Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

Klara e il Sole by Kazuo Ishiguro

120 reviews

laurajordensharris's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, Grief, Abandonment, and Classism

chelly_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, Grief, Abandonment, and Classism

etinney's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Ishiguro continues to be a master of subtle yet impactful symbolism. If you are looking to start reading his work, Klara and the Sun is probably one of his most approachable. This novel is also unique in it being a "Covid" book (released in Apr 2021) that isn't about the illness itself. Rather, it reflects on themes of social isolation and fears regarding the advancement of science in contributing to that loneliness and dehumanization. I think the ending shifts the book's tone in a direction that I thought was odd given what the rest of the book had led up to. Ishiguro gives us this feeling of dread and tension that just kind of gets resolved.

The fact that praying to the Sun works in apparently curing Josie (though my interpretation is that this was merely a coincidence) goes agains the theme of overreliance on religion to cure our problems with the world. I wish the consequences for Klara having enacted a small act of ecoterrorism (destroying the construction machinary) because the "Sun" (aka "Son" aka the Christian God) told her to in exchange for a miracle.

There are many themes explored in this novel that feel underdeveloped toward the end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness

Moderate: Child death and Terminal illness

Minor: Classism

kriziny's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, and Terminal illness

pasta_al_limone's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness

p2rteltytar's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness and Terminal illness

Moderate: Child death, Grief, and Classism

Minor: Bullying

jrow's review against another edition

hopeful slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

It was a nice read through the eyes of such a hopeful character.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Terminal illness, and Classism

Minor: Bullying and Child death

nineinchnails's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

i genuinely really loved this but it’s been almost a month since i read it so i can’t remember why i liked it so much

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness and Terminal illness

Moderate: Child death, Death, Grief, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Bullying

flicklix's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

“I guess you may not be here when I get back. You’ve been just great, Klara. You really have.” 

This single quote made me explode into tears and I haven’t cried this much reading a book in a while. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness and Terminal illness

Minor: Grief

claire_lamb's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Terminal illness