From the acclaimed author of TheRemains of the Day and When We Were Orphans, a moving new novel that subtly reimagines our world and time in a haunting story of friendship and love.
As a child, Kathy–now thirty-one years old–lived at Hailsham, 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. Kathy had long ago put this idyllic past behind her, but when two of her Hailsham friends come back into her life, she stops resisting the pull of memory.
And so, as her friendship with Ruth is rekindled, and as the feelings that long ago fueled her adolescent crush on Tommy begin to deepen into love, Kathy recalls their years at Hailsham. She describes happy scenes of boys and girls growing up together, unperturbed–even comforted–by their isolation. But she describes other scenes as well: of discord and misunderstanding that hint at a dark secret behind Hailsham’s nurturing facade. With the dawning clarity of hindsight, the three friends are compelled to face the truth about their childhood–and about their lives now.
A tale of deceptive simplicity, Never Let Me Go slowly reveals an extraordinary emotional depth and resonance–andtakes its place among Kazuo Ishiguro’s finest work.
The story begins quietly enough, although there is something "off" about it that nags at you in the back of your mind as you read, and then slowly bits are revealed and explained. I can't say exactly at what point my interest turned to fascination and then horror. I have not read many dystopian novels - 1984 is the only one I recall just now. This one stayed with me and provoked a great deal of discussion in my reading group.
Bonnie S. (Bonnie) from LOONEYVILLE, WV wrote on 10/22/2006...
9 member(s) found this review helpful.
What a disappointment! The story was certainly unique, of course, esp the characters. So in keeping with the difference of the characters, one would expect the details of their lives, the details of their "purpose." There were enough hints these things were coming. Alas, they did not. The book just ended.
Interesting, yes, in many parts, but too often I thought of just turning to the last chapter to see what happened and not wasting any more time.
Natalie M. (HBNole) from HUNTINGTN BCH, CA wrote on 9/15/2006...
8 member(s) found this review helpful.
Starts off intriguing, but the writing style gets extremely annoying very quickly. Also, the plot has a lot of common-sense holes that are never explained. Ultimately VERY unsatisfying to read. I can't believe I had this book on my wish list for a year!
This was a really good book. Not quite what I expected - I guess I thought it would be more semi-sci fi, more shocking. But it's a great story told in first person, very easy to read, you really get a feel for the characters and identify with them. It is a bit shocking at the end, though, don't get me wrong!
Peggy L. (paigu) from PRINCETON, NJ wrote on 3/4/2008...
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book develops at a slow, snail's pace and it almost gets to its destination...but just misses. This is a very strange book, science fiction in a proper, English boarding school setting. It's so odd that unfortunately it just doesn't connect. I enjoyed the mysterious, ominous tone of the narrator for 2/3 of the book, pretty much up until the first of many "shockers" are revealled. Actually, due to the languid writing style, none of the shockers are all that, well, shocking. The scene where one of the main characters, Ruth, reveals her big secret comes across as boring. The confrontation with the boarding school teachers (called Guardians) was an overlong monologue that was more laughable than not. I think the philosophy behind the plot is interesting, but the delivery was terrible. This was one of the most disappointing books I've ever read.
Renee C. (MerryHearted) from BELLEVUE, WA wrote on 1/20/2007...
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Haunting was the right word for this book. Well written and I will be looking for other books by Ishiguro now.
MaryAnn R. (MaryAnn) from NIXON, TX wrote on 4/8/2006...
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Very interesting and thought-provoking.
DT W. from TALLAHASSEE, FL wrote on 5/14/2006...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Signed by author. Really good read
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A. J. C. (Bibliocrates) from TRINITY, AL wrote on 3/3/2008...