Never Let Me Go

I read Never Let Me Go as the last of the summer reading list books that I was able to get to before Labor Day. Alas, the love it/hate it responses to Dave Eggers pushed A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius to the back of the pack, and the never-ending-ness of The Children's Hospital meant that I didn't fit everything in. Still, five out of six isn't bad, and I'm sure to get to Eggers at some point.

Thanks to everyone who voted for Never Let Me Go—I really liked it. It lost a little of its magic by the end, but even with that said it's a great read. I really appreciated Ishiguro's willingness to pose questions without answering them and the fact that he clearly respects his readers enough to not spell everything out. The tale of Kath, Ruth, and Tommy—students at the exclusive Hailsham, where they are regularly reminded of just how special they are—raises interesting questions about societal structures and why people so often accept their lots in life.

In some ways, Never Let Me Go is sort of The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas turned on its head, and it's interesting to think about it with that short story in mind.

I've just added Ishiguro's other best known work, The Remains of the Day to my reading list.