Kazuo Ishiguro’s most recent novel Never Let Me Go has certainly won its fair share plaudits since its publication in 2005 and I duly approached it with appropriately high expectations – somewhat measured with the trepidation of the fear of yet another potential hangover of disappointment that unworthy hype can often leave. However I am pleased to say that, this time, my expectations did not prove to be unfounded. Never Let Me Go is a beautiful told, melancholy and touching story about love and friendship, with an intriguing dystopian backdrop where clones are reared for organ replacement to maintain a disease-free society. While the truth of this situation remains unsaid for much of the novel, it is blatantly obvious from very early on, so I do not feel too bad for revealing this very minor spoiler.
The story is told by the reminiscent memories Kathy, a 31 year old carer for ‘donors’ who will in-turn soon become a donor herself. Kathy recounts the truth about her strange childhood at the enigmatic school Hailsham, and her complicated relationship with Tommy and Ruth, her childhood and lifelong friends. Kathy is a beautifully realised character, strong yet fragile, full of interesting observations, hindsight, emotional complications, inner turmoil and self-doubt… yes, as Bob Dylan sung “just like a woman.” I can not praise the literary qualities of Kathy enough. She is up there with the best of fictional heroines. Kathy is the first to see the difficulties that the bullied and big-hearted Tommy is going through, yet it is her imaginative and more manipulative friend Ruth who becomes romantically involved with Tommy as the trio grow older. Much of Never Let Me Go involves Kathy coming to terms with their increasingly strained friendship before they eventually go their separate ways to become carers: a role to support their fellow clones who have become donors before they ‘complete.’ Then the carers themselves graduate to become donors and the cycle of half-life and death continues. The only ray of light for the clones is the rumour of ‘deferral’ that can only save clone couples who can prove that they are in love.
The greater socio-political consequences surrounding the clone’s frightful role in their disease-free society are barely touched upon by Ishiguro, who down-plays the grosser elements of his dystopia, instead choosing to explores the emotional damage their sheltered lives has cause to their relationships and their strange acceptance of their slave status. There is no rebellion here, no revolution, no hope and no future. Just the grim inevitability and ultimately a passive acceptance of their lot. Their lack of fight or display of the most basic of survival instincts might leave some readers cold, but who are we to assume otherwise. We realise the societal manipulation of out institutions and consumer temptations, yet we continue to embrace the most vacuous of products and fail to resist even the more obvious methods of social control. The institutionalized damage and erosion of the clones is undoubtedly more universal in our real world than many readers might be comfortable with. Quite simply Never Let Me Go is the best book I have read all year.
A very moving book, I agree. One of the most interesting things for me was the way the clones were expected to express their ‘individuality’ at school by making art. The frustration of one character who was unable to produce any worthwhile art was heartbreaking. Did this mean he wasn’t a ‘real’ person, an individual? Intersting contrast to my own school days were the only thing you were awarded for was being good at sports, where ofcourse I failed in every regard. I was good at art, thought I never got handed any awards for it.
Comment by Tim — 1, September, 2006 @ 7:38 pm
Yes, I can identify with not winning any honours at school (or indeed any time after – just a daily kick in the face from the dirty boots of fate). The only race I ever won at a sports day was when I was five and embarrassingly it was a ‘running backwards’ race! No, not an Olympic event as far as I’m aware of! Not sure if any other school ever submitted its children to such ridicule as my primary school? Oh, the price was a beaker of orange squash in case your wondering – yep the days before the ‘running backward’ sport was ruined with the injection of money from satellite TV and all the doping allegations that mar it today!
Indeed, the association with art and the clone’s and our humanity/soul in the novel and in the real world is an interesting one, and yet I feel in reality it is a strange and potentially misguided one too. There has been a weird juxtaposition between the attitude of a significant proportion of society and the schools/government on the importance of art and being creative, with society (from the 60s onwards) considering artistic expression to be of up most importance, while the schools pushing forward the importance of P.E, the sciences, etc… yet despite their efforts once we escape the confines of schools we flock to the arts, drama, media… subjects in further and higher education. I wonder if our wider society, or at least the more highbrow side of it, is also slightly guilty of judging each other’s worthiness or humanity or coolness on Hailsham-like values? For instance: I’m of the belief that Einstein had one of the most creative and imaginative minds of the twentieth century, yet due to his field, I doubt that there would be many who would agree with me, although I wouldn’t discount Hitchcock, Orwell or Lennon from similar acclaim either. I can’t think who said it but I’ve heard a quote on the radio that basically says ‘If the Second World War taught us anything it taught us that those who appreciate art are capable of evil acts.’ Now who the fuck said it? I guess Ishiguro’s Hailsham is also reminiscent of this. I loved the bizarre ambiguity of Hailsham: good intentioned genocide with misguided socio-political beliefs. Indeed, Tommy seemed to me to be the most emotive and understandable character of the novel.
Ahhh…. such a good novel!
Comment by theenglishassassin — 1, September, 2006 @ 9:37 pm
[...] The English Assassin. [...]
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This was without a doubt the most depressing book I have read.
Despite some very skillful passages, it was only mediocre story telling. The deep dark secret of Hailsham was painfully obvious by the end of the second page.
Ishiguro’s finely crafted prose masks a lot carelessness about basic plot issues. The lack of detail about the actual donation process is supposed to enhance the chilling effect of the story. The problem is that the details we are given don’t make sense. Why have the clones make their donations in four stages? Would it not make more sense to harvest the organs all at once. By the third donations the remaining organs must be severely damaged from stress. For that matter, how could someone have three vital organs removed and not be bedridden and on life support. Yet we are told that Tommy, after his third donation, is still out and about and having sex.
The greatest failing is the characters. Ishiguro wants us to accept his clones as fully human, but the most basic of human instincts, the will to survive — fight or flight — is almost totally absent. No one bolts. No one lashes out at the Whitecoats on the way to the operating room. No one stands in the middle of a street and shouts, “Look at me, I am as human as you are!”
It is possible, or even probable, that someone raised in a closed community would lack the nerve actually to do these things. But not even to think about them?
The book is ultimately, an probably unintentionally, an indictment of a certain kind of education and intellectual life. Kathy H. is a sensitive, cultured, educated woman. Yet she is unable to strive for or even imagine a decent future for herself or the people she loves.
Comment by Peter Sim — 26, September, 2006 @ 4:01 am
Hi Peter,
Thanks for your comment. You raise some interesting and valid points – some of which did occur to me when reading and reviewing the Never Let Me Go, although they didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the story.
I totally agree that the ’secret’ was a bit too obvious, yet this didn’t bother me as the ’secret’ has been widely talked about in the literary press and had long since been spoiled for me.
Is it unrealistic? Yes, I can’t disagree with you there either, yet again this didn’t bother me. Never Let Me Go has a definite sci-fi premise, and not an outstandingly original one at that. However Never Let Me Go it isn’t what I call ‘water-tight’ sci-fi, i.e. you can see the holes in the concept, yet I don’t feel that consistency with ‘reality’ is necessary for a story to work well – just consistency within the story itself. I guess Ishiguro kind of gets away with it, coming from a non-sci-fi background, yet Never Let Me Go is undoubtedly sci-fi. However it isn’t entirely genre either, being somewhat slipstream or literary sci-fi or literature with in a genre setting or whatever, which allows it to zone in on the characters, possibly at the expense of the setting. Or maybe its just laziness? I’m sure that if Ishiguro was a genre author Never Let Me Go would have received a lot less attention from the mainstream bourgeois press, who hypocritically like to lay claim to any genre novel they consider to be of quality, while belittling the rest of genre as being silly. I’ve read several genre novels with just as much emotional and literary pretensions as Never Let Me Go that have been ignored by the mainstream. However I consider much of Never Let Me Go’s charms to be in the characters themselves and their story, rather than the wider issues of the book. Yet I agree with you: perhaps the bizarre serenity of donations could have been shown to have more traumatic and the process more draconian.
I did briefly touch upon my opinion about the lack of revolt from the clones in my review. I feel it their acceptance is very much a literary device to show the inevitability of societal-slavery and our ultimate death of the human self. Sure revolt might have added more realism and drama, yet it would have been a very different book: more like Logan’s Run or The Island, which, if done well, might have been a good book in its own right. However I feel Never Let Me Go is totally unique in its tone and delivery (being almost dream-like): its certainly not another 1984/Brave New World rip-off.
Another reason to like it is that, maybe because of its flaws and inconstancies, it is a book that seems to demand some discussion and internal thought with its readership long after the last page has been read and it’s been put down, which is more than can be said for many books.
Still, you raise some good points and points worth considering by anyone thinking about buying the book.
While I haven’t read it (yet!), Michael Marshal Smith’s novel Spares, apparently deals with similar issues, although (I believe) from a organ farm’s caretaker’s point of view instead of the clones (its received good reviews elsewhere, so maybe you might want to check it out sometime – I intend to).
Comment by Simon — 26, September, 2006 @ 11:36 am
I admit that I have not read genre science fiction for many years. When I was reading this book my points of reference were books by literary novelists which use the science fiction / dystopian fiction model. You mention 1984 and Brave New World. I also thought of The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwoood, Children of Men by P. D. James, The Alteration by Kingsley Amis and The Child Buyer by John Hershey.
Unlike Ishiguro, these writers take the time to provide enough background detail to make their alternate world convincing as well as disturbing.
The explanation Ishiguro provides for why organ farming is accepted without even a glimmer of opposition is too feeble to be believable. Most people will turn away and accept evil and cruelty if it suits their convenience — but not everybody will all the time. After all, in modern England animal experimentation still sometimes inspires violent opposition.
Yes, this book did stimulate me to think. But I found that my thoughts were quickly drawn to the author’s shortcomings rather than to the issues he is attempting to address.
Comment by Peter Sim — 26, September, 2006 @ 2:28 pm
Well, again you raise some good points and I can’t really disagree with you, although I certainly found the novels strengths outweighed it problems.
Actually you remind me of a few novels that I need to read sometime soon: Children of Men by P. D. James, The Alteration by Kingsley Amis and The Child Buyer by John Hershey. The movie adaptation of Children of Men has been released this week, although I doubt I will bother to see it, as it sounds like an interesting premise turned into another dumb-ass chase movie. I have also heard that there are plans afoot to re-adapt 1984 for the silver screen – a prospect which fills me with abject fear! Hollywood’s recent attempts of adapting books is not great and a butchering of my favourite book is something I could do without. Hopefully they will not cast the ubiquitous Nichols Cage as Winston Smith!!! Although there is nothing on IMDB so maybe its just a vicious rumour!
Thanks again for your comment
Simon
Comment by Simon — 26, September, 2006 @ 3:10 pm
There was a film adaptation of 1984 released in 1984 starring John Hurt. It was reasonably faithful to the book and quite effective.
Comment by Peter Sim — 27, September, 2006 @ 12:42 am
Indeed, it had a fine performance from both John Hurt and Richard Burton, although the film was not as good as the sum of its parts – still a good enough film in its own right. I just doubt the chance of a decent film being made today by the UK’s shoddy movie industry or the incredibly conservative Hollywood studios. I’m sure that any motivation to make the film will be entirely driven by cashing in on its potential as a franchise more than to produce anything of quality or to add something new to the book.
Time to start a champagne against shoddy movie adaptations of quality literature. I’m sure the short-term gain of a boost to sales is usually cancelled by the long-term loss of our cultural imagination.
Comment by Simon — 27, September, 2006 @ 12:56 am
Peter, Your original comment is GOOD- spoken like a true American! Couple of caveats tho :
- Where could they run to ? How far would they get?? in practical terms – passports, Id`s and stuff.
- Who could they protest & scream to ? and what form of protest? ( A sit – in?) What would it achieve? In penultimate chapter Tommy does scream out to Someone – & apologises aftewards, like a good Brit.
Bout timing of organ harvesting – you`re likely right medically andmainly it`s a plot device , however, there is a notion in last chapter (Kathy and Tommy discuss his completion ) that after the 4th donation the “whitecoats ” just pick apart what is left, whilst the clone is still conscious in some way, untill they switch him off. And that is the scariest bit.
Comment by Stanislava — 2, March, 2007 @ 2:51 am
Yes, the comments as regards to the disturbing lack of survival instinct among the Hailsham students are valid, to some extent–but then again, this is also apparent in our society. As for the secret being obvious, it’s because Ishiguro is not interested in our ignorance–he is exploring his characters’ lack of knowledge. He is not setting us up for discovery, as is the cardinal rule of a mystery. I believe the intention here is that of a modern tragedy, not a whodunnit.
Comment by Emilia — 2, March, 2009 @ 2:42 pm