Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro | Book Review

I had heard rave reviews about Never Let Me Go, with many people saying it was their one of their favorites of all time. With this hype, plus the fact that I had enjoyed the film (probably a huge mistake to watch the film first), I had sky-high expectations. After turning the final page, I was left feeling disappointed. The story follows three young friends, Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth, as they attend a school called Hailsham and their lives after they’ve graduated. Then they learn a horrific truth that changes their lives forever…

For me personally, the writing was very bland, and there was absolutely no tension whatsoever. I didn’t particularly like any of the characters besides Tommy (whom I just wanted to hug) , and Never Let Me Go just didn’t satisfy me emotionally. I do think the concept of the novel is fantastic, and I enjoyed some of the quieter moments in the lives of the three main characters. For a relatively short book, it took me days to finish and left me in a little bit of a slump. This is one of those rare cases where the movie trumps the book for me. I just don’t think Kazuo Ishiguro’s writing is for me.

VERDICT: 3/5