<em>Never Let Me Go</em>: Learning About One's Novel From the Film

Ever since I first saw the film of Never Let Me Go a couple of months ago, I've been telling people how I've learnt so much more about my own novel. Friends think I'm being modest, or they think it weird, but actually it makes a lot of sense. When I was writing the novel, there was only me. I had to do everything myself: all the voices and thoughts for all those characters, set the scenes, fix the sunsets, etc. It's a lot for one person to manage. When you're lucky enough to have a good film made of your novel -- and Never Let Me Go is, believe me, a heartbreakingly good film indeed -- you get wonderfully talented individuals each focusing on their special area. These superb actors, for instance, have in every case brought something deeper, something I hadn't previously suspected, to their characters. It's been a fantastic journey for me -- and an educative one.