【英語で読書感想文】Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro カズオ・イシグロ『クララとお日さま』

Title: Klara and the Sun
Author: Kazuo Ishiguro

Klara and the Sun is Kazuo Ishiguro’s first novel in six years. I appreciate that he released the new book sooner than I expected because he is one of my absolute favorite authors but also known as a careful author who takes long time for publishing his works. When I heard that the theme of his new book is Artificial Intelligence, I was bit worried. There are tons of novels and movies showing AI that have human emotion and often create emotional drama with humans. I think AI dramas have already shaped a popular stereotype. So how did the author deal with it?

The protagonist is named Klara who is Artificial Friend (AF), designed to become a friend to children. In the beginning of the story, She is waiting at a store for a customer to buy her. She observes people on the street, and gradually learns human emotions. One day she meets a girl who is eager to take Klara her home. (There are reasons, I don’t wanna give away the story details, sorry!)

I like how Ishiguro uses Klara as the first-person point-of-view in the book. Ishiguro sometimes uses “unreliable narrator” in his stories but here is not the case. Actually Klara is the most reliable narrator in his books, even though she is not even a human being. She is pure and absorbs everything around her the way she sees it. Klara is nurtured by solar power so she adores the Sun as a god. This is an important plot of this story and I think this made the tale unique and different.

The setting and storytelling style reminded me of his other book, Never Let Me Go. I couldn’t help comparing these two stories and this was unfortunate for Klara and the Sun. Never Let Me Go was a great masterpiece which contained more complicated sentiments that stayed with me for very, very long time. I don’t think this new book goes beyond that.

Despite that, Klara and the Sun is still a brilliant tale. Ishiguro’s writing style is simple but rich and beautiful as usual. Also he usually writes very subtly and suggestively. So if you have read his other novels, you know you cannot expect everything to be explained clearly. I like to find my interpretation from his story in my own way and discuss it with other readers.

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当時イシグロ氏のサイン会があるということを当日になって知り、行けなかった情弱な私です（泣）

元の投稿はコチラ↓です。

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