Coming of Age in a Dystopia
Once you get into reading-intensive courses in university, it's difficult to read books that don't come assigned with the courses. Even for people who would devour five to four books a month, struggle to get through one, I can tell you that from personal experience. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro in this regard was a treat. I delved into the book not knowing a single aspect about it except that the writer had previously written another book that I was extremely fond of. Never Let Me Go became the first book in a long time that I had a difficult time putting down, and I enjoyed reading it all the way through.
The plot in hindsight seems simple enough. The story revolves around Kathy, and her two friends, Tommy and Ruth who are growing up together in an old English boarding school within a different historic context. The book tends to be categorised as dystopian, but there are very little dystopian elements to it. The story did not have me hooked from the beginning, but rather the way the story was being told was what grabbed me. Ishiguro with another book of his, Remains of the Day, introduced a narrator who remained distant from the audience and only through the actions of the character was it possible to infer his emotional stances. Similarly, Never Let Me Go's Kathy remains distant. But it works well for the story. The actual mystery in the book isn't necessarily nail-biting or even hard to figure out. Throughout the book, Ishiguro continues to provide little hints of what's to come so the reveal is never a big surprise. However, the reveal is not the big appeal either.
One of Ishiguro's strengths is the way he presents the picturesque English countryside. He has a way of describing the scenery that it creates the perfect picture in your head. The characters are great too. The supporting characters are not given a lot of time to shine. However, the main three characters are given enough depth for the reader to form a connection with them. Kathy is the passive narrator, who lets her assertive friend, Ruth take over, while Tommy functions as something that can be called the heart of the group. The story focuses on their interpersonal relationships, disputes, and growth throughout the novel. External elements come in second to the internal ones.
The book was also adapted into a movie that is quite aesthetically pleasing, and not at all a bad watch; especially, after having read the book. It's one of those rare occasions where you'll enjoy the movie, if you enjoyed the book – even if it couldn't capture the whole story. Ultimately, the book is a poignant story of friendship, and growing up. A lot more of an coming-of-age than a dystopia, but there's a lot to get out of it.
Fatimah Akhtar studies Anthropology and wishes she lived with a puppy. Redirect all your complaints, queries, memes and feedbacks to her at [email protected]
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