Klara and the Sun reviewed

Klara and the Sun is an emotional novel from 2021, and it was written by Kazuo Ishiguro.

Overview

Klara and the Sun came out on March 2, 2021, and it became an instant hit. The story of the book is set in an unspecified future, it is a dystopian science fiction novel, and it was longlisted for the Booker Prize.

The book received positive reviews from various outlets who wrote a book review, including Publishers Weekly, The New York Times, Washington Post, Kirkus Reviews, The Guardian, The Sunday Times, and others, and it was a New York Times bestseller.

In these starred reviews, critics talked about similarities with other characters (like Stevens from The Remains of the Day), unique perspectives readers can see thanks to Klara’s voice, and so much more.

Author

Kazuo Ishiguro is a British writer, but he is also a musician and a screenwriter. He was born in 1954 in Nagasaki, Japan, but soon moved to the United Kingdom. Ishiguro published his first novel in 1982, and it’s called A Pale View of Hills.

It wasn’t long before Ishiguro became one of the most critically-acclaimed writers in the world. At least when it comes to books written in English. Kazuo Ishiguro wrote eight novels, several screenplays, and multiple short stories.

He was also awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature.

Genre

During his writing career, Ishiguro has covered several different genres. But his most notable work is focused on science fiction, historical fiction, and drama. And Klara and the Sun, Ishiguro’s eighth novel, is no different.

The setting of the story is in an undisclosed moment in the future, in the United States. It also shows the unforgiving world of the future, where privileged people are known as high-ranking, while those without jobs are substituted. This dystopian novel is a must-read for every sci-fi lover out there.

Plot

As mentioned earlier, the story is set in America at some point in the future. The reader will follow the narrative through Klara’s point of view. Klara is a solar-powered AF (a term used to describe humanoid Artificial Friends).

She was chosen by Josie, who is a sickly child, to be her companion. At the beginning of the story, readers will get a glimpse of the futuristic world.

Some children are genetically altered or “lifted” to possess enhanced academic abilities. Schooling is achieved through on-screen tutors, and there aren’t many opportunities for socialization. Josie’s only close neighbor is Rick.

So, the only option for rich parents is to get their kids an android.

Klara can observe the world through the store window, and she is highly intelligent. However, her knowledge of the world is quite limited. Her only source of inspiration is the Sun. Klara sees the machine through the window she named “cootings machine,” and she perceives it as an enemy because it’s blocking the sun’s nourishment. She continues to hope that a human will choose her, but soon, everything changes.

It is a story of discovery, loneliness, socialization, and love.

Movie adaptation

In 2020, 3000 Pictures, a joint venture with Harper Collins and Sony, acquired rights for the movie adaptation of the novel Klara and the Sun.

Dahvi Waller is set to adapt the story into a movie, and Ishiguro will serve as executive producer. However, fans will have to wait longer before the story is on the big screen.

It is still to be announced who will play Josie, Klara, Josie’s mother, Rosa, and other characters in the novel. However, if it’s anything like the adaptations of other Kazuo Ishiguro novels, such as the films The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go, Klara and the Sun is sure to have a star-studded cast.

In fact, Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, and Jamie Fox starred in The Remains of the Day, while Keira Knightly, Carey Mulligan, and Andrew Garfield appeared in Never Let Me Go.

More of Ishiguro’s novels

Kazuo Ishiguro has written eight novels in total, so if you enjoy Klara and the Sun, you should check out the remaining seven novels by this Nobel Laureate. These novels are:

A Pale View of Hills (1982), An Artist of the Floating World (1986), The Remains of the Day (1989), The Unconsoled (1995), When We Were Orphans (2000), Never Let Me Go (2005), and The Buried Giant (2015).

Additionally, Ishiguro published Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall in 2009, which is a collection of short stories.

How can I read Klara and the Sun?

Are you interested in reading the latest novel by Nobel-prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro? You are not the only one. In fact, this was one of the most popular novels of 2021, and it is something you need to put on your wishlist.

But the question is, how do you read this haunting fable? What are your options if you are looking to check out Klara and the Sun? Well, there are a couple of possible answers.

Physical copy

One of the ways to read Klara and the Sun is to get a physical copy. Now, you can go to the local store and buy a book and enjoy reading it whenever you please. But you can also go to the local library and see if you can borrow it instead.

Both options are good, and you will be able to enjoy the incredible book Kazuo Ishiguro wrote. The UK version of the book was published by Faber and Faber, while the US one was published by Alfred A. Knopf.

Listen to audiobooks using Speechify

Speechify is a leading audiobook service with more than 70,000 titles in all genres, including other dystopian science fiction similar to Klara and the Sun, such as Pierce Brown’s Red Rising and Wil Wheaton’s Dead Trees Give No Shelter. The platform is simple to use and works across various devices, such as multiple smartphone and laptop operating systems.

Sign up for Speechify Audiobooks today for access to many classic titles and new releases. Plus, receive your first premium audiobook for free when you try the service.

FAQ

What is Klara and the Sun really about?

Klara and the Sun is a charming story about discovery, love, and hope. It is set in the near future, where socialization is not so common. So, the only option for people is to hire an artificial friend. The book has first-person narration.

Why are children lifted in Klara and the Sun?

In the story of Klara and the Sun, lifted children are genetically modified. Those that didn’t undergo any treatment are often seen as inferior by others.

What is Klara’s favorite thing to do in Klara and the Sun?

Klara is pure and egoless. She spends her time in the store window soaking in the sunlight. She believes that the Sun is goodness, and refers to it as “he.” Klara believes that her purpose is to make her future owner happy.