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alicroz34's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
This book will always have a very special place in my heart because it was the first book I read for a university course. I still have the copy I bought in the university book store, complete with little sticky-notes from pages I quoted in my essay.
I love this book and I love the movie, which is rare (shoutout to the perfect cast???). My only real critique is that it can be an exhausting read. Every chapter starts or ends with a, "I'd like to tell you about this thing, but first we must take a detour through this other thing." Truly, a version of that sentence occurs like forty-seven times. But it's a flawless concept and a lovely book all the same.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content
sritzman22's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I think this book is a little hard to get into because it’s not very plot driven. It was a bit of a tough read, kind of tolling and made you second guess everything you were reading. Definitely an unreliable narrator
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Minor: Death and Medical content
cami_chai's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-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
3.75
It was nothing like what I'd expect it to be, but it was an interesting read
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Medical content, and Medical trauma
vaguelyredhead's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Bullying, Infertility, and Sexual content
Minor: Cancer and Homophobia
charlottemarie17's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Grief, and Medical trauma
lemerrier's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Medical content
Moderate: Infertility
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Bullying and Infertility
Minor: Cancer
amorphousbl0b's review against another edition
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual content, and Medical content
Minor: Bullying
fkshg8465's review against another edition
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
lisalovesbooks2's review against another edition
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.
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, and Toxic friendship