2021: Although this seems to be a pretty polarizing novel, I was left feeling overall just fine about it.

There are a ton of elements of [b:Never Let Me Go|6334|Never Let Me Go|Kazuo Ishiguro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1353048590l/6334._SY75_.jpg|1499998] in here, but none are done so well as Ishiguro did in his best sci-fi novel. It's like he chickened out, right at the end, and presented the idea of future machines taking over the world, without letting them do so. I really would have loved to see Klara complete Josie, as icky as that makes me feel to think about.

It was a strong choice to let us view the world through Klara's eyes, but it made it difficult to connect to the main character for me. Klara's stilted language and minimal emotions really made the narration lose me in navigating this future world. Out of nowhere, there are separate communities that people live in, and Josie's father is a fascist? Do they even live in countries anymore? What elements from our world can I bring into this one (recycling perhaps?) and what do I have to leave behind? Very unclear, the entire time.

If anything, Ishiguro would have benefitted from much more specificity here. He should call [a:Danielle Evans|19282109|Danielle Evans|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] for some consulting. In the end, I'd recommend you stick with Never Let Me Go (and definitely avoid [b:The Buried Giant|22522805|The Buried Giant|Kazuo Ishiguro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1451444392l/22522805._SX50_.jpg|41115424]!)