Never Let Me Go

I finished this book by Kazuo Ishiguro almost entirely on the plane ride back from Chicago. The combination of reading it in one sitting and being surrounded by people, yet completely alone had a profound affect on my opinion of the book. It was a nighttime flight, so most people were asleep and after reading the book I was offered a good two hours to just contemplate what I'd read.

The story was written from the protagonist's, Kathy's, viewpoint. She sorts through memories of her past and we are taken from past to present. This is, I believe, the only was this story could have been written with enough appeal, since for the majority of the book, the true reasons are hidden. Had he initially told the reader the main secret, it would have been far too campy and predictable. However, written the way it was, it came around quite nicely.

The chapters and paragraphs are tied into each other by a simple, often times annoying, tactic of leading the reader through. For example, a paragraph would end with something like "This reminded me of that autumn day Tommy and I met at the fountain." The next paragraph or chapter would then chronicle what happened at said fountain. This in itself would have been tolerable had the author not chosen to use the method repeatedly through the story. It's a small irritation, but it irked me nonetheless.

The eventual outcome of the book is unsettling, yet strangely calming. In the plane, when I finished the book I closed it and placed it in my little storage pocket. I poked my head up and stared at the domes of hair, most of which were lolling in uncomfortable sleep. It further enhanced the strange feelings of living in a world quickly being engulfed by technology, a world where in a 5 hour plane ride I spoke not one word to a stranger.

I enjoyed the book, even grew misty eyed in the last chapter. I didn't want to put it down, not once. I'm under the distinct impression that had I read it at a different time, not in an airplane that I might think different. As it stands, I did read it now and on an airplane and I did enjoy the book.

Author J, whomever you are, I'm coming!