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Never Let Me Go, Kazou Ishiguro
Faber & Faber
Reviewed by John Whelan (Courtesy of Taranaki Daily News)

This is one perplexing novel. Part futuristic nightmare, part recollection of innocent childhood memories, the combination is a frightening tale that unravels into a disturbing mystery.

As you would expect from a Booker Prize-winning author, it's a classy, effortless piece of writing, yet strangely I found it a really hard read, mainly due to its slow pace and frustration with the doomed characters. These lost souls, who live in an uncaring world, know their fate yet do nothing to prevent it, their naivety as pawns in a game they have no control over is hard to watch. The slowness with which the truth is revealed and the awfulness of its implications shapes the whole novel.

The story is written from the viewpoint of Kathy, a student, or should that be inmate, of Halisham, a strange boarding school that keeps its children isolated from the real world. As she looks back over her childhood she becomes aware of significant events that at the time she was unaware of. Small things are remembered and recounted in exact detail. It isn't until she finishes her story that we become aware of their importance.

Constantly hearing Kathy's thoughts and her lopsided view of the world add to the overall "feel" of the book. The odd relationships she develops and her pivotal role in them is recounted in a matter-of-fact way. These techniques are all combined to deaden the pace of the story yet heighten its impact, to deliberately unsettle the reader and provide an unforgettable experience.

Despite dealing with a huge topic (which I can't reveal), nothing really "happens" – it's that sort of book. Ishiguro takes the reader on a tormented journey between the accepted and the unreal, with minimum fuss and maximum detail. There is much thinking and reflection on past events, everything done in such an understated way that when the truth is revealed the enormity of it is taken for granted.

This is a slow, unsettling read – the horror of a world gone mad.