we get to ‘keep’

Things lost- childhood. Last scene. 

We are all lucky for any time at all

We all die 

None of us understand what we have lived through or feel we’ve had enough time. 

In the movie they don’t mention about Ruth not knowing the truth in the end. 

And I guess we have to all just accept it. I hoped the entire time that they would escape or help change the system and start a movement.  The whole point is this is just a scene of the world. Who is to say that in that world there isn’t a revolution in the future ? That would be a different sorry 

tamara97's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

2.5

ella_smella's review against another edition

3.0

My English teacher would’ve loved this book.
It was an objectively very good book, very descriptive and a dystopian themed book I’d not read before. But if you’re after drama, cliffhangers, plot twists that knock you off your feet then it wouldn’t be a go to.
That being said, the way the author can make an all around depressing and unnatural way of life the main characters live seem so utterly normal is impressive. The main character, Kathy, retells her life through anecdotes and you find yourself wanting her to be more reactive or more vivacious, but realistically, from her perspective and in the role she plays in that society, you can see why there wouldn’t be any point.
I’d recommend this to someone if they’re after a thought provoker, or a book that exemplifies telling a dystopian story without the gore and violence but instead an acquiescence.

silenttardis's review against another edition

4.0

uhmmm what a sad book and sad story, why did they resigned themselfs to what would happen, why not run away or try to change things, what would happen to us if we were in the same position, would we rebel, would we run away, would we get in line with what was supposed to happen?... probably... they were condicioned to all this through all their lifes... but it doesnt make it less sad...

i actually saw the movie first and then read the book, its totally worth, the small diferences in the story make it worthwhile and diferent without being so out of touch with the both media, i still hate ruth, she was the kind of girl i wouldnt want to be friends with... more trouble than what is worth really...

i recomend this book even if you saw the movie before hand

melissamai's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

4.0