Klara and the Sun
Ratings427
Average rating3.8
15
Ratings427
Average rating3.8
"Klara and the Sun, the first novel by Kazuo Ishiguro since he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, tells the story of Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, who, from her place in the store, watches carefully the behavior of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass on the street outside. She remains hopeful that a customer will soon choose her.
Klara and the Sun is a thrilling book that offers a look at our changing world through the eyes of an unforgettable narrator, and one that explores the fundamental question: what does it mean to love?
In its award citation in 2017, the Nobel committee described Ishiguro's books as "novels of great emotional force" and said he has "uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world.""
Reviews with the most likes.
Ishiguro is one of my favorite authors. I've now only read four of his books, but I need to read more. The Remains of the Day is a masterpiece. Never Let Me Go has a specific moment in it that really stuck me and I still think about a lot. The Buried Giant built and interesting world and explored really interesting themes.
Klara and the Sun does a great job of slowly building out the state of the world without relying on an exposition dump. I love stories that throw you in and just let you figure out the rules contextually. The POV character has a childlike quality that works really well and really all of the characters are well realized and interesting, though I guess I was expecting more pivotal moments for some of them, I think the story tended to meander a bit at times.
I feel pretty similar to this book as I did with The Buried Giant. Ishiguro is such a gifted writer and takes on heady ideas, and while they don't always completely land, I'm still glad to have read it.
4.5*
Beautiful. Makes you think. I love Klara's perspective.
Klara and the Sun is set at some point in the future, in a world where humans have developed Artificial Friends (AFs), solar-powered humanoid robots commonly sold as companions for children. The story is narrated from the perspective of Klara, a Girl AF, and in a way, it's her coming of age story.
One of my favourite things about this book was the “world-building”. I absolutely loved the way Ishiguro slowly revealed bits and pieces of this futuristic world, careful to reveal just enough but not too much so that readers can fill in the gaps and interpret the story however they want.
At the root of it all, this is a thought-provoking story that explores what it means to be human. I'd highly recommend this book!
A strange book. Not always gripping, but haunting. I think it's a book that I will remember and think about for a long time.
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33 booksCollecting books that disturbed you, made you think, or haunted you long after you were done reading.
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