Klara and the Sun, by Kazuo Ishiguro
23/25 | Started 07.08.21 • Finished 07.16.21 | 3.5 stars
[This post was delayed as I had to wait for the book to come into the library so I could take a photo]
I have enjoyed Kazuo Ishiguro's books in the past so when I heard this book mentioned on What Should I Read Next, I figured I should probably give it a try.
‘Sometimes,’ she said, ‘at special moments like that, people feel a pain alongside their happiness.
This was so different from everything else of Ishiguro's I've read. It was futuristic and possibly a little dystopian (maybe?). But not in a bad way. Through the eyes and observations of an artificial friend named Klara, we learn about Josie, a young girl with an undisclosed medical condition. Her parents are divorced and her mother seems to carry a weight beyond what she can give voice to. Her best human friend, Rick, is somehow on the outside of what is socially acceptable. Through Klara's insights, the reader comes to learn what it means to be a friend and what it means to truly love someone.
Until recently, I didn’t think that humans could choose loneliness. That there were sometimes forces more powerful than the wish to avoid loneliness.’
I don't think this book is for everyone. It takes a bit of getting used to Klara's voice and getting comfortable with Ishiguro not explaining every little piece of the story. Also, it's a slow burn. That said, I think it would be a good, challenging read for someone looking to branch out in their reading life. While it's not an exquisitely written book (i.e. I didn't have a ton of highlights), it provides surprising insights into human life, relationship, and love that I wasn't expecting.
‘Hope,’ he said. ‘Damn thing never leaves you alone.’