Sunday, October 3, 2010

Never Let Me Go

Never Let Me GoNever Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

AR Reading Level: 6.0
On the library stacks: Adult fiction
Awards: Booker Prize/Honor Book; ALA Notable/Best Books; Alex Award

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

I knew absolutely nothing about this book going into it and I think that's the way it needs to be read. Without pre-conceived notions, I was sucked into a beautifully crafted story that I won't soon forget. It is moving but uncomfortable and slow-paced yet compulsively readable.

The central feature of this book is Hailsham, a boarding school in England. Told in a conversational tone from the perspective of a former student named Kathy, she details life at the school growing up with her two friends, Ruth and Tommy, where they were sheltered from normal society.

This novel is dystopian literature with a science fiction bent, but set in the recent past. I haven't read any of Ishiguro's other novels, but it seems so different from The Remains of the Day that I'm very intrigued to read more of the author's work. This book is deliberate and thought-provoking, and I would recommend it for book clubs because I'm dying to talk to someone about it!

Also reviewed by: things mean a lot ~ Becky's Book Reviews ~ A Life in Books ~ Ticket to Anywhere ~ Book Addiction ~ At Home With Books ~ There's a Book ~ Your link here?

Book 90 of 100 for the 100+ Reading Challenge, Book 41 of 50 for the RYOB Challenge
Source: BookMooch

6 comments:

bermudaonion said...

I keep hearing great things about this book. Isn't a movie version coming out soon?

samantha.1020 said...

I definitely want to read this one...it sounds really interesting! Great review and thanks for sharing your thoughts on it :)

LBC said...

I'm excited to read this one before the movie comes out. I love Remains of the Day. I didn't think I would, but it was wonderful. You should give it a try.

alisonwonderland said...

I'm going to have to read this one sooner than later, it appears!

Anonymous said...

will definitely read this one.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

I completely agree that you need to know nothing before reading this. I read it a few years ago and thought it was fantastic. Then one of my friends saw the movie preview (which gives everything away) and read it and was so disappointed.