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suvata's review against another edition
5.0
• ModernMrsDarcy.com 2021 Summer Reading Guide #MMDSummerReading
This is the story of Klara, an “Artificial Friend” with “outstanding observational qualities”, who watches browsers from her place in a shop, hopeful that one will eventually choose her. “When the possibility emerges that her circumstances may change for ever, Klara is warned not to invest too much in the promises of humans.” Klara and the Sun is “a novel about the human heart that speaks urgently to the here and now, but from another place”.
This is the story of Klara, an “Artificial Friend” with “outstanding observational qualities”, who watches browsers from her place in a shop, hopeful that one will eventually choose her. “When the possibility emerges that her circumstances may change for ever, Klara is warned not to invest too much in the promises of humans.” Klara and the Sun is “a novel about the human heart that speaks urgently to the here and now, but from another place”.
aderobert's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
cindy_freez's review against another edition
3.0
DNF- Klara is a sweet and insightful Artificial Friend, but I just couldn’t quite finish this one. It was moving a little too slow for me and I felt nothing was really happening at the halfway point. I would like to finish some day though, since it got so many wonderful reviews.
melloyellobooks's review against another edition
5.0
Klara and the Sun has probably been one of the most reviewed books this year, and rightfully so. It has the right amount of Ishiguro mystery, subtleties, and questions. As each is revealed, each piece fits perfectly into a story that is unique and heartfelt.
Klara is an Artificial Friend, a childlike robot meant to accompany a young girl, Josie. She has an uncanny ability to observe the emotions and interactions of others, and she spends a lot of time observing the humans around her as well as the movement of the sun.
I found that Ishiguro is the master of restraint. He simply does not say a lot-- some events and descriptions can be vague and lead nowhere, while others loom and explode at the correct moment of reveal. I also continue to love his style of dystopia, where not everything is sinister and humanity still exists; he constantly examines humanity and how we tackle these complexities in a new and unsettling backdrop.
Klara is an Artificial Friend, a childlike robot meant to accompany a young girl, Josie. She has an uncanny ability to observe the emotions and interactions of others, and she spends a lot of time observing the humans around her as well as the movement of the sun.
I found that Ishiguro is the master of restraint. He simply does not say a lot-- some events and descriptions can be vague and lead nowhere, while others loom and explode at the correct moment of reveal. I also continue to love his style of dystopia, where not everything is sinister and humanity still exists; he constantly examines humanity and how we tackle these complexities in a new and unsettling backdrop.
book_concierge's review against another edition
4.0
Audio performed by Sura Siu
4.5****
What does it mean to love? Can science duplicate that essentially human quality in an artificial intelligence being? Do we want scientists to even try?
Klara, the narrator of this extraordinary work, is an artificial friend (AF). She sits in the shop with other AFs watching the world go by the shop window, listening to the Manager about how to act / react among prospective buyers. She is a keen observer and learns her lessons well. And even though she is not of the latest generation of Afs it is Klara that one young girl, Josie, wants.
But there are things in Josie’s household that don’t compute. The Housekeeper seems extra watchful when The Mother is away at work. Josie is frail but has a special friend nearby, Rick. Klara gets drawn into Josie and Rick’s “plan” for their future, while also is learning that the plans of adults may not coincide. For all her intelligence and perceptiveness, Klara cannot quite understand emotion and she certainly doesn’t have feelings of her own. Her interpretations of what she observes are sometimes quite naïve, and I was reminded of comments my niece made when she was four or five years old.
This is a dystopian world, and there is significant pollution and there are hints of potential civil war. There are distinct differences between the haves and the have nots. Wealthier parents have the option to “lift” their children (via genetic engineering) to improve their intelligence and academic performance. And AFs are not always treated kindly.
I hope there will be a movie … I can just see the crane shot of that final scene.
Sura Siu does a marvelous job of voicing the audiobook. She really made Klara a believable AF, giving her an innocence to go with her intelligence. 5***** for the audio performance.
4.5****
What does it mean to love? Can science duplicate that essentially human quality in an artificial intelligence being? Do we want scientists to even try?
Klara, the narrator of this extraordinary work, is an artificial friend (AF). She sits in the shop with other AFs watching the world go by the shop window, listening to the Manager about how to act / react among prospective buyers. She is a keen observer and learns her lessons well. And even though she is not of the latest generation of Afs it is Klara that one young girl, Josie, wants.
But there are things in Josie’s household that don’t compute. The Housekeeper seems extra watchful when The Mother is away at work. Josie is frail but has a special friend nearby, Rick. Klara gets drawn into Josie and Rick’s “plan” for their future, while also is learning that the plans of adults may not coincide. For all her intelligence and perceptiveness, Klara cannot quite understand emotion and she certainly doesn’t have feelings of her own. Her interpretations of what she observes are sometimes quite naïve, and I was reminded of comments my niece made when she was four or five years old.
This is a dystopian world, and there is significant pollution and there are hints of potential civil war. There are distinct differences between the haves and the have nots. Wealthier parents have the option to “lift” their children (via genetic engineering) to improve their intelligence and academic performance. And AFs are not always treated kindly.
I hope there will be a movie … I can just see the crane shot of that final scene.
Sura Siu does a marvelous job of voicing the audiobook. She really made Klara a believable AF, giving her an innocence to go with her intelligence. 5***** for the audio performance.
haircutshort's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Another exploration of what makes us human. Klara is an unreliable narrator since she doesn't understand the world and the larger details of her AF abilities vs 'Lifted' humans is not clarified. Similarly the larger charges of the world are left unexplored and it is a story of a faithful pet trying to help a sick owner.
The mystery of her going to the sun and asking for help is interesting, did she actually help or was this her limited understanding of the world and a higher power.
The mystery of her going to the sun and asking for help is interesting, did she actually help or was this her limited understanding of the world and a higher power.
ph0609's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
catarnott's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5