The Innocence in Darkness. Review on Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro

Children, it is said, are closest to God. They are untouched by vices of the world, their innocence melts the cruellest of heart and their potential is limitless. Most of our fondest memories are from the days of childhood.

Thus, when the author, K. Ishiguro, carried us to good old innocent days, we were elated and grateful. We joined the enthralling journey with the students of an idyllic school amidst the bounties of nature. We rejoiced at their happiness, mourned their loss and shared their dreams of a better future. Of course there were hints – hints that these joys are too good to last the distance but like a good natured child we refused to think long term and remained incorrigible optimist.

The children grew and the hints became more pronounced – it almost began to sound like a conspiracy. Still the author managed to get us look at the brighter side and made us smile. We continued to revisit our adolescent years where issues like friendship, despair of growing up, and frustration of not meeting the expectations of the significant others were at the central of our universe.

And finally when we were made to confront the reality – we were almost prepared! As if like the children we too were trained subconsciously so that when we faced it, we were sad but not shocked.

Here lies the power of author’s narrative. His command over the proceedings of a complex plot remains so authoritative throughout that not for a moment you suspect that you are been dished irrelevant detail. Like a jigsaw puzzle, every piece falls into place by the time you are ready for the complete picture. You wonder at his achievement and his ability to penetrate the deepest corner of a child and adolescent mind – of either sex.

The story deals with growing up of three friends in an unusual surrounding. One boy and two girls – the ingredients are perfect for a love triangle and one is not totally wrong if one suspect a story here only the story loses its prominence in much broader heartbreaking context. All the three characters are constructed with sympathy and care and managed to win your love and admiration and you are ready to forgive their shortcomings because you realise that they does not matter. Your search for a villain for their suffering ends in vain as ultimately the accusing finger seems to point towards the humanity at large, we included.

While in literal sense the story is futuristic and we can take solace from the fact that humanity may not ultimately face the moral dilemma the author made us face through the story; at another level it represents the way our next generation is made to sacrifice what is most dear to them in the name of their contribution to the society. Can money compensate for loss of everything that is dear to us – family, values, health and leisure? At still another level, it raises the question of futility of our existence and our effort to search for meaning of life.

To sum up, ‘Never Let Me Go’ is destined to become a classic for its timeless content and masterful explorations of human nature. However, unlike most of the classics, it is accessible to the general readers and is immensely entertaining in spite of the dark conclusion it arrived. Not to be missed by any lover of good writings!