May 08, 2025

Klara and the Sun - Kazuo Ishiguro

30 minutes

Episode Overview

In this episode, TS analyzes Kazuo Ishiguro's 2021 novel Klara and the Sun, the Nobel Prize winner's first book since receiving the prestigious award. This examination explores what works and what doesn't in this melancholy sci-fi tale told from the perspective of an "Artificial Friend" named Klara who develops a spiritual connection to the Sun while caring for a sick child.

Key Topics Covered

The premise and narrative structure of Klara and the Sun

Character analysis of Klara, Josie, and their complex relationships

The theme of faith and the Sun as a symbol

The "lifted" vs "unlifted" social division in the novel

Analysis of Klara as an unreliable narrator

Alternative narrative approaches that might have worked better

Craft discussion: creating non-human perspective and restraint in exposition

Drink pairing: "The Artificial Friend" - a sophisticated twist on a classic

Drink Pairing

"The Artificial Friend" - A sophisticated, metropolitan twist featuring Japanese whisky, yuzu-infused vermouth, and orange bitters, garnished with a Sun-like orange peel with three small cuts representing Klara's fragmented vision.

Non-alcoholic alternative: Cold-brewed white tea with yuzu juice, honey syrup, and orange blossom water, with the same garnish.

Next Up

Coming soon: The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

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