Klara and the Sun: A GMA Book Club Pick: A novel (Vintage International)

Loved this book. Klara is a robot with heart waiting in the store for the perfect teenager to come and purchase her. As she waits, she has this spiritual relationship with the sun. Finally, Josie comes along and convinces her mother that she can only have Klara as her companion. Josie is a bright, artistic but sickly child who desperately needs Klara and her sun. So the story begins. This story is so unusual but very timely in the era of AI and the cusp of designing robots. It is well written and kept me engaged the entire time. I would definitely recommend this book for adults and teenagers. It is an interesting and compassionate story. I feel compelled to note there is some offensive language spoken in anger for those who are concerned about that.

Klara is a solar powered robot whose Artificial Intelligence is meant to serve as an artificial friend (AF). She is purchased by Josie's mother as a companion for her daughter, Josie, who is very ill. Although not the latest model, Klara has unique observational skills that exceed the other AF in her store. When her day finally comes, Klara is cautioned by her store manager to not get too heavily invested in the promises of humans. We learn that Josie’s illness may be a side effect of her parents having had her “lifted” (a sort of genetic modification) at birth, thus enhancing her intelligence and enabling her to be more successful. Her best friend and neighbor, Rick was not “lifted” and, although he is very smart, they worry that they may not be able to go to the same college. Klara believes that the sun has almost god-like powers, including the power to make others well. She believes that the sun may be able to heal Josie as it does Klara. In actually, what the sun does for Klara is recharge her. Through Klara we see the contradictions and entanglements of human behavior in a new light. Klara cannot really understand emotions of the heart. “Of course, a human heart is bound to be complex. But it must be limited.” Can science transcend death? Is it okay for parents to use science to enhance their child’s potential? Can a robot replace a human? An intriguing, futuristic story asking… What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to be loved? I really enjoyed the concept and the story; although I thought that it was a bit slow in parts with too much filler and repetition. For that I marked it down one star. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Klara is a solar-powered robot designed to be a child’s friend, helpmate, and protector. She and numerous other robots called artificial friends (AFs) wait in a shop to be selected by a girl or boy. Meanwhile, the shop manager instructs the AFs how to behave when they are being looked over for purchase by a child and parents. They must have a pleasant expression and answer politely to questions to show them to the best advantage. Klara excels at this, and although she isn’t the newest model, she is an attractive AF with a unique ability to make and act on observations she has about people. She, like the other AFs, is ever hopeful of being chosen. One day a girl comes in with her mother and sees Klara, placed in the window. Although the mother seems unsure, the little girl, Josie, makes a promise to return and buy Klara. A long time passes, but Klara never gives up hope that Josie will come back to take her home. When she does come, Josie is noticeably thinner and paler. She and her mother take Klara home with them. Klara devotes herself to learning all she can about Josie and her family to be the ideal companion to the child. She understands that Josie is often extremely sick, and the mother worries that she may die. Klara stays close to Josie as much as possible, but there are times when she leaves the mother and daughter alone to give them privacy. During those times, she goes to a closet where there is a window, and she can track the sun’s movement in the sky, a favorite pastime. In many ways, Klara, too, is like a child, capable of simple enjoyments. Josie has a human friend, Rick, who is a next-door neighbor. Josie and Rick are close and have made plans for a future together, although Rick doesn’t come from wealth and lacks Josie’s educational prospects. Klara, aided by Rick, comes up with the idea that could “cure” Josie, but it involves a dangerous risk. Told in Kazuo Ishiguro’s elegant prose, Klara’s story is a heart-wrenching examination of one-sided loyalty and devotion. Unlike many stories about artificial intelligence and the dangers they represent, this one raises other interesting questions. If humans create a being capable of acting independently and having emotions, what are their responsibilities to it? This book brought tears to my eyes. I recommend this story to those who enjoy literary novels, science fiction, and books about the human condition.

Jag är mycket nöjd med min köp

Una vez más Kazuo Ishiguro no decepciona. Su inglés es elegante, simple, lleno de sentimientos y detalles. He leído varios de sus trabajos y nunca me ha aburrido ni desencantado. Vale la pena.

Horrible cover design. (The outer cover is narrower than the book - the edge of the cover is missing.) It's feels horrible to hold, horrible to turn pages, and it looks terrible. Publishers need to stop making these, or Amazon needs to make it clearer than you're purchasing this defective cover.

Wonderful book that has stayed with me long after reading. This book would be perfect for students to read on Literature courses as it deals with the ethics of AI. Highly recommend.

Nice book