April 2002 - Fiction Group Read - (Use Spoiler Tags) Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

[Alannah]

Please discuss our winner here.

[Pam]

I’m glad this book was selected since I’m already reading it. I’m 30% through it and am enjoying it! The concept of Artificial Friends (AFs) reminds me of one of my favorite books, Plum Rains, which has a prototype artificial social companion.

[Greg]

So thrilled this one was chosen!

I've loved the others by Ishiguro I've read, especially Never Let Me Go, The Buried Giant, and The Remains of the Day. But I haven't read this one yet!

[Karin]

I've just put a hold on this, but an #11 in line--hopefully I am close to the front at my personal library where the give preference to patrons (the holds are in a library network.

I have heard that this book is very different than his others. Many of my GR friends who have read it have rated it 4 or more stars, including ones that don't read dystopian/scifi, but not all liked it.

I've only read one of Ishiguro's novels so far, and am going to start this fresh with no expectation of it being anything like The Remains of the Day.

[Greg]

Karin wrote: "I've just put a hold on this, but an #11 in line--hopefully I am close to the front at my personal library where the give preference to patrons (the holds are in a library network.

I have heard th..."

Karin, all three of those novels I cite are vastly different in topic and approach, though I definitely can feel his sensibility working in all of them.

I think not expecting it to be like The Remains of the Day is wise! I suspect this book will be once again quite different than his others.

[Colleen]

On a library hold! I'll get to it as soon as I can and lurk a bit here.

[Greg]

Colleen wrote: "On a library hold! I'll get to it as soon as I can and lurk a bit here."

Wonderful Colleen! :)

[Alannah]

If I can get a copy of this through audible, I will join in. If not I may have to put this on hold until May/June time. My studies are starting to get busy as I finish up the year.

[Greg]

Alannah wrote: "If I can get a copy of this through audible, I will join in. If not I may have to put this on hold until May/June time. My studies are starting to get busy as I finish up the year."

Totally understand Alannah. It's available through Audible US, but there are often differences on Audible UK. Hope things work out with Audible, and more importantly, wishing you the best with your studies!

[LauraT]

I've read it last year, and I have to confess I didn't love it that much; I'm curious to see what you think...

[Janice (JG)]

I have just started this and am intrigued. I have great respect for Ishiguro as a writer, so I am looking forward to where this will take me.

[Greg]

Sounds good Janice!

I hope to start after the 1st Laura, and I'll let you know what I think. :)

[Luca]

I finished the book early this year, and the plot was really good (even though I didn’t like the end so much) - but it made me think a lot about how we perceive the world and how we’re struggling to be more. And this need-to-be-more sickness is affecting our emotions. Is a really good reading, especially thinking about how Josie’s mum wanted to have a “potentiated” version of her daughters and then she regrets that choice; bc she found out that losing her daughters is even worse than have “genius-like” ones. I think that this book is worth reading :))

Looking forward to your opinions

[Greg]

Sounds encouraging Luca! :)

If any of what you posted are spoilers though, please edit your comment to put that part under spoiler tags. If you are using the website, it's easy.

To add spoilers, do the following but remove the space after each < character:

Here is the example non-spoiler part, and < spoiler> this is the example spoiler part < /spoiler>.

If you add the spoiler tags, the portion between the spoiler and /spoiler will be hidden unless someone clicks on it.

[Steve]

Thank you Greg!

[Greg]

Steve wrote: "Thank you Greg!"

:)

[LauraT]

Greg wrote: "Sounds good Janice!

I hope to start after the 1st Laura, and I'll let you know what I think. :)"

I count on it!

[Tweedledum]

I read this book last year and found it fascinating but I think it would be good to reread with the group.

[Greg]

Tweedledum wrote: "I read this book last year and found it fascinating but I think it would be good to reread with the group."

We'd be glad to have you join us Tweedledum!

[Greg]

We are trying something new and now have two different threads for each book discussion. This thread is for discussing our winner while you are reading the book. In this thread, please be careful to use spoiler tags to mark any comments that contain spoilers!

If you are using the app or if you don't know how to add spoiler tags and you want to comment with some spoilers, use the other thread SPOILERS NOT MARKED!:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

If you are setting up email notifications and are worried about encountering spoilers, be careful setting up notifications to this thread because the emails might not handle spoiler tags correctly! If you are using the app, be careful viewing this thread because spoilers might not be hidden in the app!

[Ruth]

I am picking up a copy from the library Monday. I requested it and it already came in but I have to get through this weekend and my Mom’s memorial service.

[Greg]

Ruth wrote: "I am picking up a copy from the library Monday. I requested it and it already came in but I have to get through this weekend and my Mom’s memorial service."

Virtual hugs Ruth. Glad you will be joining us!

[Greg]

Starting just a week early since I want to participate in several reads next month:

I just started Book One, and as always with Ishiguro, I love how quiet and penetrating the prose is.

No huge happenings yet but Klara's perspective is so fascinating, her yearning for knowledge of the outside . . . and I feel very drawn to Josie with her kind smile and cautious walk. I love the moment where Klara and Rosa are shocked by the idea of (view spoiler)[seeing where the sun sets (hide spoiler)], and I'm curious as to why the AFs avoid (view spoiler)[passing in front of the store (hide spoiler)].

With Ishiguro, little things like this feel momentous to me somehow, and in life, I suppose it's those small things that we don't always notice that carry much of the truth of life! I feel that way about my life, for sure. Much of the truth of life is internal.

[Greg]

Finished Book One, and there are several little mysteries. Since it's coming from Klara's perspective, it's often slightly unclear. Although she's intelligent and very curious, she has an unbiased and a completely uninformed perspective; she often doesn't understand fully what is happening or why people are doing what they do.

There are a few points where (view spoiler)[things appear to fragment or split into panels. "When I next looked, the street outside had become partitioned into several vertical panels." At first, I thought the divisions were real, but then sometimes, this even happens inside the store. "We were then facing the store, . . . but the space had become partitioned into ten boes, so that I no longer had a single unified picture of the view before me. . . . In one box she was visible only from her waist to the upper part of her neck, while the box immediately beside it was almost entirely taken up by her eyes . . . And yet a third box showed a part of her jaw and most of her mouth . . . ." (hide spoiler)] What do you think is going on here? I guess maybe (view spoiler)[this is something in Klara's programming where the view seen by her eyes is manipulated by her software somehow? Maybe it is an intentional feature, or maybe it is a bug that occurs when she is under stress? (hide spoiler)] I found this whole thing curious.

Then, the next mystery was the strange "Cootings Machine." What does everyone think that was? My best guess was (view spoiler)[some kind of road or sidewalk repair equipment? It seems to generate smoke, and it does disrupt the taxi traffic; so it must be either near or in the road. (hide spoiler)] But I wasn't sure.

One other thing: why was Manager disappointed in Rosa and Klara after their last day in the window? I thought maybe (view spoiler)[she was disappointed that they hadn't been sold? (hide spoiler)] Is that what everyone else got out of it, or did anyone have another theory?

[LauraT]

Greg wrote: "So thrilled this one was chosen!

I've loved the others by Ishiguro I've read, especially Never Let Me Go, The Buried Giant, and The Remains of the Day. Bu..."

I think that as beautifula as The Remains of the Day he will never get

[Greg]

LauraT wrote: "I think that as beautifula as The Remains of the Day he will never get"

I think it's a matter of taste, but I totally get it Laura. The Remains of the Day is very different than his other books; it's such a beautiful character study and heartbreaking in its quiet power!

I find his other books also beautiful but in very different ways.

[Greg]

I just finished book 2, but I'll take a break now until the group read hits the official start date in April before I continue on into book 3. It's going to be hard to restrain myself, but I think I can do it. :)

Since Klara doesn't take anything for granted, she notices the little things that most people would take for granted . . . such as her observations about morning Coffee time and it's importance to Josie and the mother.

Now, there are some larger mysteries, most importantly what exactly makes children (view spoiler)["lifted" (hide spoiler)]. It seems maybe the (view spoiler)[process of getting "lifted" relates to Josie's and Sal's illnesses somehow? The mother seems to have a lot of guilt about their illnesses that seems strange; when Klara asks her what made them ill as they sit by the waterfall, the mother reacts so strongly! It feels almost as though she internally blames herself for allowing Josie to be "lifted" and causing her illness (hide spoiler)]

The other part that's really mysterious to me is when the mother says to Klara: (view spoiler)["They always do this. Toy with your feelings . . . . Maybe it looks like I'm being hard. But how else will they learn? They have to learn we have feelings too. . . . Does she think I like being away from her, day after . . . day?"

Her level of hostility seems strange. She's clearly talking about Josie, but why would she use the pronoun "they"? And why would she think her daughter or daughters would toy with her feelings like that? It's as though she doesn't think of Josie quite as a normal child. (hide spoiler)] I've very curious as to what's going on here.

I am starting to think this book will end up being similar to Never Let Me Go, in (view spoiler)[its use of future technological innovations to explore the roots of human behavior and fundamental human drives (hide spoiler)].

[LauraT]

Greg wrote: "LauraT wrote: "I think that as beautifula as The Remains of the Day he will never get"

I think it's a matter of taste, but I totally get it Laura. The Remains of the Day is very diffe..."

Indeed it is a matter of taste - as always with books and reading!
I was talking about how I felt with it; and I do agree with you saying that I also liked ho other books, but not as much as that

[Alannah]

I have ended up buying the paperbook copy of this book. This has been all over my social media and a couple of book reviewers I follow on Instagram have said they preferred reading the book over the audiobook. I'm taking that suggestion so it may take me longer to read.

[Nancy]

LauraT wrote: "I've read it last year, and I have to confess I didn't love it that much; I'm curious to see what you think..."

Oh, thank goodness! I thought maybe I was missing something, but it's just about the worst book I have ever tried to read. DNF. So very different from his other books. Wonder what he was smoking.

[Greg]

Nancy wrote: "Oh, thank goodness! I thought maybe I was missing something, but it's just about the worst book I have ever tried to read. DNF. So very different from his other books. Wonder what he was smoking."

Wow, you really didn't like it!

I'm enjoying it well enough so far, though not quite as much as my favorites of his. How far did you get before the DNF?

[Greg]

Just finished Book 3:

I find it touching Clara's misguided (view spoiler)[attempt to bargain with the the sun to get healing for Josie. It makes sense how she's made a sort of religion out of the sun since it's the most fundamental thing for her survival, as vital to her as food or water would be to a human being. (hide spoiler)]

This thing with the (view spoiler)[the photographer (hide spoiler)] doesn't sound good though. I'm not sure what it's about, maybe (view spoiler)[the making of an AF that looks like Josie for the mother after Josie dies (hide spoiler)]? Either way, I sense something disturbing going on there that I fully expect will be more clear later.

The main mystery for me now is what it means that some kids are (view spoiler)["lifted." It seems to have a risk of physical illness, but perhaps it affects how knowledge is gathered (hide spoiler)]? It's really strange that the (view spoiler)[TWE (I suppose a teachers' organization or union) forbids members from taking on unlifted kids. There's a huge social pressure for the lifting, but it hasn't yet been revealed why (hide spoiler)]

This book is similar to Never Let Me Go in the way it just drops you into this (view spoiler)[alternate and possibly future world (hide spoiler)], but it doesn't do any hand-holding. The reader slowly absorbs what's happening from all the minutiae of the characters' daily lives and interactions. That gives it an intimacy that feels very Ishiguro-ish.

I'm very eager to see where this goes; I feel like I haven't quite discovered the heart of this story yet.

[Alannah]

I started this on Wednesday, it was quite easy to get stuck in. Before I knew it I had read about 90 pages.

[Tom]

Greg wrote: "Just finished Book 3:

I find it touching Clara's misguided [spoilers removed]

This thing with the [spoilers removed] doesn't sound good though. I'm not sure what it's about, maybe [spoilers remov..."

Have you read The Remains of the Day?

[Jade]

I got a copy l hope to start it when I finish my current reads

[Tom]

Tom wrote: "Greg wrote: "Just finished Book 3:

I find it touching Clara's misguided [spoilers removed]

This thing with the [spoilers removed] doesn't sound good though. I'm not sure what it's about, maybe [s..."

Never mind. I saw in a previous post you had.

[Steve]

I just finished Klara and the Sun and loved it. In general, I’m not a big fan of dystopian books, movies, etc., but Ishiguro has an ability to paint with very different pallets and still make his spirit shine through the masterpieces that are superficially so different. I love his observations, his gentle understatement, the universality of his sentiments. I love the naivety of his protagonist, which is inseparable from her kindness, her hopefulness, and ultimately her wisdom. I love characters who are humble and overlooked. It reminds me a bit of some characters in Dickens who drive critics crazy because they are too good to be true. In this case, Ishiguro sidesteps the realism issue by making Klara an AF. The responses to this group read have spanned the spectrum from top to bottom, and I understand how some readers may not like it, but I am very glad to have read it, and I know it will stay with me for a long time. *****

[Tweedledum]

After a month in which I broke my leg pretty comprehensively slipping on some seaweedy rocks, had surgery in a hospital a long way from home and then battled with my local hospital to agree a follow up appointment, I finally got around to beginning to read Klara and the sun for the second time.

Audible seem to have mislaid my original purchase so bought the kindle version.

What struck me now, on re-reading was the exquisite detail with which Klara describes her very limited view of the outside world and her deep appreciation of the sun though at this stage she has a limited appreciation of what the sun even is.

Reading, or rather listening first time, I remember it taking me quite a long time to fully appreciate who or what Klara and her companions were and the mind boggling ideas of that rather overshadowed other aspects of the writing. However this time around I am savouring this.

This is something I love about all Ishiguru’s writing, Simple sentences build layer upon layer of complexity that is almost imperceptible then later you realise a wonderfully detailed background has been crafted.

Klara’s sentience and intelligence sets her apart in so many ways, here she is as the beginning of understanding, eager for knowledge, curious, looking forward to fulfilling her purpose. The reader is challenged even here to consider the potential cruelty of creating a sentient creature… albeit of a robotic nature, that must, of necessity go on to endure a “life” locked in loneliness and isolation once the “purpose” has been fulfilled.

[Steve]

Great insight!

[Ruth]

I just finished this and loved it. The only book I have read of his was The Remains Of The Day and this was so different but it makes me want to read his other books. I will have to look to see what I can get from the library.

[Karin]

Ah, this was before I got into a very busy stretch, but I did read this. I was disappointed in it, but not because it was different from Remains of the Day. It started off strong but there were several things that brought it down for me, including, but not limited to, the magical realism bit.

[Tom]

It seems to me the general theme (view spoiler)[stunted lives (hide spoiler)] is the same between Klara, Remains and Never Let Me Go. Variations on a theme.