Never Let Me Go
by Kazuo Ishiguro
Finally, for those who need a little fiction to leaven their reality diet, there's Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, the celebrated author of The Remains of the Day and other works. Set in what seems to be a posh private school in the English countryside, this novel's characters are beset by an inexplicable sadness and fatalism. Initially, much of what goes on is ordinary, including the usual teenage jealousies and rivalries. Gradually, though, the reader comes to an understanding of the unhappy fate awaiting these youths. Such themes as cloning and nightmarish medicine have become commonplace in futuristic literature. Never Let Me Go handles these with immense subtlety, making for a haunting, thought-provoking read.
(Vintage, $14)