Journal Entry 1 by MarysGirl from Brooklyn, New York USA on Monday, March 17, 2008

Journal Entry 2 by MarysGirl from Brooklyn, New York USA on Monday, March 17, 2008

A friend passed this on to me after her book club finished it. Trade paperback in excellent condition.

Beautiful, haunting and enthralling. This is a quiet little book that sucks you in with its beautiful language and holds you with growing horror as you realize what it is all about. Highly recommend this book. 

Journal Entry 3 by MarysGirl from Brooklyn, New York USA on Tuesday, April 01, 2008

This one is on a journey. The ray line up is:

1. mellion108- US
2. pyrospiglet- Iraq
3. PatriciaLeao- Portugal
4. okyrhoe- Greece
5. hippoliein- Finland
5. Tubereader- UK
6. Afraberg- The Netherlands
7. Nicoleangela- Germany
8. Wandering-B Hong Kong
9. criminologeek - Hong Kong
10. Nagwan- Yemen
11. 1001-library *here*

 

Journal Entry 4 by MarysGirl from Brooklyn, New York USA on Thursday, April 17, 2008

On its way to mellion108 as the first stop in a book ray. I hope you enjoy it! 

Journal Entry 5 by mellion108 from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan USA on Thursday, May 01, 2008

Thanks for sharing, MarysGirl!

The book is here. I need to finish my current read and then I'll start on this. Luckily, this is the only ring/ray that I have here at the moment (I'm sure that will soon change), so I should be able to get to it rather quickly and send it on its way again.

Journal Entry 6 by mellion108 from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan USA on Thursday, May 22, 2008

Wow! I finished this a couple of days ago while sitting in my car during a lunch break. I had about 8 pages left when my hour was up, and I still sat there to finish the book rather than going back in to work on time!

I had heard the title of this book, but I had never heard anything about it. It's nearly impossible to write a journal entry without giving away substantial pieces of the plot, so I'll avoid that and just say that I really, really enjoyed this book. I am so glad I got the chance to read it, and now I understand why people rave about this author.

The story starts out a bit slow, and I have to admit that I was wondering what the heck was so interesting about the book. But Kathy's narrative won me over, and then I couldn't put the book aside.

This story brings up so many issues—conformity, individualism, free will, ethics, the good of the individual vs. the good of the group, etc. What a subtly written punch in the gut.

Anyway, I could go on. I have already talked 2 other people into getting this book to read (I'm a virus). I have pyrospiglet's address, and the book is packaged and ready to go. If I don't get it mailed tomorrow (May 23), it will have to wait until after the holiday weekend here in the U.S., but I should be able to have it on its way within a week at the most.

Thanks again for sharing, MarysGirl! 

Journal Entry 7 by mellion108 from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan USA on Saturday, May 24, 2008

UPDATE: Mailed to pyrospiglet on May 23. Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 8 by pyrospiglet from North Little Rock, Arkansas USA on Friday, July 11, 2008

I got this book awhile back, but didn't even realize it was part of a ray. Moved to the top of my mountain. So terribly sorry for the delay! 

Journal Entry 9 by pyrospiglet from North Little Rock, Arkansas USA on Monday, July 28, 2008

I loved this book, even though I can't really explain why. Easy reading. PMing next participant for address. 

Journal Entry 10 by pyrospiglet at sent by mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, August 03, 2008

Released 3 yrs ago (8/3/2008 UTC) at sent by mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 11 by okyrhoe from Athens, Attica Greece on Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Arrived in my p.o. box today. Thanks pyrospiglet for posting it to me, and MarysGirl for including me in the bookray!

Incidentally, I just recently finished reading K. Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day. 

Journal Entry 12 by okyrhoe from Athens, Attica Greece on Monday, September 22, 2008

In terms of tone and mood this novel felt like a variation of The Remains of the Day.
In both cases the first-person narration highlights that the narrator's personality is composed almost entirely of memories. The past and present are intertwined in such a manner where the present is not quite tangible, it's merely a counterpoint to the more vivid memories. In this way the narrative devolves rather than evolves.
Although the premise of the story is a gripping one, and the sense of suspense is maintained throughout, I have to say it was very difficult to remain interested in Kathy. She is withdrawn from her real self and does not (cannot) share 'inside' information about who she essentially is and how she feels. She doesn't tell us her name until 100 pages into the book. Even the 'Never Let Me Go' incident she recounts is, it seems to me, part of her narrative only because she's troubled about how it affected 'Madame', rather than how significant the song was to her. When she does find the song again years later, she worries more about how Tommy is going to react, rather than allowing herself to fully sense what it is she's experiencing at that moment.
As I read closer to the book's ending, I realized that it would conclude more or less in the same manner as The Remains of the Day, in that the act of narrating the characters (Mr. Stevens, and here Kathy) haven't really achieved anything for themselves - they are just as, or even more so, detached from their soul as before. 

Journal Entry 13 by hippolein from Helsinki, Uusimaa Finland on Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Book arrived safely in Finland today.
Will be nice to read Ishiguro, have one other book on my mount TBR of the same writer.
thanks for making this a bookray Marysgirl and special thank to okyrhoe for sending it here!
 

Journal Entry 14 by Teddyke from Helsinki, Uusimaa Finland on Monday, October 06, 2008

Really liked it, beautifully written, but as they say, it's really haunting too. In the beginning you don't really know what the life of the "students" is about... I got so into it that I even re-read some of the childhood/school parts again to see how it all became clearer to the narrator and the reader what the donations are about and so on. Afterwards I couldn't help thinking what a nightmare it actually would be if the story were true...
Now it's my husband's, hippolein's turn to read the book. 

Journal Entry 15 by hippolein from Helsinki, Uusimaa Finland on Friday, October 10, 2008

Wonderful story, seems so real you could almost expect it to have happened some way or another. The persons seem so well depicted, the atmosphere is so touching and the whole story ends with a very strong sad, bitter and somehow very wonderful feeling. Would have missed out on a wonderful book if I had not found the time to read it! Thanks for the person that started the ring, this is a book that deserves to be read by everybody! 

Journal Entry 16 by hippolein at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Friday, October 10, 2008

Released 3 yrs ago (10/10/2008 UTC) at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

This wonderful book continues the trip now, all the way to Luxemburg.
Hope it gets there fast and safely!
 

Journal Entry 17 by Tubereader from Bruxelles / Brussel, Bruxelles / Brussel Belgium on Tuesday, October 21, 2008

The book has been received safely.

Thanks hippolein for sending it (and for the postcard!) and also many thanks to MarysGirl for sharing it!

I have a couple of rings ahead of this one but hope to get to start reading it within the next two weeks. 

Journal Entry 18 by Tubereader from Bruxelles / Brussel, Bruxelles / Brussel Belgium on Monday, November 24, 2008

I started reading this book during the weekend and I am now almost done with it. Sorry for keeping it for so long. I have PMed afraberg for her address and will be posting the book to her as soon as I finish it. I will also post a new JE with my review once I am done reading it! 

Journal Entry 19 by Tubereader from Bruxelles / Brussel, Bruxelles / Brussel Belgium on Thursday, November 27, 2008

Wow, what an amazing book. I was looking forward to reading something from Ishiguro and I must say I haven´t been disappointed. The story of the book is hard, and it is difficult at first to understand what it is all about (I was so confused about carers and donors at first!), but it is written so beautifully that you just want to keep on reading.

I do no want to say much more here, so that I do not spoil the book for the next ones who read it, but I highly recommend it. I kind of agree with okyrhoe´s comments, although at the end I was thinking whether it is actually made on purpose: do the students really have a soul? Maybe it is exactly what he wants us to think about. The question is asked at some point in the book and maybe Kathy´s detachment towards herself (actually, everybody´s detachment towards themselves) could be a way of questioning whether students are really human...

I have Afraberg's address and hope to post the book to her tomorrow.

Thanks again to MarysGirl for sharing the book and to hippolein for posting it to me! 

Journal Entry 20 by Tubereader at postal mail, A Bookray -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Released 3 yrs ago (12/9/2008 UTC) at postal mail, A Bookray -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

The book has been posted to Afraberg today. Sincere apologies for the delay.

Happy reading! 

Journal Entry 21 by afraberg from Amsterdam, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Friday, December 12, 2008

The book arrived yesterday by mail. Thanks for sending Tubereader!
I will read the book somewhere at the end of decembber. 

Journal Entry 22 by afraberg at Eppstein, Hessen Germany on Monday, January 05, 2009

Released 3 yrs ago (1/5/2009 UTC) at Eppstein, Hessen Germany

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

The book is on it's way to the next reader.

A really great story, very unusual, but I loved the way it is told. 

Journal Entry 23 by Nicoleangela from Eppstein, Hessen Germany on Thursday, January 08, 2009

Thank you Afraberg!!! The book got here yesterday. 

Journal Entry 24 by Nicoleangela from Eppstein, Hessen Germany on Sunday, January 25, 2009

I enjoyed this book, even though it took me a while, at first, to get into it. Then,I couldn't stop reading it.. Now it is off to Wandering-B. 

Journal Entry 25 by wandering-B from Tai Po, New Territories Hong Kong on Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Received in today's post. Thanks Marysgirl for sending it out as a ring, and to Nicholeangela for sending it to me. Look forward to reading it.

Really enjoyed this one - very well written with a rather interesting premise. I enjoyed most of the characters' position on issues, but felt more than a little hopelessness at the end. Truly haunting book which will stay with you long after you have closed the cover for the last time. Passing along to the next reader. 

Journal Entry 26 by criminologeek on Monday, February 23, 2009

Caught the book! Thanks to MarysGirl for sharing and Wandering-B for mailing the book to me! Will try to read it asap in the midst of the examination season. =P 

Journal Entry 27 by criminologeek on Saturday, March 07, 2009

What a beautifully written story. I have never thought of such thing happening before so it was a good read. However, I am a little confused about the ending.
Will mail it to the next reader very soon. 

Journal Entry 28 by Nagwan from Sanaa, Sanaa Yemen on Tuesday, June 02, 2009

received the book today. Thanks guys for sharing! I started reading it right away and I'm loving it 

Journal Entry 29 by Nagwan from Sanaa, Sanaa Yemen on Wednesday, June 03, 2009

I loved it I loved it I loved it.
I would give this book one hundred points not just ten. The idea is new and the narration is great. Tubereader's contribution was very important, the characters *are* detached from themselves. I didn't understand why kath was not sad when Ruth died (or completed) and why the last time Kath and Tommy were together there was no show of strong emotions but what tubereader said explained it all. which is that the author might be implying that the students are not comletely human.
I didn't understand why the author was using the word "completed" when talking about the donors. Can anyone explain?
Thank you so much Marysgirl for sharing this book with us and thank you criminologeek for passing it on to me :)) (and thanks for the card)
I don't know what to do next. I will have to check the instructions to see how I'm gonna send the book to the 1001 library. 

Journal Entry 30 by 1001-library from Helsinki, Uusimaa Finland on Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Thanks so much for your donation Nagwan !

This book is now part of the 1001-library. If you want to take this book from the library but don't know how to proceed, please refer to the 1001-library bookshelf.
 

Journal Entry 31 by bookstogive from Springville, Tennessee USA on Monday, October 19, 2009

The book arrived today in the mail, thanks for sending it to me! 

Journal Entry 32 by 1001-library from Helsinki, Uusimaa Finland on Sunday, January 03, 2010

This book is now back on the 1001 library bookshelf and can be borrowed by PMing svoight:)

If you want to take this book from the library but don't know how to proceed, please refer to the library bookshelf.

 

Journal Entry 33 by bookstogive at Linda-a-Velha, Lisboa (distrito) Portugal on Friday, June 04, 2010

Released 1 yr ago (6/4/2010 UTC) at Linda-a-Velha, Lisboa (distrito) Portugal

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Released to fellow Library member ArwenG, enjoy! 

Journal Entry 34 by ArwenG at Lisboa - City, Lisboa (cidade) Portugal on Sunday, June 27, 2010

Received in the mail today. Thanks very much for sending it to me, Svoight. 

Journal Entry 35 by ArwenG at Lisboa - City, Lisboa (cidade) Portugal on Monday, July 05, 2010

What an amazing book! It starts off a bit slowly but then it really pulls the reader in.
Very interesting story and well written. It makes you think. I really liked this author. thanks for sharing