Sophia C. reviewed on 6/25/2011 + 289 more book reviews

Never Let Me Go is a poignant, thought-provoking dystopian work by Japanese-born British writer Kazuo Ishiguro. Like his earlier Remains of the Day, this story is told by a semi-reliable first person narrator. Kathy H. is a young woman reminiscing about her childhood friends Tommy and Ruth and their trajectories since leaving Halisham, an elite boarding school-like institution. Her tone is conversational, with many passages starting with "I don't remember exactly" and "when I think about it now," and slight loops back to provide context. Her grasp of the details of their particular dystopia are hazy, but I think that's the point. Ishiguro wants us readers to focus on what we have in common with the characters: how we find and create meaning in our lives, deal with fate, and care for our friends. It's a shame that this Booker prize finalist was taken off the list of 1001 books you must read before you die.

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