Book review: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

I thought that I would give this a go as I'm quite likely to end up seeing the film - although I usually regret any film with Kiera Knightley in it!

I was not particularly hopeful as I had to read Remains of the Day when I was studying English at University as part of a course looking at defining 'Englishness' in literature. I was really not a fan of Remains of the Day - finding it to be indeterminedly long. I remember that I was trying to read it in the lunchbreaks at a summer job working at an industrial unit in South Leeds - it was not sufficiently distracting...

It was an unusual book and intrigues by the slow revealing of why the Hailsham students are really different from 'others'. However I found that, similarly to Remains of the Day, it seems to take a long time for very little to happen. This slow plot gives a lot of space for the friendships (and otherwise) between the three main characters to develop.

Whilst they are still at school this seems to work quite well - I enjoyed the way that he described the quirks of childhood friendships; the myths, the rituals, the loyalties and gang memberships. However, he seems to plant a series of seeds that never really come to fruition. For example, he takes great care to discuss Tommy's issues with his temper but this does not seem to have another motivating, energising side? Surely a natural consequence of being a hot-head might be some consequent action... particularly, and this really rankled with me, why don't they try to run away? I do not want to reveal the plot [what there is] here but it does seem like they have the resources to consider this? Educated, able to drive, able to take journeys away for a few hours without supervision... would escape not look like an option?

Kathy is an interesting character for her detachment. She is quite cool in her recollections and does not seem to have formed any strong relationships or friendships outside of Tommy and Ruth - even when they have years apart. We learn at the beginning of the novel that she is a 'carer' and she seems to be perfectly suited to it as she is clearly able to be fairly dispassionate in her responses. I did enjoy reading her as a narrator - there was something to be said for her cautious revealing and naive interpretation of events.

Finally, though, I could not reconcile her detachments and the other Hailsham students (as adults especially) lack of rebellion. They were clearly institutionalised but once they moved out of the cottages and became carers they did seem to have sufficient freedom to also interact with the world, albeit with always a sense of separation from it. Given what was asked of them it does seem probable they would have moved beyond institutionalism and looked for ways to, at a basic level, survive...

Book Review: "Engleby" by Sebastian Faulks

I am so impressed that Faulks has managed to create such distinct characters in each of the novels that I have read by him. Engleby is a difficult character to spend time getting to know. Engleby is obnoxious, arrogant, comments on his quantifiable intelligence; a commentator on the world and a thief. As the novel is entirely from his perspective this can be quite wearing, and its with some relief when the reader realises there was some legitmacy in struggling to find empathy with him.

The first half of the novel is very captivating as the suspense is measured out well as for a "crime" novel. There is a point where it begins to feel a little "spun-out" - new turns are introduced and flashbacks to Engleby's first year at university begins to seem contrived.

The authorial construct of the story never really leaves this novel and this was for me the major drawback, and the reason why I did not enjoy Engleby as much as other Sebastian Faulks' novels. The author's research on life in the 1970s comes through very clearly and feels disingenuous. Especially irritating are sections where there is some speculation about what life might be like in the "future" (our present, or recent past), which happens to be fairly accurate.

What I really like about Faulks' writing is his ability to write believable characters and to write in "their" language. Alongside Engleby's narration are excerpts from Jennifer's diary and these are easily believable as the writings of a middle-class young woman at university in content and in style. There were points in the novel where I found it hard to believe in all aspects of Engleby's life and story, but then he is an untrustworthy narrator.

Overall, I would recommend this book for a read but would suggest that it is not Faulks' best.

Book Review: Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs

Do you know what? I really liked this book. It's in the camp of 'chick lit' which as an English Literature graduate I really shouldn't, and usually don't, like - however, it's just really engrossing! It's a great blend of the female perspective on relationships, family and friends, with interesting and knowledgable comments about knitting. It is, I'm sure, a wide fantasy amongst knitters to have a knitting store in New York - and to be that woman who can hold together single parenthood, businesswoman, great friends and mentor - and despite her apparently unruly hair, also attractive... Which is probably the toughest thing about this book because Kate Jacobs does throw a spanner into the works of this fantasy world... now is that a good thing or not? I still have not quite decided whether I respect the attempt at putting in a (bit) of a three-dimensional perspective, or whether I was just upset that the fantasy could not be complete.

Maybe it's not a literary great, but actually it's reasonably well-written, and certainly well enough to not be grating. Ultimately the story holds it together and I cared about these women's lives, I enjoyed the tale... and I would read a Kate Jacobs book again.