Never Let Me Go

“I keep thinking about this river somewhere, with the water moving really fast. And these two people in the water, trying to hold onto each other, holding on as hard as they can, but in the end it’s just too much. The current’s too strong. They’ve got to let go, drift apart.”

Part One: Hailsham

The novel begins with Kathy H., a 31-year-old “carer,” reflecting on her childhood at Hailsham, an idyllic English boarding school. She reminisces about her friendships with Ruth and Tommy, their creative pursuits, and the mysterious emphasis on art. The guardians, especially Miss Lucy, occasionally hint at the students’ grim fate, though the children don’t fully understand. Tommy struggles with creativity, while Ruth is assertive and sometimes manipulative. Kathy develops a quiet affection for Tommy, though Ruth later claims him as her boyfriend.

Part Two: The Cottages

After leaving Hailsham, Kathy, Ruth, Tommy, and others move to the Cottages, a more open but still isolated environment. Here, they interact with veterans from other institutions, learning about rumors of “deferrals” for couples in love. Ruth clings to Tommy while Kathy remains distant. The group visits Norfolk, rumored to be a place for lost items, where Ruth finds a possible copy of Kathy’s lost cassette tape—Never Let Me Go. Tensions rise as Kathy decides to train as a carer, leaving the group.

Part Three: Recovery and Revelations

Years later, Kathy reunites with Ruth and Tommy after becoming a carer. Ruth, now a “donor,” confesses her past jealousy and urges Kathy and Tommy to seek a deferral from Madame, the former Hailsham overseer. They visit Madame and Miss Emily, who reveal the truth: Hailsham was an experiment to prove clones had souls, but society still sees them as organ donors. There are no deferrals. Tommy’s outburst of frustration leads to his rapid decline. After Ruth “completes,” Kathy and Tommy briefly become lovers before he, too, succumbs. Kathy, now nearing her own donations, reflects on their fleeting lives.

Key Ideas

• The ethics of cloning and organ harvesting in a dystopian society.
• The fragility of memory and identity under systemic oppression.
• Love and friendship as fleeting comforts in a predetermined fate.
• The illusion of free will versus biological destiny.
• Art as proof of humanity in the face of dehumanization.

Notable Adaptations