A review by savvylit
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

At it's core, Klara and the Sun is a beautiful story about platonic love. Ishiguro instantly immerses readers in Klara's perspective. Thus, many aspects of the dystopian world around her stay intentionally vague. Though that may frustrate some readers who appreciate more world building in their sci-fi, I found the vagueness incredibly effective. Klara and the Sun is about humanity as perceived by artificial intelligence. Readers are not given specifics because we essentially are Klara and we learn what she is permitted to learn.  

I could say so much more about this book but I'd like to avoid spoilers! I really enjoyed reading this novel. Klara is an all-around loveable character and an empathetic, curious narrator. Much like Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go, this story has heartbreaking moments that question the ethics of existence. Should parents make life-altering choices for their children? Should we create beings whose only purpose is to serve? In writing Klara and the Sun, Ishiguro has yet again created a novel that is simultaneously heartwarming, heartbreaking, and thought-provoking.
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