Book Review: Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Publisher:
Publication Date: March 2, 2021
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Publisher’s Description:

Here is 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?

Klara is an Artificial Friend – a life-sized doll with artificial intelligence designed to be a child’s companion. She reminded me of the robot on the old show Small Wonder. She’s different from the other AFs on the shelf at the store. She’s more insightful and is starting to develop emotions. She is chosen by Josie, who she instantly connects with.

Kazuo Ishiguro doesn’t do much world-building in this novel, which I found a bit frustrating. It’s set in an unspecified, dystopian time in the future. Josie is sick but with what we don’t know. Gifted children are “lifted” but it’s never really explained what that means or why. We don’t find out why the world is a dystopia now. Even with all of that said, I still enjoyed this book. Klara was a great character who made astute and sometimes humorous observations about the humans around her. This book also reminded me a little of the movie Ex Machina, although not nearly as violent. And I loved that movie.

This is the first Ishiguro I’ve read and from what I’ve heard, his other books are even better. I’m looking forward to reading them.

Recommended.