Never Let Me Go (Vintage International)

By Kazuo Ishiguro

From the Booker Prize-winning author of The Remains of the Day and When We Were Orphans comes an unforgettable edge-of-your-seat mystery that is at once heartbreakingly tender and morally courageous about what it means to be human. Never Let Me Go follows Kathy as she grows from schoolgirl to young woman at Hailsham, a seemingly pleasant English boarding school. It is a gripping mystery, a beautiful love story, and also a scathing critique of human arrogance and a moral examination of how we treat the vulnerable and different in our society. In exploring the themes of memory and the impact of the past, Ishiguro takes on the idea of a possible future to create his most moving and powerful book to date.

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Published Mar 14, 2006

305 pages

Average rating: 6.96

1,018 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

What Bookclubbers are saying about this book

✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say *Never Let Me Go* is a beautifully written, haunting novel that explores complex themes of identity, memory, free will, and ethical issues...

LBiggs
9/10 stars
A moving reflection on the nature of human life, elicited with profundity through the lens of Science Fiction.
pr0n_cena
8/10 stars
A unique story about growing up and a beautifully sympathetic novel for anyone who has been in love and had to say goodbye.
ngocnm_nmn
6/10 stars
DNF because library loan expired. but it was OK.
Alex
6/10 stars
oh that hurt. I wasn't initially fond of it until i thought about it some more and then it hit me like a truck. I have so many thoughts about this that I can't even begin to articulate.

all I can say is that it's very sombre and will haunt me forever
OBC
The book club had mixed but generally positive views of Never Let Me Go. Members found the novel’s central concept thought-provoking, particularly its exploration of humanity, identity, memory, free will and the ethical implications of scientific advancement. Discussion focused on the contrasting settings, the characters’ acceptance of their predetermined futures, and the ways in which relationships and shared experiences shape a person’s sense of self. While some readers particularly enjoyed the gradual revelation of information and reflective narrative style, others found the writing less engaging despite appreciating the underlying ideas. Overall, the group felt that the novel raises powerful questions about what makes a life meaningful, how society assigns value to individuals, and the moral responsibilities that accompany scientific progress.

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