Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

This is a book that I never would have picked up just a few years ago. A large reason I have done so now is because people like you, in the Literary Cabinet, have expanded my interests. The genres that usually do it for me are starting to get stale, but this book and others like it have come to my attention and I am very glad for it.

The best way to describe this book is a dystopian novel with an understated but very powerful heart. The main character/narrator is Kathy, a young woman we are with from childhood to young adulthood. It is amazing to me that Ishiguro, an adult male, has made the character of Kathy so utterly convincing. Her character does not feel in any way contrived, and neither does the dystopian setting. It took me a while to get into this book, but once I did I was hooked.

The book centers around Kathy and her group of friends, notably Ruth and Tommy, at a boarding school called Hailsham. They are there for a reason (which I will not reveal here), and the way they grow and mature, with this significant reason dealt with almost matter-of-factly, never once rings false. I found each character very believable. Despite its premise, it almost seemed like I had to suspend no belief at all, and that is the magic of this book. These characters will stay with you for a long time.

I am very glad this book was brought to my attention, and I am very much going to check out other Ishiguro books. The movie version of this book is supposed to come out soon, but if you haven't read the book yet, do yourself a favor and get a copy before you see the movie. Even if the movie turns out decent, it will not compare to the novel.

If you enjoy Ishiguro I highly recommend "Remains of the Day."

The novel is one of my favourite recent novels. I picked it up more or less by accident when I was in Sydney, and then found that I had trouble putting it down. It took me a long time to realize (or rather believe) what the story behind the story actually was all about. It seemed too big, too scary, too uncomfortably close to reality. At several points, I found the characters irritating, sometimes bordering on annoying, especially Tommy. I loved the idea of Madame, though, and her collection. That is a very - well, almost romantic way of proving the worth of somebody's soul: to show that they can be creative.

When Madame gave that final blow, "You poor creatures," I wanted to cry, and I wanted to shake Madame and hug her close at the same time.
Very complex book, but it's like going through 33 rounds with Muhammed Ali, emotionally speaking.