“Klara and the Sun” is Kazuo Ishiguro’s eighth novel, and the winner of the Nobel Prize for literature. It’s a dystopian science fiction novel set in 2021. The book takes place in a world where technology has ruled the world for centuries. Despite its dystopian setting, the novel is a great read for those who like to explore the dark side of human nature.
The novel is an exploration of the human psyche. We learn that people have long been seeking to improve their lives. The novel is a satire of today’s meritocracy. The wealthy are able to afford to lift their children to get into a good university. In the meantime, most kids can’t go to school. Those parents who can afford to do it spend hours studying and reading at home.
As a first-person narrative, “Klara and the Sun” is a fascinating read. The protagonist, Klara, is part toy and part robot and is a hybrid of solar cells and artificial intelligence. The novel’s geneology is clear, and the author captures the moods of transience and existential self-doubility through the characters’ perspectives. There are few other works like this in the last decade that have so much to offer, but “Klara and the Sun” is one of the best novels I’ve read this year.