Reviews

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

ellysiap's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.75

ellareads2's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

adeleio's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

almondsurfer's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

tension_toast's review against another edition

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? No

4.5

bblammah's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? No

4.5

paola_mobileread's review against another edition

2.0

This was my second Ishiguro's, and it did not live up to the expectations set by [b:The Remains of the Day|28921|The Remains of the Day|Kazuo Ishiguro|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327128714s/28921.jpg|3333111] (which I loved). I am not disputing Ishiguro's flowing writing, nor take issue with the delicate way he has in describing all the subtle nuances of an awkward silence or the undercurrent to what is only on the surface a casual conversation. So in this respect, a pleasant read.
Nevertheless, I really do not get the point of the book. Without giving the plot away, I found the dystopian aspect of the novel really difficult to buy (especially thinking of how a little a deviation from reality it requires), or rather, the lack of any reaction of the students is what I found hard to swallow: what keeps them from just not doing what they are supposed to be doing? Why don't they just refuse to go along with the destiny chosen for them?
As the students of the novel, as readers we are also, for a long while, "told and not told" - but unlike for the characters of the novel, there is no climax for the reader, no final clarification of why things can keep going the way they do. For me, lacking a further exploration of how this type of society could ever exist, the basic plot of love and friendship is not enough sustain the novel.

victoriacrod8's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

fareads's review against another edition

1.0

Potentially THE dullest book I’ve ever read 

szonjaaa's review against another edition

2.0

It would've been better if it were written in a pov of a student discovering the truth about Hailsham