Spellbook Saturday: Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

hedgewitchbotanicals

1 day ago

This week’s #spellbooksaturday was an absolute delight from a gifted writer…

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
[Content warnings: terminal illness, references to loss of a child, grief & loss, etc.]

Here is the story of Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, who, from her place in the store, watches carefully the behavior of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass on the street outside. She remains hopeful that a customer will soon choose her, but when the possibility emerges that her circumstances may change forever, Klara is warned not to invest too much in the promises of humans. A thrilling feat of world-building and a novel of exquisite tenderness and impeccable restraint, Klara and the Sun is a magnificent achievement, one that offers a look at our changing world through the eyes of an unforgettable narrator to explore the fundamental question: what does it mean to love?
[source: bookshop.org]

Having read Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go many years ago, I was familiar with his ability to wring intense emotion from closely observed moments, and in Klara and the Sun his writing is similarly adept. Exploring themes of love, loss, and hope, Klara’s narration is profoundly earnest and touching, garnering deep sympathy while at the same time critiquing the world that made her.

Have you read any of Ishirguro’s work? What were your thoughts? Share in the comments!

I have a Bookshop.org list of #spellbooksaturday features for folks to peruse, but in the spirit of transparency, as a Bookshop.org affiliate, I receive a small percentage of book sales purchased through my links. If you find that off-putting, feel free to shop directly through bookshop.org or your own local bookseller! My only goal here is to resist Amazon and the mega-rich.