tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761873841609819775.post6354024033713398393..comments2024-03-25T22:35:00.268+08:00Comments on The Literary Stew: Never Let Me Go -the Second Time AroundAstrid (Mrs.B)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00504736603540947661noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761873841609819775.post-82065594012323955092011-12-12T15:06:46.081+08:002011-12-12T15:06:46.081+08:00I recently wrote something about this book, you mi...I recently wrote something about this book, you might want to check it out (it is more of a barrage of thoughts than a standard review):<br /><br />http://bookrhapsody.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/never-let-me-go-kazuo-ishiguro/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761873841609819775.post-53854699654938336682011-12-09T00:44:50.607+08:002011-12-09T00:44:50.607+08:00I reviewed this one several years ago and my book ...I reviewed this one several years ago and my book club discussed it too. It's the book that almost killed the book club! We had a great discussion, but found out later that one member was deeply offended by the thoughts of some others and quit because of it. One member compared Kath and the others to the Jews in Nazi Germany and this person felt it was a horribly offensive comparison. She wrote the group a scathing email after the meeting about the ignorance of some members of the group and then quit. We were shocked.<br /><br />http://lisamm.wordpress.com/2008/11/16/review-never-let-me-go-by-kazuo-ishiguro/<br /><br />http://lisamm.wordpress.com/2008/12/15/sunday-salon-at-night/LisaMMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10530087423961700607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761873841609819775.post-69367702256942083422011-11-28T18:56:47.860+08:002011-11-28T18:56:47.860+08:00i cried like a baby when i saw it the second time,...i cried like a baby when i saw it the second time, my first watch was too concentrated on what they used from the book.<br />and yes! andrew garfield is fantastic. if you haven't seen Boy A yet, you should. it's heartbreaking but beautiful and garfield is going to be BIG. i guess he already is, but i think he will be for a very long time.<br /><br />i'm planning on watching the best of youth, thanks for the rec.!Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02088086096719620747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761873841609819775.post-226790174100191132011-11-17T10:31:46.712+08:002011-11-17T10:31:46.712+08:00@Aarti - you are right in that Hollywood didn'...@Aarti - you are right in that Hollywood didn't make the film. My mistake. In hindsight, I'm also grateful he stayed close to the plot although of course while watching the film I couldn't help but hope for happiness and escape for them.Astrid (Mrs.B)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00504736603540947661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761873841609819775.post-13268221270299599462011-11-17T08:01:31.552+08:002011-11-17T08:01:31.552+08:00You know, if indeed it was Hollywood that made the...You know, if indeed it was Hollywood that made the film, it's likely they'd change it to a happier ending. But it's not, and I'm grateful for the filmmaker for staying close to the plot. It's the poignancy at the end that brings out the issue. I loved the movie. After seeing it I went back to the book and reread it. Like you, I enjoyed it more the second time, especially after the movie had somewhat clarified certain points for me. If you're interested, I've also a <a href="http://rippleeffects.wordpress.com/2010/10/09/never-let-me-go-book-and-movie/" rel="nofollow">Book into Movie post</a> on <em>Never Let Me Go</em>.Artihttp://rippleeffects.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761873841609819775.post-29856209475921469362011-11-12T21:01:51.393+08:002011-11-12T21:01:51.393+08:00@deborahserravalle - I felt exactly like you the f...@deborahserravalle - I felt exactly like you the first time I read it. This is my book club choice for this month so I had to read it again. I'm glad I did.Astrid (Mrs.B)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00504736603540947661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761873841609819775.post-19264878247519555992011-11-12T20:34:32.973+08:002011-11-12T20:34:32.973+08:00I find it interesting that you enjoyed the book mo...I find it interesting that you enjoyed the book more the second time around because you knew the outcome. I recently heard this theory stated, that spoilers aren't really spoilers. That, as you said, sometimes knowing the outcome of a story enhances the read.<br /><br />I loved, loved Remains of the Day and Ishiguiro's writing. I was disappointed in Never Let Me Go, because it was so disturbing. A second read? Maybe. I see your point. However, with so many books, so little time, it won't be at the top of my list. <br /><br />But thanks for the think!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761873841609819775.post-38877804826413426502011-11-12T09:04:18.710+08:002011-11-12T09:04:18.710+08:00@laveeir17 - yes it does have the same understated...@laveeir17 - yes it does have the same understated tone of Atonement. Funny that Keira Knightely stars in both adaptations. She does know how to pick good scripts.<br /><br />@StuckInABook - Therein lies Ishiguro's brilliance - the fact that he writes in such an understated way and yet we sense all the emotions underneath. That's why I thought the scene where Tommy gets out of the car just to scream was so heartwrenching.Astrid (Mrs.B)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00504736603540947661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761873841609819775.post-28432247502648474722011-11-12T01:45:15.246+08:002011-11-12T01:45:15.246+08:00I was actually incredibly bored by the book, becau...I was actually incredibly bored by the book, because I thought the writing was so bland. This was possibly deliberate, but that didn't stop its effects on me! (Maybe I need to read it a second time??)StuckInABookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017836017530130716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761873841609819775.post-61538576283000813162011-11-11T21:06:26.889+08:002011-11-11T21:06:26.889+08:00I'm so pleased this worked well second time ar...I'm so pleased this worked well second time around. I think knowing the ending really would change the reading experience and it is great to hear that you engaged with the characters a lot more second time around. I look forward to my re-read experience in a decade or two :-)Jackiehttp://www.farmlanebooks.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761873841609819775.post-85214229320208117912011-11-11T16:58:45.440+08:002011-11-11T16:58:45.440+08:00Reading your review makes me want to reread Never ...Reading your review makes me want to reread Never Let Me Go too. The book reminded me of the tone of Ian McEwan's Atonement. You fall in love in the characters, you keep reading with that knowing feeling that it's going to end bad but you keep on reading hoping for a happy ending anyway.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761873841609819775.post-21167396025888820642011-11-11T16:53:55.825+08:002011-11-11T16:53:55.825+08:00@nishitak - Yes, I agree it's one of the most ...@nishitak - Yes, I agree it's one of the most depressing books I've ever read but that doesn't detract from it's brilliance.Astrid (Mrs.B)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00504736603540947661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761873841609819775.post-48257385058508814442011-11-11T16:02:19.019+08:002011-11-11T16:02:19.019+08:00I loved this book when I first read it, but am not...I loved this book when I first read it, but am not sure that I want to read it again. It made me very low for the next few days. <br /><br />I will probably see the movie though...funny about impressions. To me, that poster looked like they were running joyfully towards something. And my first thought was it doesn't seem to match the tone of the book at all.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761873841609819775.post-25576499495659297122011-11-11T13:54:26.216+08:002011-11-11T13:54:26.216+08:00@CB James - You have to read this book. It's a...@CB James - You have to read this book. It's a must read and it doesn't matter that you know the ending. About spoilers - I guess it depends. Sometimes if it's a sad ending then maybe it helps to know it ahead of time.<br /><br />@Fancy Terrible - I felt exactly like you the first time I read the book. I kept expecting them to run away or just stand up for themselves and that's partly the reason why I was frustrated with it the first time.Astrid (Mrs.B)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00504736603540947661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761873841609819775.post-77300815509322802582011-11-11T13:42:59.330+08:002011-11-11T13:42:59.330+08:00This book was hard to read and I don't think I...This book was hard to read and I don't think I could face it again. <br /><br />But I agree that poster is brilliant. They're running toward a place that looks nice...but when they get there, there's nowhere else to go. They're trapped.Cathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16475183245822795384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761873841609819775.post-73566189628812551932011-11-11T12:15:51.964+08:002011-11-11T12:15:51.964+08:00That's an interesting question, because the fi...That's an interesting question, because the first time I read the book, it was killing me *not* knowing what was going on. So I definitely agree that if I were to reread this, I could definitely appreciate the story more as I go along, as opposed to concentrating on where it was going.Fancy Terriblehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12037588338414334042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761873841609819775.post-20707341621907352282011-11-11T09:56:17.562+08:002011-11-11T09:56:17.562+08:00This is one that I've heard so much about that...This is one that I've heard so much about that I feel like I have read it. I don't think I will ever read it, but I may check out the movie. <br /><br />It's interesting to me that you say you liked it more knowing how it ended. I read a post on Roger Ebert's blog about a month ago about spoilers. Apparently, not knowing the ending is a relatively new desire in movie-going. Back in the day, movies were shown continuously so people just went in whenever they arrived, watched the movie to the end and then stayed to watch the beginning of the next show. No one cared about knowing the ending ahead of time at all. I remember doing that as a kid myself.<br /><br />I agree that it does let you appreciate other aspects of the movie/book which can be nice.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06906212382849291562noreply@blogger.com