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redvelveting's review
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
This book is written so beautifully. While the plot may not be the most thrilling at times, I loved Klara’s characterization. I thought the author did a wonderful job portraying how someone like her would see the world. Typically, the vagueness would annoy me but somehow it worked really well in this book; it didn’t need all the nitty gritty details to make the characters compelling. The language and style were just so dainty and pretty.
Additionally, the human characters just felt so real. They all had their highs and lows and were full of so many different emotions and behaviours; there were even some that were more destructive or problematic and even illogical but still realistic and understandable. The author gave the characters a lot of dimension in this way.
I also loved the idea ofa solar-powered artificial intelligence basically worshipping the sun. Not only did it make a great allegory for religious devotion and faith, but it just made sense.
Honestly when I was approaching the end I was originally going to rate this lower but the ending really sold me.Klara is content in the life she was able to live but it made me so sad to see her just thrown away like that after everything she did; a hard truth in real life I suppose.
Additionally, the human characters just felt so real. They all had their highs and lows and were full of so many different emotions and behaviours; there were even some that were more destructive or problematic and even illogical but still realistic and understandable. The author gave the characters a lot of dimension in this way.
I also loved the idea of
Honestly when I was approaching the end I was originally going to rate this lower but the ending really sold me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Child death, Classism, and Chronic illness
333amreen's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The first half was really hard to get through because it felt like the whole purpose of the book was basically just Klara observing here surroundings & so I often thought of DNF-ing the book, but I'm so glad I continued reading. Little did I know how meaningful those observations would prove to be & so the latter half really got me thinking. I think this book conveys a beautiful and thought provoking insight into the human heart, I don't mean simply the organ obviously. I'm speaking in the poetic sense. The human heart. I do infact think there is such a thing, something that makes each of us special and individual.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Abandonment, Ableism, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Classism, Deadnaming, Grief, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship
sandramarinis's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book really made me reflect on ethical dilemmas related to AI-technology. I never thought I would love a robot so much, but I ended up really liking Klara and wanting her to have her needs met. It's so weird since she technically doesn't have feelings like humans do, but she still has a strong moral compass which almost seems like human emotions. It's hard to explain this book. For some reason I feel like this book would've made an even bigger impression on me if the ending was darker and unhappy. I didn't feel like it needed the happy ending, but that's just my personal opinion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Grief, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Gaslighting, Medical content, and Mental illness
Minor: Abandonment and Emotional abuse
chitti's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Very well written scenery - can imagine it in my head clearly. It’s a little boring. Lovely characters, charming to see the world through a character as Klara.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
thebetterstory's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
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? Yes
3.75
A very odd book, owing mostly to its very odd but lovable narrator. We still don't have all that many stories about an AI from their perspective, and those that we do tend to show the AI as very human (see: the delightful Murderbot). Klara's perspective is downright bizarre in a way that's continually surprising and interesting to read. I've never seen an author so successfully convey what it would look like if you essentially created a fully-fledged, mature human, had her live her entire life in a quiet retail store and then sent her out to experience the world with only that limited perspective to rely on.
The central plot, or what there is of it, remains tense and absorbing as you're drawn into hoping that things will work out for these characters, against all odds and in spite of their blatant flaws.
The central plot, or what there is of it, remains tense and absorbing as you're drawn into hoping that things will work out for these characters, against all odds and in spite of their blatant flaws.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Child death, Abandonment, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Racism, Bullying, and Xenophobia
The characters are nuanced, but it's certain that they are all generally unkind to Klara at one point or another in the book. I wouldn't personally say that these relationships are solely toxic, and Klara isn't upset by it, but there's definitely significant dehumanization at times (if you count Klara as a human) and a background understanding and suggestion that AFs, including one we care about, have been and continue to be abused.mirandyli's review
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A Black Mirror-esque story about the loneliness that comes with artificial intelligence.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Terminal illness, Death, and Child death
sherpa2015's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Bullying, Chronic illness, Abandonment, and Mental illness
Minor: Classism
prettiestwhistles's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Ableism, and Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, Abandonment, Classism, and Terminal illness
Minor: Pedophilia
innerweststreetlibrarian's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book reminded me a lot of Never Let Me Go (which I loved). There’s something similar about Klara’s voice, a naïveté perhaps?
Nothing much really happens and it’s a little infuriating that we don’t get to see or understand more about the world (so in that sense, it reminds me a little of The Buried Giant, which I didn’t like), but there’s enough to keep the reader intrigued. I was quite amused by the AFs having their own superstitions.
Nothing much really happens and it’s a little infuriating that we don’t get to see or understand more about the world (so in that sense, it reminds me a little of The Buried Giant, which I didn’t like), but there’s enough to keep the reader intrigued. I was quite amused by the AFs having their own superstitions.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness and Terminal illness
Minor: Child death, Abandonment, and Mental illness
heather_harrison's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Pros
* Nailed the linguistics of a robot
* Complex relationships with family
* Exploration of idea of being replaced by machines (this happens to Klara herself)
* Ambiguous ending - was Josie healed by the sun from Klara’s sacrifice or did she die only to be seamlessly replaced by the portrait?
Frustrations
* Slow plot
* POV gives extremely limited view of the world, leaves plenty of unanswered questions about the world and Josie
* introduced Sal but no explanation of her death
* Klara is painfully optimistic, unable to empathise with her
Like a duller, lonelier, non-homicidal version of M3GAN.
* Nailed the linguistics of a robot
* Complex relationships with family
* Exploration of idea of being replaced by machines (this happens to Klara herself)
* Ambiguous ending - was Josie healed by the sun from Klara’s sacrifice or did she die only to be seamlessly replaced by the portrait?
Frustrations
* Slow plot
* POV gives extremely limited view of the world, leaves plenty of unanswered questions about the world and Josie
* introduced Sal but no explanation of her death
* Klara is painfully optimistic, unable to empathise with her
Like a duller, lonelier, non-homicidal version of M3GAN.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Child death, Grief, and Abandonment