Cultural Dessert

'Never Let Me Go' by Kazuo Ishiguro

22 September 2006

Kathy H. is 31 and looking back over her life, particularly her days at Hailsham - a boarding school for very special children. Much of her story is a recognisable tale of childhood but beneath it there is an nagging feeling that all is not quite what it seems: this is a parallel universe and these children are being prepared for a very special purpose. 'Never Let Me Go' is science fiction, I suppose, but extremely subtle science fiction. Ishiguro has a particularly measured style: you feel that each word has been very carefully and deliberately chosen. Kathy's reminiscences are not linear and you gradually build up a picture of her life as she flits backwards and forwards in recounting her history. I have really enjoyed Ishiguro's other novels - including 'When We Were Orphans' and even the impenetrably surreal dreamworld of 'The Unconsoled'. This book has a similar tone but is much more straightforward in terms of plot. Essentially it's a love story - gentle, moving and very very sad.

Labels: Books

posted by Robin Simpson @ 1:56 pm