Monday 16 August 2021

Klara and the Sun - Ishiguro Kazuo

"Klara and the Sun, the first novel by Kazuo Ishiguro since he was
awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, tells the story of Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, who, from her place in the store, watches carefully the behaviour 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 and the Sun takes on the same old sci-fi themes authors have been exploring for decades, and does nothing new with them, in my opinion. A girl called Josie and her mother purchase an AF (Artificial Friend) called Klara, who then observes their interactions, plus the interactions between Josie and her friend, Rick. Much time is spent looking at the sun, sketching, and navel-gazing. I cannot figure out if we are actually supposed to be surprised by the info Ishiguro reveals halfway or not, because it is obvious from the moment Klara is purchased.

The story is deliberately vague, which at first I really enjoyed the elusiveness of however it soon comes to feel lazy rather than mysterious. Klara's stiff AI narrative voice makes for a dull read though there where some moments of sweet childlike innocence leading to naivety, and it is even more disappointing to discover we are not being led anywhere remarkable.

I did genuinely enjoy the religious aspect that the Sun took on for the Solar Powered AF's an how that was incorporated. I wish that that had been explored more. 

I would like to say here that I actually have very high tolerance for quiet character studies about human behaviour.  But I sadly did not find this to be a very successful one of those either. Klara, Josie, Rick, and Josie's mother are not characters I will remember and the plot, premise and themes where nothing new or unique. This whole book lacked a spark for me.
 

Age Rating 14+ Nothing untoward however does mention death of children and illness. 

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