Looking for a s-f book I've read, but forgot title/author

IceHand · 09-19-2008, 09:01 AM

I've read this science-fiction book a while ago and some days ago I remembered it, but not the title and author. I think I got it from the library …

[EDIT: The book I searched for is "Never Let me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro.
Possible spoilers below.]

It's about an institute that seems to be an orphanage, but in reality it's a place where they raise clones of humans to be used as organ donors. The perspective is from a girl being raised there, as far as I remember, and she discovers some irregularities such as that the children go to a "special place" once they reach a certain age and never come back.
A recurring theme is her rocking a baby doll and listening to a certain song from a cassette. One of the overseers at the institute notices her doing that and weeps, because as it later becomes evident all of the clones are unable to have children.

Does someone know what book this is?

Patricia · 09-19-2008, 09:05 AM

It sounds a bit like 'Never Let me Go' by Kazuo Ishiguro, except that I don't recall the doll episode.
At any rate, you may well like the Ishiguro novel.

IceHand · 09-19-2008, 09:24 AM

Yes, that's the one! Thank you very much.

I don't know why, but I remember the doll episode very clearly. It somehow left a mark.

Patricia · 09-19-2008, 09:26 AM

My pleasure, IceHand.

zelda_pinwheel · 09-19-2008, 09:52 AM

i love ishiguro and this one is on my list to read so i will have to try to forget this thread (that'll teach me...

) but perhaps i'll avoid reading it at night, it sounds closer to "a view of pale hills" (which was so subtly chilling that i don't think i slept for a month after that) than to "remains of the day"...

that ishiguro... genius, but no quarter for the reader.

gwynevans · 09-19-2008, 10:31 AM

On a similar theme, there's the movie "The Island" who's Wikipedia entry mentions Michael Marshall Smith's novel "Spares"

Sparrow · 09-19-2008, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwynevans

Michael Marshall Smith's novel "Spares"

Michael Marshall Smith is a great writer - but I couldn't get through 'Spares', it was just too upsetting

.

IceHand · 09-20-2008, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

i love ishiguro and this one is on my list to read so i will have to try to forget this thread (that'll teach me...

) but perhaps i'll avoid reading it at night, it sounds closer to "a view of pale hills" (which was so subtly chilling that i don't think i slept for a month after that) than to "remains of the day"...

that ishiguro... genius, but no quarter for the reader.

I'm sorry, I didn't think of spoiling the book somewhat for other readers. I added a warning to the original post.

zelda_pinwheel · 09-20-2008, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IceHand

I'm sorry, I didn't think of spoiling the book somewhat for other readers. I added a warning to the original post.

no worries, it really is my own fault.

under the circumstances you could hardly have done differently.

i'll probably have forgotten all those details by the time i read it.

thanks for adding the spoiler warning now that you've found the book though.

stustaff · 09-23-2008, 06:23 AM

I have read spares also a good book about using clones for spare parts.

Slite · 09-23-2008, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stustaff

I have read spares also a good book about using clones for spare parts.

Yes, Spares = Good!, The Island = BAD! Horrid, horrid movie that should nev er have been made!

09-19-2008, 09:01 AM	#1
IceHand Linux User Posts: 323 Karma: 13682 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany Device: Kindle 3	Looking for a s-f book I've read, but forgot title/author I've read this science-fiction book a while ago and some days ago I remembered it, but not the title and author. I think I got it from the library … [EDIT: The book I searched for is "Never Let me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro. Possible spoilers below.] It's about an institute that seems to be an orphanage, but in reality it's a place where they raise clones of humans to be used as organ donors. The perspective is from a girl being raised there, as far as I remember, and she discovers some irregularities such as that the children go to a "special place" once they reach a certain age and never come back. A recurring theme is her rocking a baby doll and listening to a certain song from a cassette. One of the overseers at the institute notices her doing that and weeps, because as it later becomes evident all of the clones are unable to have children. Does someone know what book this is? Last edited by IceHand; 09-20-2008 at 09:13 AM.

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09-19-2008, 09:05 AM	#2
Patricia Reader Posts: 11,504 Karma: 8720163 Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Wales, UK Device: Sony PRS-500, PRS-505, Asus EEEpc 4G	It sounds a bit like 'Never Let me Go' by Kazuo Ishiguro, except that I don't recall the doll episode. At any rate, you may well like the Ishiguro novel.

09-19-2008, 09:24 AM	#3
IceHand Linux User Posts: 323 Karma: 13682 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany Device: Kindle 3	Yes, that's the one! Thank you very much. I don't know why, but I remember the doll episode very clearly. It somehow left a mark.

09-19-2008, 09:26 AM	#4
Patricia Reader Posts: 11,504 Karma: 8720163 Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Wales, UK Device: Sony PRS-500, PRS-505, Asus EEEpc 4G	My pleasure, IceHand.

09-19-2008, 09:52 AM	#5
zelda_pinwheel zeldinha zippy zeldissima Posts: 27,827 Karma: 921169 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Paris, France Device: eb1150 & is that a nook in her pocket, or she just happy to see you?	i love ishiguro and this one is on my list to read so i will have to try to forget this thread (that'll teach me... ) but perhaps i'll avoid reading it at night, it sounds closer to "a view of pale hills" (which was so subtly chilling that i don't think i slept for a month after that) than to "remains of the day"... that ishiguro... genius, but no quarter for the reader.

09-19-2008, 10:31 AM	#6
gwynevans Wizzard Posts: 1,402 Karma: 2000000 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: iPad 2, iPhone 6s, Kindle Voyage & Kindle PaperWhite	On a similar theme, there's the movie "The Island" who's Wikipedia entry mentions Michael Marshall Smith's novel "Spares"

09-23-2008, 06:23 AM	#10
stustaff Wizard Posts: 1,055 Karma: 2110 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Derbyshire UK Device: sony reader PRS505 and 600	I have read spares also a good book about using clones for spare parts.