Reflecting on the 20th Anniversary of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go
“At first, Ishiguro’s English boarding school setting seems so familiar…”
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the release of Kazuo Ishiguro’s acclaimed novel Never Let Me Go, a literary masterpiece that had been lingering on my bookshelf until now. As I delved into its pages, I was captivated by its haunting narrative, finding it to be not only one of the finest works I have encountered but also deeply unsettling.
Initially, the familiar setting of an English boarding school in Ishiguro’s storytelling lulls the reader into a sense of comfort. However, as the story unfolds gradually and indirectly, the harsh reality that confronts the young protagonists – Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy – begins to surface.
Without divulging any spoilers, one of the most poignant aspects of immersing myself in this poignant tale was deciphering the intricacies of this alternate, dystopian version of the 1990s that Ishiguro masterfully crafts.
Two decades since its publication, Ishiguro’s novel has endured the test of time, resonating with readers due to its profound exploration of humanity and the existential questions it poses, which remain as relevant today as they were when the book first graced shelves.
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