Klara and the Sun
"Klara and the Sun, the first novel by Kazuo Ishiguro since he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, tells the story of Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, who, from her place in the store, watches carefully the behavior of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass on the street outside. She remains hopeful that a customer will soon choose her. Klara and the Sun is a thrilling book that offers a look at our changing world through the eyes of an unforgettable narrator, and one that explores the fundamental question: what does it mean to love? In its award citation in 2017, the Nobel committee described Ishiguro's books as "novels of great emotional force" and said he has "uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world.""
Where Klara and the Sun keeps showing up
Three of our editors' lists feature this novel.
Also by Kazuo Ishiguro
Books in conversation with Klara and the Sun
A few of the closest reads from our full list.
What you might want to know about Klara and the Sun
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
Klara is a solar-powered Artificial Friend on display in a near-future shop. From the window she watches the sun and the children. A girl named Josie chooses her, and Klara learns slowly what Josie's family wants.
Yes. Klara and the Sun is Kazuo Ishiguro's first novel after winning the 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature, published in 2021. Ishiguro is also the author of The Remains of the Day, Never Let Me Go, and An Artist of the Floating World.
Yes. A film adaptation directed by Taika Waititi has been in development since 2022, with Ishiguro involved. As of 2025, the project remains in development with no confirmed release date.
Klara and the Sun was written by Kazuo Ishiguro, published in 2021 by Knopf.
Klara and the Sun is 330 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, Klara and the Sun takes most readers 5 to 7 hours to finish.
Klara and the Sun is a standalone novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, not part of a series.
Klara and the Sun is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.
