How much do I love this book? Let me count the ways...

How much do I love this book?  Let me count the ways...

1.  This was an honest-to-goodness absolute page-turner!  In all of my Graduate studies, I can't say that I ever across a novel that I honestly couldn't put down.  With each chapter I found myself wanting more, despite how incredibly tired I was at the time.  Each mystery kept my interest peeked and I finished reading this novel in just two sessions, both of which I was quite sad to end.

2.  The characters are so incredibly well-developed.  From Tommy and his "temper tantrums" to Ruth and her "know-it-all" no-excuses attitude to Kathy with her sincere demeanor and her ability to swallow her pride for the ultimate benefit of others, I loved each and every one of them.

3.  Ishiguro's way of inviting the reader into his world is captivating.  I truly felt as though I was just another "student" at Hailsham and that I too was going through each trial, tribulation, and emotion that each character experienced.

4.  The plot was incredibly believable, despite the scientific possibilities of it ever truly happening.  But honestly, even as I write this sentence, I question: "Could it REALLY happen?  Maybe."  Even though the process of cloning and donating were not explained in detail, the way Ishiguro alluded to the procedures made me honestly believe it could and actually may happen in the future.

5.  Miss Lucy.  What a fantastic, compassionate, naive, lovable character.  Enough said.

6.  The relationship between Tommy and Kathy.  In my opinion, THIS is a true love story.  It is one thing to date someone when you are young and go through all of the typical "puppy-love" stages, but it is completely another to have a friendship stand the test of time, trials, and other romantic relationships and to come out stronger on the other end.  Tommy and Kathy were truly meant to be, and I noticed it from the very beginning.  The hopeless romantic inside of my desperately wanted them to get the "deferral," but I think in the end, I respected the way in which their love story ended.  Even though they were never able to be truly alone together, they were also never given the opportunity to hurt one another the way that relationships sometimes force people to do.

7.  Ishiguro gives us a female leading lady who does not melt at the sight of a man or wither at the first instance of fear.  Kathy is strong, determined, and the way in which she puts others before herself does not cause the reader to pity her, but rather, to respect and admire her on a level far beyond understanding.  She is not a pathetic, lovesick teenager who abandons all of her hopes and aspirations for a romantic relationship.  She is woman, hear her roar.

8.  The pacing of this book was not only appreciated, but completely appropriate as well.

9.  The final encounter with Tommy, Kathy, miss Emily, and Madame Marie-Claude is not just heartbreaking, but also reminded me of "The Sweatshop Sublime."

"The world didn't want to be reminded how the donation programme really worked.  They didn't want to think about you students, or about the conditions you were brought up in.  In other words, my dears, they wanted you back in the shadows" (Ishiguro 264-265).

This section made me immediately think of how as consumers, we do not want to think about the conditions that are behind the clothing that we wear; we would much rather forget about the women and children who work for pennies a day and relax comfortably in our luxurious sweaters.

10.  Hands-down: Best novel I have read in quite a long time!