The Correspondent: A Novel by Virginia Evans - 20

Kazuo Ishiguro

℅ Peter Straus / RCW Literary Agency

20 Powis Mews

London W11 1JN

UNITED KINGDOM

August 6, 2014

Dear Mr. Ishiguro,

Please let me begin by expressing my condolences over the unexpected loss of your literary agent, Ms. Rogers.

The primary subject for this correspondence is the matter of your novel, Never Let Me Go , which was recommended to me by a trusted source. I’ve only finished it last night. I thought it echoed a bit of your earlier novel, The Remains of the Day , which I also read and, you might recall from my letter those years ago, enjoyed very much. You responded to my letter then—much appreciated—though I don’t expect you would remember as I’m sure you are inundated with correspondence from readers. But while we’re on it, I liked The Remains of the Day better than this book. I related so much to the butler, though his name escapes me now. Perhaps it’s time I read it again. The two books do, of course, share certain themes universal to the human experience—isolation, loneliness. It makes me wonder about the pain you have obviously suffered in your life. They also share that similar English countryside locality, and I like that. During the course of reading both books, I felt an urgent desire to visit England (which I will never do, although, never having visited, I imagine living in the English countryside would suit my nature very well).

I ought to get to the point. I’m writing to tell you what I thought about this new book. The story was strange indeed, and it took me at least half the book to really sort out what was afoot at Hailsham because it isn’t written like science fiction! How clever. I very much liked the progression of the friendship between Ruth and Kathy. I also marveled at the very direct way in which the story is narrated, and I have spent a bit of time pondering this. You do very well with inhabiting your narrators and telling the story as they would. Of course, the material of this novel is grotesque and terrifying. Do you think one day science will allow for cloning? I suppose it’s ridiculous to ask, as you’re a novelist and not a scientific researcher, though presumably you did research the topic. In any case, at my old age it’s too much to consider and I do hope I’m dead long before it comes to that! (which I will certainly be—it can’t be long now) Indeed, I thought it was all very clever, and there were funny parts, and I did cry a few times. You are a very good storyteller and your writing is exquisite, which of course you know, as you have won numerous literary prizes. (A hearty congratulations to you, as well, for being awarded the French Order of Arts and Letters. Bravo.)

If you have any advice for a young aspiring writer, please pass it along. I have a high school aged friend writing bits of fiction and he’s rather unhappy. It would be lovely if I could offer him something to cheer him up.

I look forward to your next installment, and it is with warm regards I write,

Sybil Van Antwerp