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mlewis's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Cancer, Infertility, Infidelity, Xenophobia, and Grief
sarahshaiman's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Overall, Never Let Me Go is incredibly well written and deserves the praise it received. At times, I found the novel painfully slow but those moments just made the reveals throughout more satiating. Others have said this in reviews, but it is best to go into the book not reading any reviews or anything regarding what the book is actually about. The science-fiction twist came as a total surprise to me for that reason and I don’t think I would have enjoyed the book as much knowing that it was a dystopian novel. By far, the most satisfying and refreshing aspect of the book is that the science fictiony aspects are tangential to the plot. The book is more about the relationships between the characters and Kathy's reckoning with her past in the context of their lived reality, rather than their lived reality driving the hero's journey.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Terminal illness, and Xenophobia
Minor: Sexual content