Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go has an inventive premise. Yet, for me, the narrative structure dulled much of the emotion the book could have had.

The story is told by Kath, who we know from the beginning is a “carer” (but we’re not told what that is), as she remembers her childhood in Halisham, a seemingly idyllic boarding school. There is something off about Halisham, and as the novel progresses, we slowly learn more about Kathy’s world.

But, so much time is spent going through what feels like middle school drama, even when the characters are adults. Kathy’s narration often laser-focused on the other characters’ body language and their passive-aggressive comments, instead of the more significant implications of her world. I understand why Ishiguro chose this narrative structure (mild spoiler ahead); reading Kathy’s reflections on her life, including the dull, insignificant arguments with her peers, is meant to portray her and the other characters as truly human. But, this style actually made it hard for me to emotionally connect to the characters.

In the end, I didn’t actively dislike it as I was reading; I was just waiting for more the whole time. The novel held my interest enough for me to keep reading and the concept is thought-provoking. I would recommend this to anyone looking for an inventive novel with a slow buildup.

Read more reviews on my website!
https://cggbooks.wordpress.com/2020/05/30/never-let-me-go/