Klara and the Sun: A GMA Book Club Pick: A novel Hardcover – March 2, 2021

No matter how important something is to us humans, we eventually discard it. This story is another example of who we really are.

Ishiguro continues his observance of the human condition here as in his other works, this time through the lens of Klara, an "AF/artificial friend" robot that is the narrator who is learning about humans and their behaviors, emotions, and feelings through her service to a family, and in particular, a little girl named Josie who has some unnamed sickness that is deteriorating her health and straining her relationships with her mother and her best friend, the boy next door. There are the social dynamics of children trying to figure things out, similar to "Never Let Me Go," present here in forced socializing meetups, feeling similar to those typically arranged for homeschooled kids (or here as "lifted kids" which are somehow genetically modified for "success" or enhanced characteristics, the risk of which perhaps leading to her sickness). Concepts around what is human and how we should look at or empathize with varying levels of people, genetically modified people, and AI machinery are introduced, but not dictated, so that the reader might further consider how they feel about these topics and entities. The sun is an important element here, as it gives Klara (and other AFs) power and she becomes weak with lack of exposure—it is also a clear metaphor for God here, in that it is personified by Klara, and described as giving life saving and healing power, but seemingly at his own discretion when he chooses to help or not (she has an assumption that he can help the sick Josie, but does not at various times due to some unknown reason ["the lord works in mysterious ways"], and whether or not he does anything to help in the end is left somewhat ambiguous, which I think was a pretty appropriate way to go about it). An endearing tale that opens up some interesting modern topics to further consider. 3.5–4 stars

This book begins with Klara. Klara is a robot or artificial friend made to look like a human girl. She is in a store with other robots, Rosa, her best friend, and Rex. A young girl, Josie, about fourteen, comes in with her mother. Josie wants to buy the robot, have her come home with her and her mother. Mom doesn't really want to. Josie says she will come back, she does. Then, for a long time, she does not. Josie has health problems, good days, bad days. Then when she does come back, she has to look for Klara, who has been placed in the back of the store. Happily she is found and Josie's mother relents and purchases Klara. Klara is very intelligent, she notices what is going on in the world around her. All her energy comes from the sun. Klara worships the sun like people worship God. She begs the sun to help folks. The sun answers her prayers.There are some questions that are asked. Can one person take the place of another? There is a brilliant man, Dr. Capaldi, who feels this can be done. Josie's father, Paul Arthur, is angry. He hates Dr. Capuldi.The story begins sometime in the future, kids own artificial friends, to make them happy, so they won't be lonely. Also, there is a technique used called lifted for kids to make them more intelligent, to be able to do well in life. Is this the right thing to do? The use of this might be making Josie sick. Maybe, maybe not.The book is set up in a large American city. Josie and her mom live in a large country house in the country. There is a housekeeper, Melania. Klara calls her Melania Housekeeper, Chrissie is called The Mother. Klara is so intelligent, more intelligent than many people. She loves Josie as Josie loves her. Klara promises Josie she will always be here for her. Before she was bought, Klara had never been outside, rode in a car, been out in nature. Now she is learning much about life. Rich, a neighbor boy, is her best friend. His mother, Miss Helen, has a smaller house a bit away. The two are British.Klara will do anything to make Josie well. There is an unfinished barn, in open country, that is very important. Rich and Josie have been best friends since small childhood.Dr. Capuldi is an evil man who messes with humanity. Melania Housekeeper worries about Josie. Miss Helen and Chrissie, The Mother, want the best for their children, whether it is good for them or is it what the children want? Does it make them more intelligent and better people?The story is seen through the eyes of Klara who loves the sun. The sun seems to love her.This book is somewhat like "Never Let Me Go." Characters are so much like humans, but are not.Both of these books give much to think about.