Never Let Me Go

by Kazuo Ishiguro

{ 2005 | Knopf | 304 pgs }

I’m not sure what I could say about Never Let Me Go that wouldn’t give away key plot elements. The writing is superb, allowing the story to unfold slowly, hinting here and there until by the final pages the reader comes to a full understanding of what has happened. I think I want to recommend it for the law school book club. What to say? Hm…the book is narrated by Kathy, and she describes her years at Hailsham, a special school she attended from a young age. She’s telling the story as a thirtysomething, but the narrative is brilliantly written to intertwine past and present.

After reading the book this past weekend (instead of doing schoolwork), I learned there is a movie adaptation with Keira Knightly. It’s rated R? If so, the filmmakers added a lot of extra material. The book was definitely not intended for children but I certainly wouldn’t deem it exceptionally violent or sensual. I’ll toss in a side note here that I’m disappointed that filmmakers are so set on (because audiences seem to be so interested in) sex and violence as selling points. Sigh.

But back to Never Let Me Go: I think this one’s a keeper. I’m sorry for my very vague description of the plot, but I promise you’ll enjoy the book if you read it!

The Four Loves

by C.S. Lewis

{ 1960 | Harvest Books | 156 pgs }

I’ll come right out and say it: I hate C.S. Lewis’s non-fiction writing style.

It isn’t necessarily a bad writing style, it just doesn’t work for me. And The Four Loves is a decent-sized work of nothing but this particular style. Bleh. Perhaps as a result, I found the subject matter to be dull as well.

Wow, am I a really horrendous person for that?

The Four Loves discusses how each type of love can bring us closer to God, and also how the three earthly loves – affection, friendship, and Eros (romantic love) – can move us away from God. I certainly didn’t agree with all of Lewis’s arguments, but I did enjoy his chapter on charity. He felt that this heavenly love allowed us to be the most Christlike. Well said, sir.

I tried reading The Four Loves a few years ago, but couldn’t get into it. I only picked it up again for one of my classes this semester. Honestly, I feel ok not recommending this to you. Try The Great Divorce instead – or if for some reason you’ve never read the Chronicles of Narnia, what are you waiting for? Hop to it!

How to Train Your Dragon

by Cressida Cowell

{ 2003 | Hodder Children’s Books | 224 pgs }

Have you watched the movie adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon? Like the Romgi, I was pleasantly surprised. It had well-developed characters, an interesting plot, and just the right amont of just the right type of humor. Being me, I wanted to read the book – because usually, books have more depth and complexity than their movie counterparts.

Not so! How to Train Your Dragon was not only a completely different plot, its characters were weak and annoying. Maybe it was just the comparison that made them unlikable, but I really think that I would have disliked the book on its own without having seen the movie first. It was extremely shallow and fluffy, when it could have been so much richer.

I’m not sure if this is a first, but – see the movie! Skip the book!