fabulousdave's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! Absolutely, breath-taking. Incredible. Ishiguro builds such fascinating worlds and, for a narrative that could lean into cynicism so easily, Klara and the Sun speaks so beautifully of how the human heart is formed through interconnection. There aren't enough words to praise this book as much as it should be!
eliseiswright's review against another edition
3.0
I’ve been really looking forward to this one and even preordered it—Never Let Me Go is one of my absolute favorite books, and it was one of the biggest book hangovers I’ve ever had. And while I certainly enjoyed this one, it was probably going to be a strong 3 star rating for me until Part 4 pulled a lot of punches.
Ishiguro has a way of starting a story with a slow build—not a lot of fast-paced plot or action, but conversations, observations, the subtle ‘otherness’ of his worlds. I don’t feel like I’m racing to get to the good part, just meandering through really great writing and enjoying the ride. Our narrator in this book, Klara, is an AF (artificial friend) and she see the world through childlike eyes, trying to learn and absorb everything. And we only find out bits and pieces of this arguably dystopian future as she learns them. So when I got hit with certain plot points regarding Klara’s true purpose, it felt like a much bigger revelation and really stayed with me, as well as Ishiguro’s discussion of what it truly means to feel.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced complicated plot then this is probably not the book for you. However, if you like more introspective reads or if you’ve read any of Ishiguro’s other works and liked them, I would highly recommend this one.
Ishiguro has a way of starting a story with a slow build—not a lot of fast-paced plot or action, but conversations, observations, the subtle ‘otherness’ of his worlds. I don’t feel like I’m racing to get to the good part, just meandering through really great writing and enjoying the ride. Our narrator in this book, Klara, is an AF (artificial friend) and she see the world through childlike eyes, trying to learn and absorb everything. And we only find out bits and pieces of this arguably dystopian future as she learns them. So when I got hit with certain plot points regarding Klara’s true purpose, it felt like a much bigger revelation and really stayed with me, as well as Ishiguro’s discussion of what it truly means to feel.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced complicated plot then this is probably not the book for you. However, if you like more introspective reads or if you’ve read any of Ishiguro’s other works and liked them, I would highly recommend this one.
ferdavilareads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-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
4.0
dinosourkisses's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
kickboyface's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
jenjenceline's review against another edition
3.0
I was going into this novel hoping for a sea which appeared calm but would at any moment turn choppy and plunge me into the water. I kept hoping *soon* that something would happen but well, it was always peaceful.
For my personal taste in books, this didn't work for me. It played it too safe. Klara's view is that of a 5-year-old without ever really growing up. It makes sense for the novels premise, but left descriptions of the dystopian world feeling incomplete and vague. I thought by the end of the novel, important plot points would be fleshed out (eg. more explanation of what it is to be 'lifted') but they're merely giving simple explanations that feel like cop outs.
Regardless of my complaints, I didn't struggle to keep reading this book so I can't go lower than 3*.
For my personal taste in books, this didn't work for me. It played it too safe. Klara's view is that of a 5-year-old without ever really growing up. It makes sense for the novels premise, but left descriptions of the dystopian world feeling incomplete and vague. I thought by the end of the novel, important plot points would be fleshed out (eg. more explanation of what it is to be 'lifted') but they're merely giving simple explanations that feel like cop outs.
Regardless of my complaints, I didn't struggle to keep reading this book so I can't go lower than 3*.
sab_1961's review against another edition
4.0
I was hoping for more from this audiobook but it did seem mostly disappointing. I continued to the end and overall I am glad I read it but mostly it seemed quite boring. The first very popular review seems to sum up my feelings too although the book is thought provoking and I did like the book after finishing it. The audiobook is available on the Libby app
meggswest's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.0
jameswdeav's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I really loved the simple prose of this book and how easy the language made it so accessible to lose yourself within the story. Makes me want to read more of Kazuo Ishiguro.