“Never Let Me Go” by Kazuo Ishiguro
Hello everyone!
During the second semester of our master's course, we studied a book titled "An Artist of the Floating World" by Kazuo Ishiguro. I really liked it, so I wanted to read more of his books. I found out about another famous one called "Never Let Me Go". During my summer break, I read the whole Book. It was so good, and I didn't get bored at all. In this blog post, I'll share my thoughts and feelings about the book.
“Memories, even your most precious ones, fade surprisingly quickly. But I don’t go along with that. The memories I value most, I don’t ever see them fading.”
Due to the title, I thought it would be a more romantic novel. Romantic relationships were explored, but it was not what I had expected (in a good way!). Instead, it is a dystopian, science fiction novel which followed the story of Kathy and her friends (particularly Ruth and Tommy), who grew up together in a school named Hailsham.
Hailsham at first seems like an idyllic boarding school, where children are encouraged to express themselves through art and creativity. But as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Hailsham is no ordinary school. The children are raised in isolation from the outside world, monitored closely by their guardians, and constantly reminded about the importance of their health. They live under the illusion that they will one day lead normal lives, but subtle hints throughout the narrative suggest a darker fate. The book is told by Kathy, and she takes us through their lives from when they're kids to when they're grown up.
One of the first things that struck me was how Kathy talks about their childhood. She says,
"We all had a collection of stuff on the chest of drawers beside our beds."
It's such a simple thing, but it shows how these kids are trying to have normal lives in a place that's not normal at all.
As the story goes on, we learn that the kids at Hailsham are clones. They were created to be organ donors when they grow up. It's a really sad and scary idea, but Ishiguro doesn't write it like a sci-fi story. Instead, it feels like real life. The way Kathy describes things makes it all seem so normal, even when we know it's not.
There's this really powerful moment when Miss Lucy, one of their teachers, tells them the truth about their future. She says,
"Your lives are set out for you. You'll become adults, but only briefly. Before you're old, before you're even middle-aged, you'll start to donate your vital organs."
It's such a shocking thing to say to kids, but she says it so matter-of-factly. It really shows how different their world is from ours.
The book makes you think a lot about what it means to be human. The Hailsham students have feelings, dreams, and hopes just like anyone else. They fall in love, they get jealous, they make art. But the world sees them as different, as less than human. It makes you wonder: what really makes someone human? Is it just about being born naturally, or is it about having feelings and dreams?
The relationships between Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy are really complicated and interesting. They care about each other so much, but they also hurt each other sometimes. Ruth can be really bossy and manipulative, especially when it comes to Tommy. There's this quote where Kathy says about Ruth, "She wanted to remind us that while we might have a lot in common, she was different." It shows how even among themselves, there's this need to feel special and unique.
Tommy is such a sweet character. He has trouble controlling his temper when he's young, but he grows into a kind and thoughtful person. There's this beautiful moment when he's trying to explain his feelings to Kathy. He says,
"I keep thinking about this river somewhere, with the water moving really fast. And these two people in the water, trying to hold onto each other, holding on as hard as they can, but in the end it's just too much. The current's too strong. They've got to let go, drift apart."
It's such a sad but beautiful way of describing how life pulls people apart.
A key event that symbolizes the tragic beauty of their relationships is when Tommy creates drawings of animals that he hopes will convince the mysterious "Madame" to grant him and Kathy a deferral, a rumored extension of life for clones who prove their love for one another. However, they learn that no such deferrals exist. Their fates are inevitable. This moment is crushing, not only for the characters but for the readers, as we realize that there is no escape from their destiny.
Another poignant moment is when Kathy and Tommy visit Madame's house and come across the famous scene with the boat stranded in the marshes, a visual representation of their lives being stuck in an inescapable fate. The boat is dilapidated and slowly sinking, much like their own lives, symbolizing their inability to break free from the roles assigned to them by society.
The ending of the book is really powerful. Kathy is preparing to start her donations, and she goes to this field where she imagines Tommy running towards her. She says, "I was thinking about the rubbish, the flapping plastic in the branches, the shoreline of odd stuff caught along the fencing, and I half-closed my eyes and imagined this was the spot where everything I'd ever lost since my childhood had washed up, and I was now standing here in front of it." It's such a sad but beautiful image, and it really captures the feeling of loss that runs through the whole book.
The ending is truly beautiful, however smashing all the hope at the same time, I find it slightly similar with the "1984" George Orwell. I really loved that author left everything as it supposed to happen, without any revolutionary break out or the main character fighting back, it shows the desperation of the society and the injustice of the word we live in.After I finished reading, I couldn't stop thinking about "Never Let Me Go." It made me look at the world differently. I started thinking more about how we treat each other and what's really important in life. That's what great books do - they change the way you see things.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes stories that make you think and feel deeply. It's not a fast, exciting story, but it's the kind of book that stays with you for a long time. Just be ready to feel a lot of emotions!
Thank You!!
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