The Bookworms group has been running since 2017 and continues to thrive. We enjoy reading all sorts of literature, mainly fiction, and are open to trying out both contemporary and classic authors from all over the world. This year we’ve read books from American, Scottish, Irish, English, Australian and Japanese authors. Sometimes we have very mixed views, occasionally we all love the book and at other times the theme is so dark and disturbing that it’s hard to glean any enjoyment from it.
Our October book choice comes under the latter category, but despite that, it generated one of the most protracted discussions we’ve ever had. ‘Never Let Me Go’ by Kazuo Ishiguro begins in late 1990s England in a country boarding house which, at first, seems idyllic, but gradually the reader is drawn into a sinister world where the future of the young students has been pre-destined and over which they have no control. They are indeed clones, designed to end their short lives as organ donors – but for whom? Despite this, the three main characters, Kathy, Tommy and Ruth, display human emotions and crave security, parental figures and the love of one another; this makes the acceptance of their fate all the more tragic.
We couldn’t decide whether this is a dystopian tale or a work of science fiction. Much is left unexplained, leaving the characters to speculate about various aspects of their existence. It is neither an easy nor comfortable read and, although Ishiguro’s writing flowed, the storyline threw up so many unanswered questions which challenged us as readers. We also learned about his background growing up in a Japanese family in the UK where he saw things from a different perspective from that of his English peers. Ishiguro’s diverse interests included singing, writing music and even grouse beating at Balmoral, before finally settling for studying English and Philosophy which then led to a creative writing course. No doubt these eclectic life experiences influenced his creativity.
A tale of menace and despair, of people caught in a fateful trap – not a book to ‘enjoy’ but it certainly made us think – what if?
Louise Elsome
Bookworms Group Coordinator