Author: Kazuo Ishiguro
First Published: January 2005
Publisher: Knopf Canada
263 pages (paperback)
This is the July book for my book club, though I started a few days earlier back in June, so by the time it’s July 1st (today), I’m already done reading it! I’ve heard lots of good things about this book, so I was really interested in it. I didn’t know there was also a movie, and I’m really glad I was ignorant of that fact while reading the book. Having read it now, I am certain that the story would not have impacted me the same way if I had known all along what the story was about. It simply wouldn’t be the same. I saw the movie trailer afterwards, which totally reveals the plot of the book, so I’d avoid even the trailer if you want a “pure” experience reading this book.
It’s very difficult explaining the plot of the book without giving away the story, but basically it’s about three students — Kathy, Tommy and Ruth — who attend an exclusive English boarding school. The boarding school is not a normal school, as the students find out eventually. They are constantly being told how special they are, and are always producing artwork, of which only the best is taken away by Madame for her rumored Gallery. Kathy is the narrator and reflects upon her past, her love and friendship with Tommy and Ruth, as an adult. She meets her old friends again and the three reflect how their time at Hampshire had shaped their lives and the people they have become.
I know the plot synopsis I gave is really vague, but I don’t want to spoil the book for anyone. I really enjoyed reading this a lot. At first I was a little confused because this book does not state what it is about in a straightforward manner. You figure it out for yourself along the way, what the characters’ “purposes” are, which is why I think it’s important that you don’t know what that purpose is before reading the book. Sure, you’ll probably still enjoy it, but it won’t be the same.
This book explores a lot of about life, how the characters live their life knowing their purpose and how they choose to accept their end. I was told that it’s “really sad”, and I can certainly see how one would feel that way, although I think I felt more depressed than sad reading it. Even though Kathy kind of got the better end of a deal in comparison to her friends, she still witnessed a lot of personal loss. Her role, in the greater scheme of things, is just as horrific as her friends’. I think what was rather astonishing was how Kathy seemed almost nonchalant about the whole situation as she tells you her story in her conversational narrator’s voice (which I enjoyed, it made my relationship to the character feel more intimate). Even though Kathy tells you all these things that a reader will probably find rather shocking, she seems very calm and doesn’t seem to care or understand the gravity of what she is experiencing. Then again, she was brought up completely different from you and I … I found it very thought provoking.
This is my first book by Kazuo Ishiguro, and I can safely say it won’t be my last. If you like books like Margaret Atwood’s, then I’m sure you’ll find Never Let Me Go memorable as well. As for me, I am going to try to find a copy of the movie version of this book to watch now! I wonder what it will be like, given that I already know the “big secret”.
My Rating: 4/5
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