Klara and the Sun : Book Review

 


 

 

Book Review 


Title: Klara and the Sun

Author: Kazuo Ishiguro

Genre: Dystopian/Science Fiction

 

Reading a book by the winner of the Nobel prize in literature feels like traveling to a different era and experiencing the sheer magic of being alive. 

 

Klara and the Sun takes us on a pilgrimage into a world of humans and humanoids. The story is set in a dystopian society, somewhere in the United states. It’s a time when technology has led to the unemployment of many people. There is a hint of a caste system where we see the ‘lifted’ people on top of the hierarchy. While this is the broad social set up, the story is told from the perspective of Klara who is an AF or Artificial friend. 

 

Klara is appreciated by her manager in the store for having remarkable observational abilities. These AFs are designed in a manner to provide companionship to little children. One day a teenage girl named Josie sets her eyes on Klara and chooses her as her AF. When Klara leaves the store to accompany Josie, she learns about the complexity of humans and Josie’s mysterious illness that becomes a cause of concern. She also encounters several other characters including Rick- Josie’s childhood friend and his lonely mother. 

 

In his eloquent writing style, the author brings in depth and several layers to the plot and the characters.  One thing that stands out is Klara’s utmost loyalty to Josie seen in several instances and which makes her a lovable character. Through her eyes, we learn about her sensitivities and her unique relationship with the sun. 

 

Loneliness is one of main themes here, besides being a silent character in itself. Each of the character is shown battling some kind of loneliness that manifests itself in different ways. The author touches upon the aspects of cloning and technology and beautifully blends it with the unpredictability of human promises. Besides the caste system amongst the humans, there exists a sense of divide and feelings of superiority in the humanoid world. There are instances in the book which are disturbing which the author manages to weave with great care. 

 

 Klara and the Sun is profound and definitely a master piece. Melancholic and haunting, it heightens our awareness of human emotions and mortality. The ending especially leaves you with many questions. 

 

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