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A review by bryanzhang
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
4.0
4.5/5.0
Never Let Me Go is the interior monologue of Kathy as she reflects on growing up in an unusual boarding school-esque environment.
The plot revolves around a love triangle between Kathy and two other kids as they grow up together. It's nothing revolutionary, but Ishiguro executed very well: he treats his characters with delicate care as he explores their insecurities and the bizarre behaviors peculiar to growing children. Furthermore, his writing is tight and clean. Though the tone is conversational, nearly everything feels intentional and almost nothing is misplaced. Kathy's voice is simple and nonpretentious, a quiet display of Ishiguro's ability.
The only major flaw in the story arises from the treatment of the sci-fi premise, which functions best when used as a backdrop for the relationship between the characters. However, when it comes to the foreground during the final stretch of the book, I felt both the story and the writing took a small dip that left me feeling a little unsatisfied.
Never Let Me Go is the interior monologue of Kathy as she reflects on growing up in an unusual boarding school-esque environment.
The plot revolves around a love triangle between Kathy and two other kids as they grow up together. It's nothing revolutionary, but Ishiguro executed very well: he treats his characters with delicate care as he explores their insecurities and the bizarre behaviors peculiar to growing children. Furthermore, his writing is tight and clean. Though the tone is conversational, nearly everything feels intentional and almost nothing is misplaced. Kathy's voice is simple and nonpretentious, a quiet display of Ishiguro's ability.
The only major flaw in the story arises from the treatment of the sci-fi premise, which functions best when used as a backdrop for the relationship between the characters. However, when it comes to the foreground during the final stretch of the book, I felt both the story and the writing took a small dip that left me feeling a little unsatisfied.