The book, written by Kazuo Ishiguro, takes place in a kind of alternate universe England in the late 1990's. Science has perfected the art of keeping people alive--although they make clones, raise them, and then harvest their organs once they reach their mid to late 20's, in a process called "completion." It's an interesting concept, and not as sci-fi as it sounds. The book unfolds slowly, only allowing the readers bits and pieces of the story, just as the children learn it as they grow up.
The book is told from the perspective of Kathy H., a clone raised at Hailsham, and focuses on her relationship with her friends Ruth and Tommy. Kathy's voice throughout the book is measured, stoic, and very to the point, and it lends a bluntness to the quietly disturbing story. It's an interesting book and raises questions about self-sacrifice and true personal freedoms, while also questioning the ethics of science without ever truly raising the question.
...And I also went to the movies! Never Let Me Go was playing at Cine in Athens before I left for break, and I took a break from writing papers to go see it with a friend. It was a beautiful movie, wonderfully acted by Carey Mulligan as Kathy and Keira Knightly and Andrew Garfield as Ruth and Tommy. For once, I enjoyed the movie just as much as the book. It was depressing, as I mentioned earlier, and David was very thankful I didn't cry (though I wanted to- particularly in the last scene, it's so desolate).
On a side note, one of the actors in the movie played Bill Weasley in HP and the Deathly Hallows. David and I were afraid to stereotype the actor (who is British and a redhead) as a Weasley simply because he's British and a redhead. It's probably funnier if you were there.
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