Author : Kazoo Ishiguro
Genre : Dystopian
Publisher : Vintage
Pages : 288
Rating : 3.5/5
Remains Of the Day remains one of my all-time favorites. And since Ishiguro is a master story-teller I had high hopes from Never Let Me Go. It is very different from Remains; where that was old-worldly, this is contemporarily dystopian. Both depict human emotion, but Remains of the Day is the better book.
Kathy is one of the many students at the boarding school of Hailsham. She, along with close friends Ruth and Tommy, is given a good education, but there is something mysterious about Hailsham and its students. There is talk of their future lives, which seem to be pre-ordained as Carers and Donors, although we are never quite sure what that entails. Little nuggets of information come our way, adding to the creepiness and portending a horror that only humans can concoct and implement.
The book is narrated by Kathy in the first person. At the time of narration Kathy is already a Carer, and she recounts her life at Hailsham, the good times with her friends, and the slow realization and acceptance of their pre-ordained future. Ishiguro with his lovely word-smithing and detailed situations and dialogues, beautifully captures the mental makeup of Kathy and her friends. What is truly horrifying is their acceptance of their fates – and they are not the only ones, there are many, many “students” – going along calmly, like lambs to a slaughter.
There is a love triangle between the three main protagonists, and there are descriptions of laughter and good times – the push and pull of emotions, the waxing and waning of friendships. The book is as interesting as it is because it is delicate and emotional, even as it frames the larger story in a more brutal context. Ishiguro maintains this exquisite balance perfectly.
While this is a well-written book and a thought-provoking page-turner (I read it in 4 quick sittings, taking huge gulps of it in each), I didn’t quite feel for the three protagonists. Yes there is the universal refrain of lost time, opportunity and love, but that is as far as it goes. Despite the first person narrative and the detailed descriptions of their situations, Kathy and her friends felt distant. Ruth’s character verges on the unlikeable and even Kathy is so ordinary. She displays no protagonist like characteristics – there is no fire, no rebellion, only dissatisfaction, sadness and then acceptance. Despite the very clear injustice of the unfolding horror, it is very hard to root for the three – and the cause of my not being able to recommend this book.
