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Here are my first thoughts prior to reviewing anyone else's comments.
I was torn between a 2 and 3 start review at Goodreads when I first finished it. But upon further reflection, I might even drop it to a 1 star. I really don't like this book. I don't find it believable in any way that society could so swiftly change to one that accepts mass-cloning and harvesting organs from even seemingly willing people to the point that they die from it. The ramifications of this were not explored anywhere near enough. There aren't even hints (beyond Ms. Emily near the end) that some of the more obvious consequences had occurred.
If their society did accept cloning and the donations, they didn't go nearly far enough. This started in the 50s or 60s (Hailsham's movement peaked in the late 70s) so shortly after WW2, possibly during Korea, and certainly during Vietnam yet there were no hints of the clones being used for limb donations to those people who lost them during combat. Where are the clones who are missing arms/legs that have been "donated" to people who have been maimed in car accidents even? All of the discussed donations are of organs, why not everything else that can be donated today? And beyond that, why not just make 2 of every kid as they get born so you always have a "same stage" donor available for accidents? And then make another every 20 years so there is always a "young and healthy" donor ready? (I guess if they did figure out a way to not worry about rejections that wouldn't matter as much but the talk of "possibles" almost hinted that rejection was a possibility and therefore the students were 1:1 with donors.)
Ms. Emily in her data dump at the end inferred that Hailsham students had it very good. Which was probably true. But even when Kathy and the others met other students there was never any hint of the horrors that would be occurring at the other schools. Without touching any of that it's like this story is trying to make things "bad" but not "horrific". And I dont' see how they could have the cloning/harvesting without the "horrific" part too. Someone from another school would have said/hinted something. Whether it was at the cottages or during Kathy's 10 years as a carer.
I suppose in this world there are a lot of altar boys and gymnests who didn't have to fear going to church or practice since the perverts who like that thing would certainly have become "guardians" at one of the less "high-class" residences than Hailsham.
Nothing was said about funding beyond special funding for Hailsham and the two other "good" schools. Where does the money come to raise hundreds of students, for decades, before they have any "positive" donations to society come from? We don't even use land that way (we won't wait 10 years for a crop of sustainable forest products to grow before wanting a return on it.) That makes me think that thios would have been somethign for only the super wealthy who were growing their own replacement parts so to speak. But there were too many of them for that so again, it doesn't work.
Basically, the society as presented, even in the limited view, is not believable. In any way.
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