Never Let Me Go is a science fiction novel by acclaimed Japanese-born author Kazuo Ishiguro. I first decided to read it after I had seen (and thoroughly enjoyed) the film adaptation of the same name - and I am very glad that I bothered to seek out the book.
Told from the point of view of one of the central characters, Kathy, the story begins in the fictional Halisham boarding school in East Sussex, England. From the very beginning of the book, it is clear that something is amiss at Halisham. Not only do the teachers (known as 'Guardians') treat the students very bizarrely, but an unusual emphasis is placed on remaining healthy, with students being subjected to strict diet rules and regular health inspections. Students are also banned from going outside of the school grounds and are closely monitored at all times, as well as being told horror stories of what will happen to them if they try and leave Halisham. It is eventually revealed (to both the reader and the students) that the students are in fact clones, whose sole purpose in life is to provide vital-organs for non-clones ('normals'). Kathy goes on to describe what happens to her and her two best friends at the school, Tommy and Ruth, thereafter. She also explains that in the present day (where she is 31), she is a carer - looking after clones who have already begun their process of organ donation to the 'normals' - a fact which becomes relevant later on.
I started reading this novel with quite high hopes and expectations (due to my love of the film adaptation) - the book far surpassed these. Ishiguro's writing style is beautiful, capturing a sense of everyday feelings even in amongst the unusual circumstances presented in the book. The way in which he describes characters thoughts, emotions and behaviour throughout the tale is truly heart-wrenching and drew me in after just a few pages. I felt as though when character's acted a certain way, I could always understand their reasoning behind doing so - even if what they did was not particular pleasant or seemed rather obtuse to the other character's in the story. This made what at first seemed like an implausible tale become much more real and believable to me. As Kathy details the progression of her and her friends through Halisham and into adulthood, I felt as though I experienced her emotions right alongside her - love, hatred, jealousy, fear, betrayal, uncertainty, shame, sympathy - all brought to life through Ishiguro's clever use of words.
The most interesting part of the story for me (and in many ways, the main point of the story) is the love triangle that rapidly develops between Kathy, Ruth and Tommy. The bitter hurt that Kathy experiences in relation to this is something very true and I found that the Ishiguro's descriptions of real emotions brought tears to my eyes on several occasions. For me, this underpinning love story makes Never Let Me Go not only a clever and original piece of science fiction, but also a beautiful and contemporary coming-of-age story with a very real emotional impact.
The ending of the book is fantastic too, and not necessarily what I expected. I won't say too much more on that, as I don't want to spoil it for those who have not read it already - but it is superbly written and it left me thinking about this novel long after I had finished reading.
Overall, this book is a well-written and unique take on the science fiction genre. I would recommend this to almost anyone, regardless of whether science fiction is usually your thing or not (I am not a fan of science fiction myself, but loved this).
Do read if:
You want an unusual read that will make you think or if you'd like to be convinced that not all 'science fiction' is the same.
Don't read if:
You want something uplifting or if you're not prepared for a few tear-jerk moments.
OVERALL RATING - 9/10
Told from the point of view of one of the central characters, Kathy, the story begins in the fictional Halisham boarding school in East Sussex, England. From the very beginning of the book, it is clear that something is amiss at Halisham. Not only do the teachers (known as 'Guardians') treat the students very bizarrely, but an unusual emphasis is placed on remaining healthy, with students being subjected to strict diet rules and regular health inspections. Students are also banned from going outside of the school grounds and are closely monitored at all times, as well as being told horror stories of what will happen to them if they try and leave Halisham. It is eventually revealed (to both the reader and the students) that the students are in fact clones, whose sole purpose in life is to provide vital-organs for non-clones ('normals'). Kathy goes on to describe what happens to her and her two best friends at the school, Tommy and Ruth, thereafter. She also explains that in the present day (where she is 31), she is a carer - looking after clones who have already begun their process of organ donation to the 'normals' - a fact which becomes relevant later on.
I started reading this novel with quite high hopes and expectations (due to my love of the film adaptation) - the book far surpassed these. Ishiguro's writing style is beautiful, capturing a sense of everyday feelings even in amongst the unusual circumstances presented in the book. The way in which he describes characters thoughts, emotions and behaviour throughout the tale is truly heart-wrenching and drew me in after just a few pages. I felt as though when character's acted a certain way, I could always understand their reasoning behind doing so - even if what they did was not particular pleasant or seemed rather obtuse to the other character's in the story. This made what at first seemed like an implausible tale become much more real and believable to me. As Kathy details the progression of her and her friends through Halisham and into adulthood, I felt as though I experienced her emotions right alongside her - love, hatred, jealousy, fear, betrayal, uncertainty, shame, sympathy - all brought to life through Ishiguro's clever use of words.
The most interesting part of the story for me (and in many ways, the main point of the story) is the love triangle that rapidly develops between Kathy, Ruth and Tommy. The bitter hurt that Kathy experiences in relation to this is something very true and I found that the Ishiguro's descriptions of real emotions brought tears to my eyes on several occasions. For me, this underpinning love story makes Never Let Me Go not only a clever and original piece of science fiction, but also a beautiful and contemporary coming-of-age story with a very real emotional impact.
The ending of the book is fantastic too, and not necessarily what I expected. I won't say too much more on that, as I don't want to spoil it for those who have not read it already - but it is superbly written and it left me thinking about this novel long after I had finished reading.
Overall, this book is a well-written and unique take on the science fiction genre. I would recommend this to almost anyone, regardless of whether science fiction is usually your thing or not (I am not a fan of science fiction myself, but loved this).
Do read if:
You want an unusual read that will make you think or if you'd like to be convinced that not all 'science fiction' is the same.
Don't read if:
You want something uplifting or if you're not prepared for a few tear-jerk moments.
OVERALL RATING - 9/10
