University City Public Library Book Challenge: Klara And The Sun

Press release from University City Public Library Book Challenge:

July 8, 2021

Klara and the Sun

As a solar-powered, very human-like robot, Klara has a strong belief in what the Sun can do (and yes, Sun is capitalized when Klara refers to it). So when her owner, a sick teenage girl named Josie, begins having more and more desperate health problems, Klara is convinced that she can appeal to the Sun to intervene and provide some of its healing nutrients to Josie. But has Klara offered enough deference to the Sun? Is her plea a worthy one? Only time will tell.

Despite her amazing artificial intelligence and ability to pick up on Josie's emotions, Klara still has intellectual limitations. This book delves into that, as well as the nature of faith, love, and humanity. There are many things discussed in Josie and Klara's world that don't make much sense to the reader — What does it mean to be "lifted" as Josie is? When and where is this happening? — but given that this story is told from Klara's point of view, that is perhaps the point. An intriguing and thought-provoking tale.

This press release was produced by University City Public Library Book Challenge. The views expressed here are the author’s own.