Recently Read: "Never Let Me Go"

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was very interested in reading this book, but was disappointed once I started. It took me a rather long time to get into the story. Still, I persevered, as the book was recommended and I'm a sucker for anything that boasts both science fiction and an alternate timeline from our own.

However, it is light on the science fiction aspect. In fact, it seems the science fiction aspect is merely a backdrop to study of the human condition. The meat of the novel is how the main character interacts with her peers, her elders and the outside world. It's about holding on to hope till the bitter end, and then resigning yourself to a fate beyond your control. It's about how society, whether it be the larger society or a small, isolated one, deals with things that are controversial. It's about how society reacts to given sets of morals. It's about a lot of things, way deep down.

On the surface, however, it's about the tedious life of a girl who grows up and does exactly what she's supposed to do. The few efforts Kathy makes to change don't work out, and the narrative, told in the first person as if she's having a conversation with the reader, reflects her resignation to her fate. In this way, it's depressing as well as tedious. The first third of the book is about Kathy's early childhood and adolescence. If it weren't for the hints of the "secret" science fiction aspect, it could have been the story of any girl attending a British prep school. The second section is an interim period before Kathy started her work as a "carer." Again, it could have been about a group of college friends on break, if it weren't for the ever present reason of their existence. In this section, the reader learns a bit more about the science fiction aspect of the story. Still, it's more like scenery than plot. The third and final section shows Kathy and her friends fulfilling their roles in society. This was when it finally started to get interesting for me.

The final section was when the reader finally gets the full picture, as do Kathy and Tommy. I don't think ethical questions were so much raised as their existence was acknowledged. Ishiguro doesn't offer opinion. He simply paints a picture of a society with questionable practices. Society creates these clones, but much like Dr. Frankenstein, is disgusted by their presence. They loathe them, but are not willing to lose the medical benefits their existence provides. Why does society despise the clones? Is it a matter of a violated conscience, that some moral or ethical law is being broken? Is it shame? There are some who feel the ethical violation is not so much playing god and cheating nature, but rather the treatment of the clones which are, after all, still human. Of course, they must prove the clones' humanity to make their point. Even these individuals, so concerned with the quality of the clones' lives, despise the very ones they wish to help. Still, they swallowed their bile, smiled, and taught the clones about art and poetry. It is easy to understand how one would deny the humanity of the clones in order to justify the lack of morality, but how does one continue to despise the clones while accepting that they are fully human? How is the pure hatred of a group of people justified morally? The clones themselves, do not seem to have any ethical or moral concerns, aside from their sense of duty. They never once think of shirking their duty, only at most hoping to postpone it for a couple years. They are confused and hurt when the loathing is perceived, but they do not seem to return the loathing.

Lastly, I would like to share a feeling I got towards the end of the book. The entire narrative, as I mentioned, was conversational. It was as if the reader was sitting with Kathy who was prattling on endlessly about her life. It was clearly assumed that the one on the listening end of this dialogue was acquainted with the circumstances of the society in which Kathy lives. This makes for a slow reveal of the aspects which differ from actual society. Ishiguro did an excellent job of revealing these tidbits in a way that was not forced. They flowed naturally from the narrative in a "matter of fact" way. Of course, you already know that we're clones and will be harvested for spare parts, so it's no surprise when I mention it in passing. Ishiguro seems to do this effortlessly and beautifully. It is actually a very difficult technique, and I was much impressed. The narrative style was convincing, and as the story was winding down I felt as if I was also a carer, or perhaps one of Kathy's last donors. Maybe she was keeping me company as I recovered from a donation, and told me her story to distract me or keep my mind off the fact that I was about to "complete." I felt drawn into the story, as if I was a character in this alternate universe. This is a haunting way to make the reading of this novel personal, to experience the story on some level and passively live a small piece of it.

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For another view on this novel, please check out my friend Jenni's review. (She's the one who recommended this novel to me.)
Bkwurm's Banquet of Books: Horror and Familiarity Go Hand-In-Hand: Review of Ishiguro's "Never Let Me Go"