If you haven't read Never Let Me Go, don't read this review. There aren't blatant spoilers, but the less you know before you read, the more powerful it will be. I read this book for the first time when I was a freshman in college, knowing absolutely nothing about the story, and I was astounded.

This novel is haunting. It's dystopian and science fiction, although both genres are far from the purpose of the book.

The apathetic motivation of the characters in Never Let Me Go is both frustrating and compelling, because it so perfectly frames humanity. Throughout the entirety of this novel, I wanted to say, "Just run away. Hide. Save yourselves." But this is how people live. I'm reminded of the saying that goes: "I always wonder why birds choose to stay in the same place when they can fly anywhere on the earth, then I ask myself the same question." Similar to Kathy and Tommy's calm resignation to the fates chosen for them, their advocates live in a comfortable house and do not truly fight for their cause. Even more similarly, how often do we take a stance against the people who are misused and exploited for our own gain?

Although this is a gentle, peaceful novel, it is disturbing. Haunting. Even frightening. The looming fate of these students creates an overwhelming tension without the necessity of detailed description of their actual fates.

Spoiler

Towards the end, when Miss Emily admits to being repulsed by her students almost every single day at Hailsham, when the cruel truth behind the gallery is actually revealed, a feeling of horror is unavoidable.

Above all, after reading Never Let Me Go for the second time, I cannot help but think how humanity loves to categorize what makes people human. In the American age of slavery, in Germany during WWII, and today in regards to the global hunger problem, it is easy to strip humanity from those who are being cruelly used and from those that would inconvenience us to stand up and make a stance for change.

Critiques: The conversational narrative of the book is a little rambling. It is largely not chronological, and Kathy will mention a story, have a long flashback, and then jump right back into the story she was first telling. This can become a little startling and distracting. Also, the lack of knowledge that the students have is understandable, but I could not help but end the novel wishing for a little bit more about their world.