Klara and the Sun

 

Klara and the Sun by Kazu Ishiguro. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2021. 303 pages. ***

Klara is a robot (an Artificial Friend) who spends her early days observing the world beyond the store window. Klara enjoys the sun's nourishment as well as the children who stare at the AFs with wishful glances. When Klara and her friend, Rosa, have a turn in the store window, they are surprised to see that there are very few AFs walking with their children or walking by themselves. Life becomes complicated when Josie and her mother chose Klara as Josie’s friend and take her home. Klara and Josie are fast friends and Klara tries to find ways to help Josie heal and become stronger. 

 

This book is my Book Club's choice for September. While I enjoyed it, the story was not a wow for me. I haven't read any other books by this author or other AI storylines, so it may have been my lack of understanding. I enjoyed Ishiguro's writing style and Klara's perspective of human interactions. There is sadness in purchasing a friend for your sick child and then having the artificial friend learn the mannerisms to step in if your child dies. Reviews are mixed and I am ambivalent, I'm glad I read it, however, it's not one that I want to discuss or recommend to my friends. 

 

Kazuo Ishiguro was born in Nagasaki, Japan, in 1954and moved to Britain at he age of five. His eight previous works of fiction have earned him many honors around the world including the NobelPrize in Literature and the Booker Prize. He was given a knighthood in 2018 for Services to Literature. 

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