A review by baybod
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Oh. my. god. Heartbreaking and thought provoking. Asks big science fiction questions that, unlike in Mary Shelly’s time with the classic Frankenstein, seem scarily close to being pertinent to our world.  I  appreciated the gradual revelation of the secrets of the novel, which mirrored the gradual way in which Kath learned them herself. It’s interesting that Kath tells the story as if we already know what much of it means, but also holds back other important details. It was interesting to hear this story from the perspective of Kath as an adult—makes me think I should reread it again to pick up on more of the emotions she’s feeling, especially in the earlier chapters. This was an emotionally harrowing read and I would certainly recommend not only to someone interested in dystopia and science fiction, but also anyone looking for a thought provoking experience that brings in to question what it means to be human.

Want to add something for all the people who were let down by the ending and reaction to the big reveal:
A lot of people are saying the ending is unsatisfying, but I feel like it’s supposed to be. It almost has to be. A society which creates beings that are, for all intents and purposes, human, neglects to recognize this humanity and continues to use them as products cannot produce the ending we want. However, if we’re honest with ourselves, I feel like that is the society we live in. Yes, it’s upsetting for the reveal to lead to nothing substantial—it should be—but that’s kind of the point. Madame and Miss Emily have seemingly proved the humanity of the clones/students, but society refuses to see it for two reasons: 1. they could no longer justifiably use these beings as means to an end / exploit them and 2. they fear granting humanity to beings who could reasonably surpass them in society. With the clear refusal to recognize their humanity, it’s hard to say whether Miss Lucy or Miss Emily is right. Is it better to keep them in the dark, but give them the gift of a somewhat normal childhood to hold onto? Or should they be fully aware all along of their purpose? Neither seems right because neither is right. We can understand where each woman is coming from because both are simply trying to offer some dignity to people who have been robbed of it. All of our questions and all of our dissatisfaction is the point; it’s supposed to scare us and leave us feeling empty. Hopefully, it will make us wary of creating this problem in our own world.
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