Rating: 3.5/5
A dystopian tale of three friends that grow up in the obscure town of Hailsham where children are predestined to become donors and carers. Donor = organ donor; carer = carer for the organ donors :s It gets WEIRD. The book felt like one giant hushed secret that gradually unfurled to the end. It picks up after page 100. Quite unfamiliar with the writing style so main character’s unorganized thought process, bouncing from an argument three weeks ago, to her existential life theories. Did not love it but at best, it was unexpected and different.
Insights/Thoughts:
- In the book, they refer to a ‘model’ which is the supposed original that the children in Hailsham were cloned from. The purpose of the model is a symbol of hope for what you could have become. Although not entirely the same, I immediately thought of the word soulmate. Today, we use soulmate to describe a romantic partner that can understand you completely. My definition of soulmate is someone that unveils a part of yourself that you never knew, they help you become more like yourself. In this way, I believe that you can have multiple soulmates.
- Is there a proper balance between ignorance and truth to live a truly happy life? Is there a right time in our development for everything? If so, how do parents/guardians find the balance between overprotecting their children and bearing too much at an early age? The TV network, TLC has a show called Welcome to Plathville that mirrors the book quite accurately (minus organ donations). The show is about a family that lives on a farm in rural Georgia. The two parents shelter their nine children from the perils of the “real-world” which include banning technology. Consequently, as the kids grow up, they feel cheated and unprepared and the mounting resentment is palpable and leaves a sour taste. This made me think about the role of parents and how important they are in our lives but also the purpose they serve for the next generation. In my view, I would want to be in step with the society I live in and what is generally accepted with most kids. I do not think children need to understand everything at once but they do need protection from some evils and guidance and truth in increments so that they can one day navigate the world on their own.
Favourite Quotes
I keep thinking about this river somewhere, with the water moving really fast. And these two people in the water, trying to hold onto each other, holding on as hard as they can, but in the end it’s just too much. The current’s too strong. They’ve got to let go, drift apart. That’s how I think it is with us. It’s a shame, Kath, because we’ve loved each other all our lives. But in the end, we can’t stay together forever.