Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Klara and the Sun - Klara dan Sang Matahari by Kazuo Ishiguro

26 reviews

thebetterstory's review against another edition

emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

A very odd book, owing mostly to its very odd but lovable narrator. We still don't have all that many stories about an AI from their perspective, and those that we do tend to show the AI as very human (see: the delightful Murderbot). Klara's perspective is downright bizarre in a way that's continually surprising and interesting to read. I've never seen an author so successfully convey what it would look like if you essentially created a fully-fledged, mature human, had her live her entire life in a quiet retail store and then sent her out to experience the world with only that limited perspective to rely on. 

The central plot, or what there is of it, remains tense and absorbing as you're drawn into hoping that things will work out for these characters, against all odds and in spite of their blatant flaws.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Child death, Abandonment, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Racism, Bullying, and Xenophobia

The characters are nuanced, but it's certain that they are all generally unkind to Klara at one point or another in the book. I wouldn't personally say that these relationships are solely toxic, and Klara isn't upset by it, but there's definitely significant dehumanization at times (if you count Klara as a human) and a background understanding and suggestion that AFs, including one we care about, have been and continue to be abused.

mirandyli's review against another edition

dark reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

A Black Mirror-esque story about the loneliness that comes with artificial intelligence. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Terminal illness, Death, and Child death

sherpa2015's review against another edition

hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Bullying, Chronic illness, Abandonment, and Mental illness

Minor: Classism

prettiestwhistles's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Ableism, and Grief

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, Abandonment, Classism, and Terminal illness

Minor: Pedophilia

innerweststreetlibrarian's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective relaxing 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

4.5

This book reminded me a lot of Never Let Me Go (which I loved). There’s something similar about  Klara’s voice, a naïveté perhaps? 
Nothing much really happens and it’s a little infuriating that we don’t get to see or understand more about the world (so in that sense, it reminds me a little of The Buried Giant, which I didn’t like), but there’s enough to keep the reader intrigued. I was quite amused by the AFs having their own superstitions. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness and Terminal illness

Minor: Child death, Abandonment, and Mental illness

heather_harrison's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

Pros 
* Nailed the linguistics of a robot 
* Complex relationships with family 
* Exploration of idea of being replaced by machines (this happens to Klara herself) 
* Ambiguous ending - was Josie healed by the sun from Klara’s sacrifice or did she die only to be seamlessly replaced by the portrait? 

Frustrations 
* Slow plot 
* POV gives extremely limited view of the world, leaves plenty of unanswered questions about the world and Josie 
* introduced Sal but no explanation of her death 
* Klara is painfully optimistic, unable to empathise with her

Like a duller, lonelier, non-homicidal version of M3GAN. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Child death, Grief, and Abandonment

yrlaevelyn's review against another edition

emotional reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness

Minor: Classism, Child death, Car accident, and Abandonment

miyothecat's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, and Abandonment

Minor: Racism

itsjadenbaby's review against another edition

lighthearted 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

3.5

This was an interesting novel. A different perspective than anything I’ve read in a long time. I enjoyed it but I do think it could have been trimmed down just a bit.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness

Moderate: Classism

Minor: Bullying and Abandonment

athenium's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Chronic illness, and Death

Moderate: Ableism, Classism, Abandonment, and Bullying

Minor: Confinement, Mental illness, and Racism