Never Let Me Go

I finished Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro several weeks ago. Even though it has taken me a while to write the review, I really enjoyed the book. This book is technically an adult novel, so there are lots of mature themes throughout. The main people in this book are clones, which adds an interesting layer to the already fairly complex plot.

The plot centers around Kathy and her two best friends, Tommy and Ruth. They went to school together at what was apparently one of the better schools for clones. The book is divided into three parts, which are the three parts of clone life, childhood (their schooling), adulthood (life in the cottages, most freedom), and donors (where Kathy is a “carer” or nurse for both Ruth and Tommy). The Donor stage is the part of life for which clones were bred: to make donations to help the medical community.

I really liked that this book was complex. It’s not just Kathy’s story, it’s the story of Kathy uncovering the truth about clones, her school, and her future. The plot is never void of surprises, and it never really gets dull, even when the life being described was. It was a great “make you think” book.

The only problem I had with this book at all was some adult content. I mean, I was able to handle it just fine, but it was there. The book talks about things like sex and death quite frequently, plus some other things. Nothing very graphic, however.

I would recommend this book to any adult looking for a thought-provoking read and any mature teenager looking for the same. This is adult fiction, so the content is the only snag point, but with a certain level of maturity, it should be fine.

I would compare this book to books like Ender’s Game. The plots are nothing alike, but the “make you think,” the dark twists, and the skewed view of the future (even though this book was supposed to take place in the 90s). Both are very interesting to read and I would recommend both very highly.