Much the same as my last review (2666), it’s hard for me to say much about this book. However, this time it’s due to vastly different reasons. If I say too much about Never Let Me Go, then I would totally ruin the book for everyone. And, given how much I hate it when people do that to me, I’m not about to do that to anyone who has the misfortune of reading my feverish scrawls.
But this was an incredible book. It was first recommended to me by someone that some of you might know – Jeffrey Overstreet. He claimed that it was one of the most beautiful pieces of sci-fi that he’s ever read (and he was right…it totally does not read like a sci-fi novel, which is a very good thing). And I just had to figure that if the writer of the most beautiful fantasy novels I’ve ever read recommends some sci-fi as being particularly beautiful, then I have no choice but to read it.
I can’t even express to you how much you need to read this book. Honestly, the other books that I’d compare it to are Ishiguru’s earlier work The Remains of the Day and then PD James’ The Children of Men. The writing is incredible, the sense of discovery is amazing, and it provides a nice fresh twist on a common sci-fi formula. Go out and read it.