Reviews with content warning for Toxic relationship - Never Let Me Go

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Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

30 reviews

tinypear's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

"I keep thinking about this river somewhere, with the water moving really fast. And these two people in the water, trying to hold onto each other, holding on as hard as they can, but in the end it's just too much. The current's too strong. They've got to let go, drift apart. That's how it is with us. It's a shame, Kath, because we've loved each other all our lives. But in the end, we can't stay together forever."

Never Let Me Go touches on the finite nature of our lives indirectly by introducing science fiction elements in such a magnificent way. Many parts of this book had me considering the characters' dilemmas, their existentialism, and feeling that sense of existentialism reflected in myself. I loved how this book made me consider the concepts of childhood, being drip-fed information vital to the human condition throughout our education and childhood experiences, growing up into our adult identity with our friends, and facing death all in less than 300 pages. The deeper consideration of the oppression and alienation within this book was especially evident in Part Three, alongside the ending providing a bleak outlook and suggestion of a lack of hope. I also appreciated the discussion around art and the importance of preserving this within the context of the book but also expanding into the wider context.

I found some elements of this book to be too slow for my liking - I felt that the story was really gripping only in Part Three, which only leaves about 80 pages of the story remaining. I also just didn't enjoy the narrative style in this book. I found many parts repetitive, often looping back to 'I need to tell you this...' or 'I should explain this...' and this style was just generally not to my taste. I liked the character- and story-building that Ishiguro was going for, but the writing style in this one just wasn't it for me.

The end is predictable - you can see it coming from a mile off - but it was emotional and captivating nonetheless. I found myself hurting for the characters and wishing things could be different. Never Let Me Go had an ending that left me wanting a little more, but maybe this is intentional and I'm just being picky. The dystopian reality created within this novel makes the reader face the harsh reality of the human condition, however the ending left more to be desired. 🫀

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fiorehly's review against another edition

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reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

had me in shambles towards the end. one of the few reads that reflect the realities of people’s livelihoods in the sense that we don’t always secure the future we idealise. that choices do have significance, and how complex human relationships can be.

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himpersonal's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

3.5

I had a hard time feeling sympathy for any of the characters, even though they probably deserve more sympathy than most people. I could also see a future where this kind of ethical technology actually comes to fruition. As it is today, part of my job is to help assess the digital ethics of some of our more advanced tech projects for potentially unintended consequences. Would’ve rated this book higher given the subject matter could be so gripping, but it wasn’t quite, and I think it was because the characters lacked depth. However, that’s part of the genius of this book. After all, it’s hard to develop character when they have a very finite future. Actually, based on this little aha I just had, I’ll readjust to a 4.

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lisalovesbooks2's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I was very disappointed in this book and had to force myself to finish it. I had heard that it was a very good book from multiple sources but definitely didn’t agree with that opinion. The story line dragged on, I didn’t care for the characters and was wishing that they would all be completed already so that I could stop reading. I’m not sure what people see in this book. I definitely didn’t see it and don’t recommend reading it.

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elderwoodreads's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Read this on recommendation from a friend and I'm so glad I did. Normally I'm weary of highly awarded literary authors as I fear their work will go over my head but this was the perfect level for what I wanted. I plan on reading all of Ishiguro's backlog at some point.

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kennahgracie's review against another edition

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reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

OVERALL
I had high expectations for Never Let Me Go, but unfortunately, it did not deliver. While I enjoy novels with reflective, almost melancholy storylines, this one seemed to drag me to its conclusion. I didn't feel connected to the characters, their plight, or the novel's premise. It felt as though Ishiguro had great potential with this story but squandered it, resulting in a meandering prose.

There was an overall lack of curiosity within the characters and their motivations. They seemed to be strung along by their predetermined purposes. This was confusing because their passion and complex human qualities (despite their almost alien disposition) were emphasized and encouraged in the secretive preparatory setting of Hailsham, only to fall flat after their departure from the school.

One would think that students who create and hold passion for things like art, literature, philosophy, and the world around them would fight to explore their right to live as they please. But no, the characters felt like puppets or dogs on a leash being yanked by what their guardians called “fate.” Was there no ambition to escape or defect? To investigate or question? Every time it felt like Kathy was exiting the foggy projection of her, Ruth, and Tommy’s life, she would immediately catapult herself back in.

There were also many plot holes. I understand Ishiguro's intention in writing this novel, but many elements of the novel felt unnecessary. It seemed as if Ishiguro wanted to communicate the blurry and sometimes messy conditions of human life: how friendships and relationships build and crumble, how ambitions and connections wither without clear cause, commentary on social classes, and the mechanisms we abide by in hope to form a place in society. But with the layering of sci-fi elements like cloning, carers, and donors without fleshing out their systems (how they came to be, how they work, the legal and political constraints), the book's contents feel like a half-formed dream.

On a closing note, I can't say I hated reading this book, but it didn't leave me with any new conclusions or ideas. It just wasn’t for me and could have benefited from more development. It definitely won't be a novel I recommend. However, I am still curious about Ishiguro's other works and the film adaptation of this novel, all of which I hope to enjoy more than this.

MAJOR TAKEAWAYS

Sterile characterization (passive, unmotivated, uninspired characters)
Lack of climax, creating a predictable plot line
Lack of expansion on sci-fi elements, making the characters' existence as clones more of a backdrop for a slow-paced coming-of-age/romance setting
Surface-level observation of the negative effects of society’s social classes and the isolation caused by such
An overall repetitiveness due to Kathy using her memories as a means to explore the plot