Synopsis:
Klara is an AI. She is picked by a little girl who is ill. She is happy to be with her but learns so much.
Klara is sitting in a store front waiting to be picked by the perfect child. She wants to get out and see the outside world with one of the children she sees outside the window. She’s such an intelligent AI. She sees things that most of the other AI’s don’t.
One day a little girl tells her that she is going to come back and get her. She waits but the girl doesn’t come. Another child sees her and wants her but Klara does not want to go with this child. The store owner helps the child find another AI but comes to Klara and explains that children will tell you they want you one day and never come get you. Sometimes it is because they are too poor and sometimes it is just due to children being fickle. She explains that Klara will have to go with the next person who chooses her whether she wants to or not because AI do not get to pick, the person does.
Klara is moved from the window and place in a hidden spot in the store. Then, the little girl comes in looking for the AI she had seen in the window but she doesn’t see her. The mom tries to get the little girl to pick another AI but she wants Klara. The store owner helps her find Klara and Klara is so happy to finally have the little girl.
She explains to Klara that it will not always be sunshine but she will be happy in their home and asks Klara is she would like that, which Klara agrees.
Klara finally gets to escape the store but is it what she had expected and is it as she had hoped?
Review:
Klara has more feelings as she learns more of the world. She takes on humanistic qualities and may even achieve feelings. This is completely different from what I expect from a story about AI.
It was definitely an interesting take. I thought I was going to hate this book but it far exceeded my expectations for a good book. This is not something I would usually read but had heard a lot of people mentioning it and thought I would give it a try not knowing to much of what it was about.
I would encourage you to give it a try even if it isn’t something you would usually read because it is about AI. There is so much more to this story. I isn’t dull at all. With children, friendship, illness, death, emotions all done beautifully in the tale. It will make you think about the possibilities of the future whether that makes you cringe or gives you hope?
I was sucked in from the start. I highly recommend the audio book because Sue Siu did a wonderful job bringing Kazuo’s story to life.
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I am glad you ended up enjoying it! Agree about the narrator, it was very well read.