Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro
This book is really difficult to label. It's actually a dystopian/future sci-fi/mystery/horror/slice of life/romance drama. If you haven't read it, it's a must! I'll break down the genres (and my rationale) for you:
Dystopian: per the jacket cover, the "students" of Hailsham live in "a private school in the scenic English countryside where the children were sheltered from the outside world, brought up to believe that they were special and that their well-being was crucial not only for themselves but for the society they would eventually enter". The facade of a carefully nurturing environment is a bit unnerving in the vague yet artful way Ishiguro describes "Sales" and contributions to "Madame's Gallery".
Future sci-fi: In this world, "normals" live in an age where they are completely free from cancer. However...
Mystery: ... how is 100% health possible without eugenics or organ transplants? Ishiguro never reveals the whole truth about the outside world at any one time. Instead, he gives hints here and there: the Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy have no relatives, Madame looks at them with fear/pity/disgust, Hailsham does not prepare the students for life outside of the school, and instead of careers, there are "carers", "trainees", "donors", and the most horrifying of them all: "the completers".
Horror: read above. Sci-fi + Mystery. You are a "normal". You have cancer? No prob, just swap out for a healthier organ. Problem solved. BUT WHERE DO YOU GET THEM ORGANS?...
Slice of life: this book is set up into 3 parts - childhood, adolescence, adulthood. The book goes over their BFFery and puppy love, hormonal angst and sassiness, youthful hopes dashed as they smash into that brick wall called Reality and ends with reflective regret and nostalgia.
Romance drama: love triangle. You will extremely hate/pity Ruth for many reasons. So many reasons. Ishiguro's writing style is extremely simplistic, but the insecure love/hate/admiration/jealousy/trust/manipulation between know-it-all Ruth and well-meaning Kathy is written incredibly well.
This was so good, I think I'll go back and read Nocturnes again, because I think I'll see it in a different light now!
I LOVED this book. So much that it's completely put me off reading other stuff, because I have heard sort of meh reviews of some of his other books, and I don't want to be disappointed...
ReplyDeleteTHIS BOOK. So good, that it completely redeemed Ishiguro in my eyes. I read Nocturnes first, so I thought that Never Let Me Go was overrated... even before reading it. Boy was I wrong!
ReplyDeleteNever Let Me Go completely blew me away when I read it a few years ago (unfortunately just before I started my blog!) and I'm dying to reread it.
ReplyDeleteThere's a film version and I always assumed that Keira Knightley (who I don't like to begin with) would be the main character, but she's actually the other one (the one who does end up being Used). Sorry, I can't remember which is which. It didn't make a whole lot of sense to me, so I never bothered watching it.
Nice review, but you've made me DESPERATE to reread :)
I luckily read it without any knowledge of its reputation (this is before I started following book blogs and actually keeping up with book news), because I heard that the film was coming out and the idea sounded fascinating.
ReplyDeleteIt's always nice to find out that something that could have been overpraised turned out to be just praised enough (um, if that makes sense!). :D
This is such a tough book to describe, especially without ruining anything. I should read this one again, now that I know how it ends.
ReplyDeleteI really really love Ishiguro, but I always forget that I do until I actually read one of his books- So I've read 2 of his books, but own about 6 or 7... Bad.
ReplyDeleteBut yessssss, this was so good! I definitely need to re-read it because I remember basically nothing about it, but probably I should read a different Ishiguro first? Yeah, that.
Yes, do, but avoid Nocturnes - definitely not a fave of mine. Which other ones do you have? I'd love to read his other ones, if you have any recommendations!
ReplyDeleteWhat's so amazing about this book is that your mind already jumps to the worst conclusion/giveaway to the plot, and Ishiguro totally lets you think that right from the very beginning - but then he takes his sweet time explaining everyone's motives!
ReplyDeleteRe-read it! I try to read books before tackling the movie, so this blog entry is written proof that I can go forward and of course brutally nitpick the movie adaptation, haha!
ReplyDelete