Never Let Me Go: 20th anniversary edition

Kazuo Ishiguro

Jan 2009 · Faber & Faber

About this ebook

**OVER 1 MILLION COPIES SOLD**
SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE
'Brilliantly executed.'
MARGARET ATWOOD
'A page-turner and a heartbreaker.'
TIME
'Masterly.'
SUNDAY TIMES
One of the most acclaimed novels of the 21st Century, from the Nobel Prize-winning author
Kazuo Ishiguro imagines the lives of a group of students growing up in a darkly skewed version of contemporary England. Narrated by Kathy, now thirty-one, Never Let Me Go dramatises her attempts to come to terms with her childhood at the seemingly idyllic Hailsham School and with the fate that has always awaited her and her closest friends in the wider world. A story of love, friendship and memory, Never Let Me Go is charged throughout with a sense of the fragility of life.
'Exquisite.'
GUARDIAN

'A feat of imaginative sympathy.'
NEW YORK TIMES
What readers are saying:
'A book I will return to again and again, and one that keeps me thinking even after finishing it.'
'I loved it, every single word of it.'
'It took me wholly by surprise.'
'Utterly beautiful.'
'Essentially perfect.'

Ratings and reviews

Kazuo Ishiguro has been one of my favourite authors ever since I read The Remains of The Day. His skill at delving into people's emotions, even when writing in the guise of a female, is astonishing and his prose is magical, almost poetic. In fact I have to say that I have never read a novel or short story of his which disappointed me. Never Let Me Go is no exception. The plot revolves around a group of students growing up in a darkly skewed version of England. The narrator is Cathy, now thirty one and her attempts to rationalise her childhood at the seemingly idyllic Hailsham School. Like all of his work Never Let Me Go is absolutely brilliant, beautifully written and a pleasure to read from start to finish. I honestly think that Kazuo Ishiguro is our greatest modern novelist, a master of his art and highly recommend this novel. Whether you have read his work before or not is immaterial, if you have you won't be disappointed and if you haven't then please start now.

Completely out of my comfort zone - but strangely enjoyable! Thirty-one year old Kath reminisces about her childhood and how it's all brought her to where she is now. We learn about her life up until now and the friends who have featured in her life. This is my first novel by Kazuo Ishiguro. Sometimes, you get to the point of actually reading one of those novels which are labelled 'one day' in your mind! I wasn't quite sure what to expect but once I had begun, I found this to be simply compelling. It wouldn't have surprised me to find out this one was set in Gilead but, no, it definitely takes place in the U.K. which gives the story a sinister edge. Beautifully written, there is a simple truth to the characters and how they interact with each other. Totally believable - and all the creepier because of it! Very different to my usual type of novel but not one I'll forget in a hurry. If you enjoy something different, then this is one for you. I'm happy to give it four stars.

Till a long time, it felt like I was reading a book meant for children.. only to realize that it went a lot deeper than a child's understanding. In 2018, we are not far away from harvesting humans for organs esp since so few of us are organ donors. In a twisted way, this dystopian future makes sense. Well written and made me feel like the book ended too soon.

About the author

Kazuo Ishiguro's eight books have won him world-wide renown and many honours, including the Nobel Prize in Literature and the Booker Prize. His work has been translated into over forty languages. The Remains of the Dayand Never Let Me Go have each sold in excess of one million copies in Faber editions alone, and both were adapted into highly acclaimed films. His most recent novel, The Buried Giant, was published in 2015, debuting at number 1 on the Sunday Times bestseller list.