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trickphoenix's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness
Moderate: Bullying, Grief, and Classism
Minor: Child death, Mental illness, and Racism
nikexistiertnik's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
i just loved klara's pov and getting to know the world through her eyes. the description of her vision being separated into boxes tended to confuse me at times, but other than that, i enjoyed the writing a lot and i am particularly in love with the way this dystopian world doesn't get overexplained to the reader - we only know as much as klara does, and learn it at her pace.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness
Moderate: Child death and Grief
Minor: Bullying and Classism
spag's review against another edition
reflective
sad
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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Chronic illness, and Classism
krys_kilz's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was a very slow read for me. So much of the world building was left shrouded in mystery and the dystopian elements of the story were mostly mentioned in passing while never fully explained. This did help create a general sense of unease and tension that kept me invested, but there was simultaneously frustration that I was unable to fully know what was going on.
The strongest part of the book for me was the narrator. Klara was a wholly original and unique voice and her observations about human behavior, emotion, and loneliness were uncanny. I found her quite endearing by the end.
I like the framing of this story as a parable about parenthood. It's deceptively simple and achingly real.
The strongest part of the book for me was the narrator. Klara was a wholly original and unique voice and her observations about human behavior, emotion, and loneliness were uncanny. I found her quite endearing by the end.
I like the framing of this story as a parable about parenthood. It's deceptively simple and achingly real.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness and Grief
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Bullying and Classism
nialiversuch's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Grief, and Classism
Moderate: Terminal illness
lex_r's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I didn't think I was going to like this book and then I finished and I have no reason to give it anything less than a five. I was completely confused reading the whole novel, there was so little context into the world but for some reason it worked. I loved Klara and she reminded me of Wall-E, non-human but relates to human emotions beyond comprehension. I finished the book expecting the ending to gather the loose context and it didn't, but for an odd reason that was okay? Klara's story was done and her experiences left me asking so many unanswerable questions; but they have evidently been lost to time and I have to be okay with the resolution. To sum this up, I entered this book confused about Klara and the world context, left completely briefed on Klara and equally confused on world context, but is still satisfying. Also, now reflecting, this is essentially a revamp of the 2010's teenage coming of age dystopian revolution genre but better and more artistically nuanced, layered, and really a must read? Seriously it's just better, you will understand when you are done.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Classism
franzi_'s review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Terminal illness
Minor: Bullying, Xenophobia, and Classism
galexy_brain's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Bullying, Child death, Death, Terminal illness, and Classism
mar's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
sure i enjoyed this book but all i can think of is what would've happened if The Big Plot Twist at the 2/3 point was actually carried through... like, yes, i was rooting for the kid to live, but at the same time the author introduced a possible path that was SO bone-chilling and tragic and interesting that i was kind of disappointed to not see it explored yknow
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, and Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, and Classism
scruffie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.0
I've always liked Ishiguro's writing style and in my opinion this book was, once again, very well-written; I really enjoyed reading every single page of it. The themes of classism and identity persist throughout the entire book, tying into the book's dystopian setting which is slowly explained. If I had one complaint it would be that the world-building wasn't as elaborate as I would have liked.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, and Classism
Moderate: Child death and Grief