Thank you! You’re exactly right about Ishiguro. I read Remains so long ago that I’ve forgotten most of it, but I definitely felt sadness for Klara. The novel’s ending made my heart hurt- which I think is the issue that concerns Ishiguro. What ethical and moral obligation do we have to ‘artificial’ beings?

Thanks, Catherine! I always find your reviews so thoughtful. (And I love your contributions to the podcast with Sarah.) It’s so interesting how deep you can go with his novels. For instance just above where you said, “I guess I attributed more intelligence to Klara because she was artificial…” — that’s exactly why the humans around her, namely Josie’s dad and her BF neighbor, were willing to blindly believe any possibility of hope Klara might offer, even what does turn out to be a childlike understanding of the sun.

I saw so much correlation between Klara and Stevens (from The Remains of the Day) — especially with how Klara could stand around and overhear all these conversations because her presence was so easily dismissed or ignored altogether — like that of a “good” butler. And her entire existence is only confined to the teenage years of her companion (I won’t say more for spoilers — but that is evident when she is speaking with Manager later in the book), so her whole being is tied up in a simple form of servitude disguised as friendship.

I read Never so long ago it’s hard to say. I only know Buried Giant is my favorite.

Yes! It’s a very old-fashioned, elegant attitude of less-is-more, which is so not contemporary! But his subjects are. A wonderful conundrum.

You put this so beautifully. I think part of his gift is how in each of his books he reaches the reader in a different way. I guess I attributed more intelligence to Klara because she was artificial, but her obsession with how to heal Josie was so unscientific- if that makes sense. But I agree, he writes beautifully about the construct of humanity.