A Book Review: Never Let Me Go

A Book Review: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro is a book about a group of "students" who grow up in a place called Hailsham, where they receive proper schooling and care and are surrounded by many guardians who raise them to be creative, kind, disciplined individuals. Only for them to become donors. These students were created for the sole reason of growing up to become organ donors. The exact workings of how they were made are never really clear throughout the book, but we see the protagonist Kathy's journey from growing up in Hailsham, to falling in love, to becoming a carer. Students are in a loop of being carers to donors, and then donating organs themselves and being cared for by other students. At first we see the struggle Kathy goes through to truly understand who she is, what she was made for, and what Hailsham really is, and we see how she uncovers it piece by piece, getting answers to her questions.

I really liked the way the book was written. Even though it is a fictional book, somehow through the writing of the author it seemed so so so so real. I loved how it felt like you were part of the story. I also loved the way the author narrated the story through Kathy's point of view. And as a protagonist, I felt she was very objective and fair. She was always two steps ahead in terms of emotional intelligence and empathy. She explained the actions of others in such an empathetic way that it made you look at all sides. She was very forgiving as a result.

Often, with people who are considered kind, the line between kindness and being a pushover is so thin. It's hard to be a kind person and not allow people to consistently cross your boundaries and mistreat you and disrespect you. I found that Kathy had a good balance of when to let things go and when to really embrace the people she loved, including the bad parts, explaining them away to herself in a way she could find empathy towards those people instead of anger. I am personally struggling with maintaining my boundaries and not letting that line cross over, and I found my own struggle mirrored in the pages of the book. Kathy had a friend named Ruth who often tested those boundaries. Even after finishing the book, I can't really form my own opinion of Ruth. Is she an aggressor or a victim? Is she good at heart, or selfish? Regardless, I can see how much she meant to Kathy. I just don't know if she was worthy of a friend like that. I know a lot of Ruths in my life.

There was also a strong encounter towards the end of the book between Kathy, the boy she loved Tommy, and her former guardian Miss Emily. There were rumors going around that if you fell in love and could prove it, you could delay becoming donors and have years to yourself to live freely. However, by then Hailsham had closed down, so Kathy and Tommy had to track down the people they thought of as the ones with authority: the school's guardian, and someone they called Madame. In this encounter it was revealed that Hailsham was one of many housing places for clones made for donations, but it was the most humane and cultured to grow up in. Miss Emily, the school's leader, explained to them that it was her life's mission to at least give them a good childhood, and that they should be grateful for that, especially in comparison to the other clones created to become donors, the ones who stayed in government housing and were treated inhumanely.

You could see the juxtaposition between Tommy and Kathy. Kathy was digesting the information, and throughout the book she did feel grateful and satisfied by her childhood. Meanwhile Tommy was confused. What was it all for? If in the end they were going to cut up their bodies and donate their organs, only to eventually die, what was it for? And he especially felt strongly about the fact that they kept this truth from them. Miss Emily reasoned that only if they were shielded could they truly enjoy their childhood. But Tommy argued against that logic.

There are so many lessons embedded in this confrontation. The first is about lying for the sake of preserving someone's temporary happiness. It is a tricky argument. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes you lie to protect people, but when the truth comes to light it hurts twice as much. But sometimes if you don't lie, you rob them of any happiness at all.

Another argument from that confrontation is that no matter how rough your situation is going to get, be grateful for what you had so far. In some ways it's like saying if your adulthood is bad, be grateful you had a good childhood. It really did not land with me. It's actually quite the opposite of the logic I believe in, which is what I found interesting.

The book also shed light on how easy it is for the world to overlook bad things when there is a benefit. How most people would choose their own kid's happiness, regardless of the price. The selfish nature of people, and how easy it is to pretend not to see. I feel like this is something we are living today, with all the wars going on in the world. How easily some people turn a blind eye, how easy it is to justify cruel things, how easy it is to pick your own good over others. It is a pretty unnerving theme.

I felt the lack of explanation of how the donation system actually worked left the book almost incomplete. How these children were made is still a missing piece, which is unsatisfying given that this specific idea is what the whole book is about.

Overall, I loved how the book was written and how complex thoughts were narrated in such a relatable way. I loved Kathy, the protagonist. I just almost wish there was a part two. It was a fairly quick read, and overall I'd give this book a 7.5/10.