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Kazuo Ishiguro
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Never Let Me Go Paperback – 25 Feb. 2010

by Kazuo Ishiguro (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars 37,861 ratings
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**OVER 2 MILLION COPIES SOLD**
SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE
#9 in the New York Times '100 Best Books of the 21st Century'

'Brilliantly executed.'
MARGARET ATWOOD

'A page-turner and a heartbreaker.'
TIME

'Masterly.'
SUNDAY TIMES

One of the most acclaimed novels of the 21st Century, from the Nobel Prize-winning author

Kazuo Ishiguro imagines the lives of a group of students growing up in a darkly skewed version of contemporary England. Narrated by Kathy, now thirty-one, Never Let Me Go dramatises her attempts to come to terms with her childhood at the seemingly idyllic Hailsham School and with the fate that has always awaited her and her closest friends in the wider world. A story of love, friendship and memory, Never Let Me Go is charged throughout with a sense of the fragility of life.

'Exquisite.'
GUARDIAN

'A feat of imaginative sympathy.'
NEW YORK TIMES

What readers are saying:

'A book I will return to again and again, and one that keeps me thinking even after finishing it.'
'I loved it, every single word of it.'
'It took me wholly by surprise.'
'Utterly beautiful.'
'Essentially perfect.'

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  1. Reading age
    17+ years, from customers
  2. Print length
    304 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Dimensions
    12.9 x 1.8 x 19.8 cm
  5. Publisher
    Faber & Faber
  6. Publication date
    25 Feb. 2010
  7. ISBN-10
    9780571258093
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0571258093
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  1. Since each of us was copied at some point from a normal person, there must be, for each of us, somewhere out there, a model getting on with his or her life.
    Highlighted by 2,014 Kindle readers
  2. Because somewhere underneath, a part of us stayed like that: fearful of the world around us, and – no matter how much we despised ourselves for it – unable quite to let each other go.
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  3. What made the tape so special for me was this one particular song: track number three, ‘Never Let Me Go’.
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From the Publisher

Kazuo Ishiguro novels

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Review

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Review

Masterly... A novel with piercing questions about humanity and humaneness. ― Sunday Times

A brilliantly executed book by a master craftsman who has chosen a difficult subject: ourselves, seen through a glass, darkly. -- Margaret Atwood ― Slate.com

A page-turner and a heartbreaker, a tour de force of knotted tension and buried anguish. ― Time

A master stoyteller ... In this deceptively sad novel, he simply uses a science-fiction framework to throw light on ordinary human life, the human soul, human sexuality, love, creativity and childhood innocence. He does so with devastating effect. ― Independent

A clear frontrunner to be the year's most extraordinary novel. ― Sunday Times

Brilliant. The most exact and affecting of his novels to date. ― Observer

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0571258093
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Faber & Faber
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 25 Feb. 2010
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ Main
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780571258093
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0571258093
  • Item weight ‏ : ‎ 253 g
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 17+ years, from customers
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 12.9 x 1.8 x 19.8 cm
  • Best Sellers Rank: 1,410 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 37,861 ratings

About the author

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Kazuo Ishiguro

Kazuo Ishiguro

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KAZUO ISHIGURO was born in Nagasaki, Japan, in 1954 and moved to Britain at the age of five. His eight previous works of fiction have earned him many honors around the world, including the Nobel Prize in Literature and the Booker Prize. His work has been translated into over fifty languages, and The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go, both made into acclaimed films, have each sold more than 2 million copies. He was given a knighthood in 2018 for Services to Literature. He also holds the decorations of Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from France and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star from Japan.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
37,861 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book easy to read and appreciate its simple literary style and thought-provoking nature. The story receives mixed reactions - while some praise its compelling narrative, others find it dull and dark. Customers describe the book as profound, making them think in new ways, though the pacing is mixed with some finding it moving while others find it tedious. Customers disagree on the character development, with some finding them relatable while others say they're hard to connect with.

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ReadabilityWriting qualityDepthThought provokingStory qualitySadnessPacingCharacter development
268 customers mention ‘Readability’198 positive70 negative

Customers find the book easy and enjoyable to read, with one describing it as a bitter-sweet experience.

"...who needed it for her daughter who is reading it for school, it's a good read" Read more

"Great read !" Read more

"Dull and boring book. The beginning dragged on to set the scene. I failed to Finnish it." Read more

"Never let me go was a great read, it was a bit confusing at the start but then when you start to get into it; it becomes less confusing...." Read more

147 customers mention ‘Writing quality’131 positive16 negative

Customers praise the writing style of the book, noting its simple literary approach and well-developed characters.

"This is an amazing book. Beautifully written and the mundane style and content of the story makes it equally engrossing, touching and horrifying...." Read more

"An affecting story that is well written, though I did guess the plot from early on and it held no surprises, it didn't matter as it was rendered in..." Read more

"A beautifully written, sad, scary and insightful novel. Also a humane and sensitive novel about the human condition...." Read more

"Well written and obviously deliberately not making the ‘situation’ clear until the story progressed. Probably deliberately uncomfortable reading...." Read more

114 customers mention ‘Depth’84 positive30 negative

Customers appreciate the book's profound subject matter, with one customer noting how it explores the complexity of the human experience and raises thought-provoking questions about society, while another points out that it delves deeper than the movie adaptation.

"...Haunting, mesmerising, unputdownable. Profound, Profound reflection on the human condition...." Read more

"...Tommy is so understanding of both Kathy and Ruth, and is very caring. And Kathy herself is so complex, selfless, curious, loving and wise...." Read more

"It's quite slow and detailed,and it feels as though it feels needs to get to the point, but when you get the point, it's a scary look at what might..." Read more

"...It’s deep." Read more

76 customers mention ‘Thought provoking’67 positive9 negative

Customers find the book extremely thought-provoking, making them see things in a different way, with one customer noting it makes them think for days after reading.

"...It is certainly thought provoking and I would develop some of the thoughts provoked but then this comment would have to contain spoilers ... so I..." Read more

"...It is powerful, thought-provoking, and deeply moving. Overall, clearly a novel worthy of its modern classic status." Read more

"Thought provoking and atender portyal of doomed lives. A great story and a warningto humanity of the risks mankind faces" Read more

"...Still, an enjoyable and thought-provoking read that doesn’t give into the temptation to just shock the reader but rather let’s the world of the..." Read more

159 customers mention ‘Story quality’101 positive58 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's story quality, with some finding it compelling and praising its excellent idea, while others find it dull with a total despair plot that lacks a happy ending.

"Never Let Me Go is a good story, about a subject matter that is thought provoking, but also weaves this into a story, the interpersonal..." Read more

"...Disappointed with the ending but understood the point that was being raised by the author." Read more

"...The main character(s) are the mystery. This is a horror story but it takes a while for the characters to understand." Read more

"A really well written book,an unusual story ,well crafted and extremely entertaining." Read more

128 customers mention ‘Sadness’68 positive60 negative

Customers have mixed reactions to the book's emotional content, with many finding it deeply disturbing and heartbreaking, while one customer describes it as a melancholy tale with moments of beauty and dread.

"...I felt that the ultimate denouement of the story was both poignant and a huge surprise as the real reasons for things such as the encouragement for..." Read more

"...It’s deeply disturbing and heartbreaking, not least because he leaves all the hard questions for us...." Read more

"Great book. Sad. Thoughtful. Interesting topic. Philosophical. Hard to connect emotionally with all the characters. Liked the twist near the end" Read more

"I found this very well written but depressing. It's a story that I keep thinking about even days after I've read it." Read more

98 customers mention ‘Pacing’57 positive41 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it profoundly moving while others describe it as tedious.

"Loved it. Simple, moving and alarmingly thought provoking. The talent for storytelling is vividly apparent across the pages as they blur past" Read more

"...been an interesting and thought provoking plot seemed simplistic and mundane and never really fully got to grips with the many challenging issues..." Read more

"Beautiful, gripping, other-worldly yet totally believable with brilliantly realistic characterisation. An absolute must read." Read more

"...Hard going, pointless and was waiting for something to happen all the way through. Nothing did. Very disappointed." Read more

57 customers mention ‘Character development’32 positive25 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the character development in the book, with some finding them relatable and intensely human, while others note they are underdeveloped and hard to connect with.

"...in the style of teenage crush lit, and has very likeable and believable characters...." Read more

"...It lacks plot, tension, and character development. The language is dull, like a child's diary, but lacking authenticity...." Read more

"...The novel is very well written and I liked the characters and the slow pace...." Read more

"...The characters are shallow and uninteresting, the story is boring, and even though I persevered to the end I didn't enjoy it and definitely wouldn't..." Read more

Missing pages
3 out of 5 stars
Missing pages
Book was fine until I got to page 134 and it jumped to 151?!
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Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • John Brain
    5.0 out of 5 stars Profound and thought-provoking
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 March 2011
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    This is my first Ishiguro novel. I read it, having had my curiosity raised when I saw the film. Though it is invidious to compare the two quite different formats, I have to say I got a lot more from the book, though admittedly it must have been devilishly difficult to convert into a screenplay.

    The book has over 300 Amazon reviews, so I guess I cannot add very much by way of yet another, but I was so challenged by it that I thought I might offer a few words. This is a book the reader has to work hard with. What I found so engaging about it is the contrast between its very simple literary style (almost Blyton-esque) and its very profound subject matter. It can be read on at least 3 levels, and as the pages progressed, I kept switching from one to another.

    On one level it is a tale of young people, who are not young people. They are clones, manufactured by man with a sole purpose - to provide spare parts to revitalise the ill and infirm. But they have many of the normal characteristics of young people - and the author forces you to empathise with them by giving one of them the task of telling the story - you see things from her perspective. They come across, not as any sub-human beings, but as real people with real feelings, yet sentenced to an awful inevitable predestination. Relationships between the young people are beautifully drawn with repeatedly poignant understatement, and given their destiny, ones heart goes out to them. And one is never certain what human characteristics they been allowed to retain, and what they are deprived of. So, for instance, they can almost certainly love one another but appear not to be able to experience grief. I found this uncertainty puzzling, but it certainly added to the intrigue.

    At another level, the book was a considerable frustration. It left so many questions in one's mind - if only a few answers could have been proferred. How was the clone enterprise established? What ethical considerations were made by the instigators of the scheme? How did the clones survive repeated 'donations'? Why could they not rebel? Why did they have no fear of death? etc. etc. But that's one reason why the reader has to work so hard. And it is very possible that if more of these type of questions had been provided with answers, the book would have lost much of its power to make us examine our own ethical dilemmas.

    And at yet another level, the book can be considered as an allegory - as a proxy which exemplifies the moral issues whenever a totalitarian power (be it a state, interest group or individual) abuses that power and deprives others of their (human) rights. And critically, when you deprive those so oppressed of the ability to fight back, that power becomes a truly evil force.

    I found this book to be outstanding.
    29 people found this helpful
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  • Kelly
    4.0 out of 5 stars Captivating
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 December 2014
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Unfortunately, yes, I am one of those people who watched the movie before reading the book. Boo me. But whatever - I still enjoyed Never Let Me Go so much. This book exudes raw passion and an amazing talent for storytelling. And yes: it is sad. Many of you will cry at this book - but to be honest, I only cried at the movie. The movie exaggerated a lot of aspects in the book which made it way more emotional and sad than it actually was.

    My biggest problem with this book was how two-dimensional the narrator one. The only character that had any real substance and backing to them was Ruth, the best friend of the narrator who is also kind of a bitch. Because of that, Ruth is focused on a hell of a lot in the narrators story and we see lots of different side to her, making her a really fleshed out character. But for me, Ruth was the only person who had this aspect to her. Kathy (the narrator) and Tommy (other important character - don’t want to ruin it for you) are both so flat, really. Romance between characters also felt flat and unsentimental. Whereas in the movie I was convinced by the friendships and relationships and it broke me into tiny teenage emotional pieces, the book fell on it’s face in trying to make me feel anything for any of the characters besides Ruth. And, in all honesty, all I felt for Ruth was annoyance because she was one of those people who if you met in real life, you’d slap her in ten minutes of hearing her talk. She’s kind of pretentious in some ways, and majorly two-faced.

    The actual plot and premise of this book is awesome. I love the whole idea that goes behind it (once again, don’t want to spoil you if you haven’t read it or seen it). I like that it’s set during modern day, although it’s still a twist on what our modern day society is. This book isn’t exactly “dystopian”, but it has something about it that makes it seem kind of like it would fit nicely into that genre if it wanted. Saying this, though, I don’t really feel like Ishiguro let us in on enough. Nearing the end of the book, we get a lot of answers and it really made it all feel clearer at the time, but I still have so many questions I want answered. But I think that’s maybe how it’s supposed to be - we’re supposed to care, supposed to want to change something. But there are two sides in this story of the why, and the why not. It’s actually superbly interesting to think about it yourself.

    Ishiguro’s storytelling itself was magnificent, and I found myself falling in love with his style of writing. This book isn’t classic-level difficult to read, but it’s not easy to swallow probably because of how much underlying stuff there is going on in it. A lot of this book will make you ask yourself important questions. It’s not a light-hearted read, but Ishiguro’s master way of writing and narrating make it seem less weighty, which is good for a topic that is actually really hard-hitting. I did feel, however, the plot was sometimes a little bit slow and Kathy kept taking us back and forth in timeline and kept repeating herself at odd little bits which was rather annoying because if you read quickly, you find yourself reading bits over and over again because of the repetitive ways she will tell you things.

    This book is completely easy to get stuck into, and maybe it’s because I saw the movie first that I understood everything so well. I already knew what was going on and the reasoning behind things, so the big old shock reveals never had as much impact on me as they should have. Either way, I still blooming enjoyed this book. If, for people who’ve either read or watched or both, would want to share some of their views on this book and what it’s about, please talk to me! I’d love to hear what you think. It’s a crazy interesting topic.

    P.S., sorry for being kind of secretive about what this book is about, but I feel like the mystery and intrigue should be kept at the highest levels possible to make this book as amazing as it truly is. I wish I hadn’t watched the movie first… so, if you have a chance to read this before seeing it, DO!
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Sarah H.
    3.0 out of 5 stars Overall an unassuming story where the characters get under your skin more than you realise.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 April 2023
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Having read Klara and the Sun by the author, I was keen to read more of his books. I’m not quite sure what genre his books fall in as they seem to have a young adult, sci-fi elements to them yet they focus on feelings and emotions.

    The story is told through Kathy, reminiscing of her past. Her time in a home/school with her friends and then leading up to the present. The pacing is gentle and gives the reader time to get to know Kathy and the bond with her friends Ruth and Tommy. Ruth and Kathy’s relationship is quite an awkward one at times as I wondered why Kathy was friends with her. Whilst Ruth could be nice, she could also be quite mean and it seemed to be one sided a lot of the time. Tommy on the other hand is a bit of an under dog and he stole a part of my heart.

    Whilst we know that there is a purpose for the children that are in Hailsham School, the author never fully expands on it and whilst I could guess most of it, it would have been good for there to be more explanation as I was left with some questions. The story isn’t about the futuristic side of things though so this may be why.

    Never Let Me Go has a melancholy feel to it. It’s an almost bitter sweet read as you get a sense at what is to come in the story. Whilst I didn’t love this one as much as Klara and the Sun, Kazuo Ishiguro’s story telling is captivating and you can’t help but get caught up in Kathy, Ruth and Tommy’s lives and to know what the future holds for them. Overall an unassuming story where the characters get under your skin more than you realise and will leave you feeling quite bereft when it’s time to say goodbye.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • amedeo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good
    Reviewed in Belgium on 12 May 2025
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Good reading
    Report
  • くまんま
    5.0 out of 5 stars 日本のドラマを見て
    Reviewed in Japan on 11 June 2025
    Verified Purchase
    原作がカズオ イシグロと知らずにドラマを見て、ドラマの方も興味深かったので、原作をぜひ読んでみたいと思いました。実はずっと読んでみたかった作家。なかなか機会がなくて、やっとでしたが、とにかくどんどん読み進めてしまう、とても引き込まれる作品でした。他の作品もぜひ読みたいと思いました。話の内容は重たい部分も多いのですが、個人的には著者の英語表現がすごく好きでした。
    Report
  • SELCUK PAZARÖZYURT
    5.0 out of 5 stars Kitap zaten beş yıldız
    Reviewed in Turkey on 26 August 2024
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    23:00 da verdiğimiz sipariş sabah 9:00 da gelmesi. Müthiş kargo hizmeti. Teşekkür ederim
    Report
  • Federica
    5.0 out of 5 stars simply beautiful
    Reviewed in Italy on 31 March 2018
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    One of the best novels I read in ages! Deeply moving, hauting and thought-provoking, and yet it has a lightness to it, depite the darkest and most appalling aspects of the plot, that can only be a mark of the genius. The characters are so vividly described you could almost expect to meet them. I loved t from first to last page and I drank it more than I read it.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Snake Man
    1.0 out of 5 stars Book with first 38 pages missing
    Reviewed in Sweden on 18 July 2025
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    As another reviewer also experienced (maybe more?) 38 pages were missing, and it started on page 139 seemingly with content from another book. Really poor. I have noticed many others complaining of similar problems with the printing of this book. This edition should be no longer made available.
    Customer image
    Snake Man
    1.0 out of 5 stars
    Book with first 38 pages missing

    Reviewed in Sweden on 18 July 2025
    As another reviewer also experienced (maybe more?) 38 pages were missing, and it started on page 139 seemingly with content from another book. Really poor. I have noticed many others complaining of similar problems with the printing of this book. This edition should be no longer made available.
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