Book Review - Klara and the Sun - Kazuo Ishiguro

The Klara of the title is an ‘artificial friend’ who is bought to help Josie, a teenager, who is suffering from an illness that is never specified. Klara is powered by the sun, who she worships because it gives her nourishment, and the book is told from her perspective.

I really enjoyed the first section of this book, when Klara was in the shop – Ishiguro’s writing has a real calmness, and the descriptions are so tight. It’s a beautifully realised setting, and I just accepted it as it was. It’s set in the not so distant future, where children can have their intelligence modified – lifted I think is the phrase used – and the author has a fantastic way of letting the readers imagination fill in the rest of the blanks. I liked Klara, and it was fascinating how her understanding of the world grew – as she learnt about love, faith and devotion.

But for some reason,’Klara and the sun’ as a whole just didn’t come together for me – parts of the last section, as to Klara’s intention, just left me a bit confused. I did of course feel sad for Klara, which is a tribute to Ishiguro’s writing, but maybe I was expecting some big reveal at the end, which just didn’t come. Beautifully written of course but I much preferred 'Never let me go.' I really wanted to enjoy this more than I did.

Book cover - Klara and the sun by Kazoo Ishiguro

320 pages, Faber & Faber

First published March 2, 2021

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