Reviews with content warning for Bullying - Non lasciarmi

Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Non lasciarmi by Kazuo Ishiguro

78 reviews

wyabook234's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro examines the value of human life and mind through the perspective of a character who isn't regarded as human, as she is a clone. Reading about how these "clones" grow up at Hailsham reveals how they adapt to idealisms of love and creativity that become a part of their lives and daily regimes. You've also learned through a portrayal of how society takes advantage of these clones and how we take our lives for granted. We also learned from the heartache of having Ruth, Kathy, and Tommy go through with what they were prepared for, with no control and further disappointments of what they can't do because their purpose has already been forced upon them.

While there is a love triangle, the disputes between all three teenagers aren't as bothersome because they do what they do to grasp onto their lives and any need for attachment as "clones." By the novel's end, you could feel empty of how much of a soul you can envision these clones having when they discover the truth about their existence.

I couldn't feel enough of a connection to these characters to bawl, and sometimes the plot meanders in the middle regarding how the kids act outside of Hailsham, except when it comes to looking for a music tape but that is just me.

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amorphousbl0b's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

Deeply depressing.

You will often be irritated with how reluctant characters are to take seemingly obvious corrective actions, to tell one another how they feel, to do the logical thing. That's because Ishiguro barely wrote characters; he just wrote people. Almost all of your problems probably resulted from you doing dumbass things. And the narrator's perspective seems to gloss over many of their more kind or intimate moments, because focusing on the arguments and the troubles is just how our memories act.

The slow burn of this book's reveals are masterfully executed. I don't want to allude to a single one of them, not even those in the first act of the story, lest I spoil the experience I had of walking into this book expecting one thing and slowly realizing it was a horror novel.

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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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emilywemily6's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

This book was underwhelming and I think this author just might not be a great fit for me. This writing style is intriguing and kept me interested for more, but it felt like nothing happened (very character focused yet with little character growth; plus no big reveals). I knew from early on in the book what was going on and I never learned anything more than what was easily extrapolated. It took zero imagination and I was disappointed that even with so many subtle promises of a reveal, I was never rewarded. Sci-fi? Who is she? I would call this more of a speculative, coming-of-age fiction. I wanted WAY more world-building and answers to what was happening, why the world got that way, and how they even accomplished it. This book was melancholic and languid and I think it will stay in my mind for a while, but since we didn’t get any world building and few perspectives from the wider world, the subtle thoughts on humanity lacked substance. Many people have found meaning in the minutia of Kathy’s memories but it lacked the oomph I want in a story like this. Lots of Kathy’s internal musings without any real growth or change in understanding throughout the whole book.

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nightstitch96's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

2.5

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kourtjohnstone's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

5.0

I really enjoyed this story. I buddy read it and I highly recommend sharing the reading experiences with a friend or a bookclub to pause and discuss.

Never Let Me Go is a quietly powerful novel that explores deep questions about humanity and ethics. Kazuo Ishiguro tells the story of Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy, students at a mysterious boarding school, as they gradually uncover the disturbing truth about their lives.

The writing is subtle, building a sense of unease that lingers. It's a haunting read, focusing on love, loss, and what it means to be human. Perfect for those who enjoy thought-provoking fiction with a gloomy twist.

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sabrina118's review against another edition

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challenging emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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bookmarked_by_kate'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? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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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

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maelikesbooks's review against another edition

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5.0

Might stare at a wall and cry for the rest of the day

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