Never Let Me Go 1 (spoiler caution)

Don't read on if you are planning on reading the book!!!
I am giving my impression as I read the book, so will be giving away plot details.



First impressions. Title reminds me of Nina Simone song.

So now I am at about p.36 of the Faber & Faber paperback edition.

I’ve gone back to reread twice now. First was for “carer/donation” question, and now for the “Madame” and “spider” question. Both not answered yet, but I already have ideas at what Kathy is hinting at.

Classic features of a good sci-fi book. Intriguing beginning. Just jumps right in with enigmatic terms, but here Kazuo does it subtly and with style. Another remembering youth book, like many movies (many current movie are from books!!!). Going back to youth. (Seems like there is a current search for solid ground, clutching the past for mooring because we are adrift in a new tech/society with no cultural identity yet.) Trying to remember (one of my favorite subject, along with perception and how it later alters our memory, unlike a computer, our storage system does interesting things other than verbatim recall). Human trait of wanting to remember only the good. Even to the extent of remembering someone elses past to escape your painful past (example from Dorset donor).

Tri-friends: Tommy, Ruth, and Kathy (Ruth donated, does Tommy? Does Kathy? After 12 years caretaker, what will she do? She definitely knows the truth of Hailsham now. (Hail = shower of ice or to call to someone?, sham = a control operation to see the true effect of the experimental operation, therefore the school/dorm/place is a place for a control ice shower reference for the actual ice shower experiment?)

Already made a movie of this didn’t they? Saw the trailers within the last 2 years??? High-tech future action film. Kids find out they will be sacrificed for something. Donations? They try to escape. Then your usual Hollywood chase scene? Probably no connection to book… but this is just my association. The book is suppose to be set in late 1990s...

“Madame” is scared of them like someone scared of spiders… but she comes to collect their creative works. She is an administrator. For a corporation? Collecting data for a screen of candidate… doners.

well. have to wait for next weekend to get a further update.