Klara and the SunKlara and the Sun
What it's about
Klara is an Artificial Friend, a solar-powered robot companion for children, waiting in a store to be chosen. She is chosen by Josie, a teenager who is often ill, and goes to live with her and her anxious mother. Klara watches the humans around her closely, trying to understand them, and comes to believe that the Sun, which gives her strength, can heal Josie.
Why it's worth reading
It was longlisted for the Booker Prize and was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's Ishiguro's gentle, haunting novel about love and what makes us human, after he won the Nobel Prize.
You'll love it if you liked
Never Let Me Go
The Remains of the Day
MockingbirdGood to know
Klara's narration is strange and limited by design. Its world is revealed slowly.
By the numbers
- Readers2 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics15 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller62 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz19 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #236 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #401 of the 481 new books we rank
- #2346 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, Moving, Dark
More by Kazuo Ishiguro
The Remains of the DayNever Let Me Go
An Artist of the Floating WorldIf you like this, read next
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Bliss Montage
Atmosphere
The Everlasting
Cloud Cuckoo Land
BabelExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Klara and the Sun worth reading?
Yes. It was longlisted for the Booker Prize and was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It ranks #2,346 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 60.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Klara and the Sun about?
Klara is an Artificial Friend, a solar-powered robot companion for children, waiting in a store to be chosen. She is chosen by Josie, a teenager who is often ill, and goes to live with her and her anxious mother. Klara watches the humans around her closely, trying to understand them, and comes to believe that the Sun, which gives her strength, can heal Josie.
How long does it take to read Klara and the Sun?
About 8 hours (320 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Klara and the Sun?
If you liked it, try Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro or Mockingbird by Walter Tevis.