Let's Begin With Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. First Person Point of View: I realize this is painfully obvious.

"My name is Kathy H. I'm thirty-one years old, and I've been a carer now for over eleven years." (Page 1)

       My first thought upon reading these first two sentences was, of course, I know a Kathy. She spells it with a "C," but it counts all the same. After that initial epiphany I realized this book was going to be all in first person point of view. Am I happy about this? Sad? Oh wait. It doesn't matter. I must read this book anyway. Fortunately, I do particularly enjoy first person novels because they provide a clear view of the main character's thought process and opinions. However, it does slightly restrict the reader to only having that intimacy with one character. This is not a problem, though, because Kazuo Ishiguro is a Man Booker Prize finalist according to the front cover of this book. He is also obviously a talented writer because he is the author of a book on an AP summer reading list. Therefore, I have complete faith in his abilities as an author, and I know he will appropriately handle whatever restrictions that might accompany using first person point of view.

        Now, back to the point. What can I, as the reader, infer from this first person point of view? Obviously, it tells me that Kathy is the main character. Not to say that first person directly identifies the main character one hundred percent of the time, but it usually is a reliable indicator of who will be important. (And I read the back cover, so I know beyond a doubt Kathy will be important.) This usage of first person also tells me that Kathy will be telling me the story. Despite how unimportant this may seem, it does, in fact, matter. I can relate to her better now, which in turn means I will enjoy the book more.

At this point in the book, I am about two chapters in, and I like the book. Contrary to the accounts I have gotten from my friends and the fact that it is a summer AP book, I think I will enjoy this process. (If only because I get to be a bit satirical in these blogs.) Fortunately, my favorite part of AP Lang was the blogging we did, so I have hope for these next few days of AP-ing and the rest of my summer.