Kazuo Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day to Never Let Me Go share essentially zero similarities except for the fact that they are both wonderful books. Whereas The Remains of the Day is strongly grounded in realism and old-fashioned England, Never Let Me Go showcases a frightening dystopia. And even though voice of Kath, our lovely and strong protagonist, demanded less flowery and beautiful prose, the writing still packs a characteristic Ishiguro emotional punch. I suppose my first sentence of this review is wrong--these two novels share two similarities: wonderfulness and tear-inducing endings.My one complaint about Never Let Me Go is its lack of emotional resonance until the very end; however, its almost mystery-like plot supplants this qualm. Although I had been slightly spoiled about the plot specifics the main characters are clones, created to serve as organ donors as adults , this knowledge did not ruin my appreciation of the book. I love how Ishiguro slowly peels back the layers to expose the true nature of Hailsham. Discovering the truth of Kath, Ruth, and Tommy's past alongside the characters themselves allowed me to delve deeper into the story. I also liked how it read like a true love story or account of growing up rather than a science fiction novel. In particular, the rivalry between Ruth and Kath is so well-done; I think anyone can recall a girl or boy just like Ruth from his or her childhood.The ending of the book is sad but satisfying. Ishiguro is almost Proustian in his rumination on memory and childhood, and what I took away from it is that nostalgia serves a truly glorious purpose. No matter their circumstances, as people age, their lives deteriorate. What we're left with are our memories, so every effort should be made to make them as beatific and comforting as possible. Even if some idyllic memories end up being lies, isn't it enough that they make you happy? Ishiguro convinced me that it is enough; sometimes harsh truths should be avoided.
