From the Bookshelf of Apocalypse Whenever…

Klara and the Sun

Kazuo Ishiguro

Start date: June 15, 2024

Finish date: July 1, 2024

Discussion: AW BOOK CLUB (spoilers)

Discussion leader: Gertie

Why we're reading this: July 2024 book selection, read by July 1st: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...…more
[close] July 2024 book selection, read by July 1st: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

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AW BOOK CLUB (spoilers)

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By Gertie , Please go nominate books for book club! · 22 posts · 64 views

last updated Aug 15, 2025 08:35AM

* August 2025: Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey
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last updated Aug 08, 2025 03:48PM

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What Members Thought

Oct 21, 2022 Cecily rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: overrated, dystopian-apocalyptic, solitary-protagonist, friendship-and-found-family, scifi-future-speculative-fict, family-parenting, god-religion-faith, ya, autism-maybe, class-etiquette

You want the best for your child.
But what is “best” - and is it best for you (prestigious, perhaps) or truly best for your child’s talents, interests, and inclinations?
What are the costs, both for you (perhaps financial) and for the child (loss of recreation to make time for intensive coaching, and the consequences of failing at something they were never suited to)?
What about the societal consequences of the elite buying advantage, whether by hard cash or connections?

They’re common questions i ...more

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Dec 17, 2021 Kandice rated it it was amazing

When I read the last page of an Ishiguro novel it feels like I am slowly waking from a dream. He writes in such a way that you are lulled into a quiet comfort. I love this feeling and look forward to it as soon as I pick one of his up.

This was very close to The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go in that humanity, at it's very core, is explored from the outside. Klara and NLMG are both told from the POV of the other. Sure, Stevens in Remains is human, but Stevens was not a human like me. He f When I read the last page of an Ishiguro novel it feels like I am slowly waking from a dream. He writes in such a way that you are lulled into a quiet comfort. I love this feeling and look forward to it as soon as I pick one of his up.

This was very close to The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go in that humanity, at it's very core, is explored from the outside. Klara and NLMG are both told from the POV of the other. Sure, Stevens in Remains is human, but Stevens was not a human like me. He felt very, very foreign, and yet very relatable. All three are first person narratives, and this is Ishiguros's strongest storytelling tool in my opinion.

I have a Book / Film club that meets monthly. We read a book that has been adapted to either a series, show or movie, read and watch and then meet to discuss and compare. I am often sad that a book I particularly love will not fit the parameters of our choices. This shouldn't because there has been no adaptation, but I can think of two that could be watched and read alongside that would give the same feeling. The film Gattaca, and the 16th episode of the third season of STtNG, The Offspring. The former explores the pitfalls of improving humanity through genetics and manipulation, and the former examines the possibility that Artificial Intelligence created in our own image may be capable of understanding emotion, even when unable to feel it themselves, more than we would ever be willing to credit. As I type, many more are occurring to me, but I'll stop here.

I'm not going to outline the plot, or even hint at other lessons Ishiguro is obviously trying to impart, but I will say that if his quiet, unassuming style that ends up delivering a punch in the gut, is not to your taste, you won't like this. Klara's voice is stilted at times, her observances are obviously innocent so do not relay all that is happening under the surface, religion, without being called religion, is a main point, and it can be hard to immerse yourself in the story told from this POV. If, however, Ishiguro's sneaky moral mongering is something you enjoy, this will be right up your alley. It was in my particular neighborhood, block, street, and mailbox. Perfect!

...more

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Jul 10, 2021 Carol Keller rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2021

I haven't bought a new hardback book in forever and frequently read on Kindle, but I took a chance and bought this at Barnes and Noble. That same day, several people posted in one of my Facebook groups about not liking this book. I have to say, I really enjoyed it! Although, I can see why some people might not like it because it is a quiet book with not a lot of action and not much happens. The point of view is that of the AF, Artificial Friend, Klara, who goes to live with Josie and her Mother. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jul 21, 2022 Evilynn rated it liked it

Shelves: spec-fic, 2022

That... Was a bit of a let down. I avoided The Buried Giant, because LitFic authors usually don't do to well writing other genres, but I really love Never Let Me Go, so I had high expectations for this as well. However, I got quite hung up on Klara and her capabilities. Some things really grated, and I don't know if it was a deliberate choice, or that Ishiguro didn't know (or didn't care) how AI speech works, or how image processing works, but the stilted language and the continued noting of how ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Oct 18, 2021 Ryan rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction-novels

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBi67...

Engrossing, despairing, and ridiculous in equal measure? Need to mull this one over a bit...

There is a strange tension between inept melodrama (e.g. Helen and Vance's dialogue) alongside piercing renderings of adult/parental cruelty.

In cinematic terms, I went in hoping for Spike Jonez or Alex Garland, but got M. Night Shyamalan instead (and before you ask, I'm not sure if this novel rises to the flawed brilliance of Spielberg's takeover of Kubrick's "A.I. ...more

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May 28, 2021 Bonnie rated it did not like it

Shelves: books-i-gave-up-on

I didn't particularly like Never Let Me Go, although I did make it through it. This one moved too slowly and not much happens, with little world building. This author is not for me. ...more

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