Ever since I saw Jojo Rabbit, Taika Waititi has been one of my favorite directors of all time. Waititi has a gift for intertwining genuine humor and on-point satire with emotional depth, and I aspire to watch everything he directs.
Waititi’s latest project adapts Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel Klara and Sun to film. The movie will release in theaters this month on October 23rd. In celebration of this upcoming film, I’ve gathered together a list of books for fans of Klara and the Sun.
Isiguro’s novel centers upon an Artificial Friend named Klara. As Klara waits to be purchased by a human, she observes the world around her through her store window. When a change of circumstance approaches, Klara is told not to place too much trust in humans. Ishiguro examines a number of poignant themes in this book, from technology to the nature of humanity, friendship, family, belonging, and love.
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Waititi’s film adaptation promises a star-studded cast, including Jenna Ortega as Klara, alongside Cillian Murphy’s son Aran Murphy, Amy Adams, Steve Buscemi, and Mia Tharia. I’m confident Waititi and the cast can breathe life into this powerful story.
For those looking to read more of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novels before seeing the film, another Book Rioter, Emily Martin, created a helpful guide to his books. Along with reading up on Ishiguro, though, I’ve curated a selection of books that share similar themes with Klara and the Sun. Once you finish reading the book and watching the movie, these emotional books about robots and human nature will be just your cup of tea.
4 Books for Fans of Klara & the Sun
 Death of the Author by Nnedi OkoraforLike Klara and the Sun, this literary sci-fi by Nnedi Okorafor explores robots, AI, and the concept of humanity. Still feeling the sting from her novel draft’s latest rejection on top of getting fired from her university job, Zelu pivots by writing a novel about robots and the death and destruction of the human world. The ensuing fame will change her life. As with an Ishiguro novel, Okorafor unpacks a number of moving themes in her writing, including art, technology, race, disability, family, friendship, and love. It’ll leave you with much to think about after you finish. |
 A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky ChambersBecky Chambers is another excellent author to check out for fans of Kazuo Ishiguro, as she also writes thought-provoking and poignant sci-fi. Like Klara, this story involves robots, as well as deep philosophical ponderings on life, nature, and humans. While hundreds of years have passed since the robots in Panga became conscious and headed for the wilderness, a tea monk named Dex will set off on a soul-searching adventure, only to come across a robot named Mosscap. As this curious robot asks the question, “what do humans need?”, the pair will travel together in search of an answer. |
 Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou by Hitoshi AshinanoWith its endearing android protagonist, as well as undertones of melancholy paired with hope, this touching manga by Hitoshi Ashinano will also appeal to fans of Klara and the Sun. The story takes place along the coast of Japan in the wake of an environmental disaster. As an android named Alpha manages a seaside cafe, she wonders when her owner will return. Despite the slow encroachment of the end of the world, Alpha and the residents of the town enjoy small moments of happiness and reflect on the beauty of life. |
 The Humans by Matt HaigWhile this intriguing sci-fi novel by Matt Haig stars an alien protagonist rather than a robot, it also involves an outsider observing and reflecting upon humans, like Klara does. An alien gets sent to Earth with a particular mission: he’ll inhabit the body of a Cambridge University mathematician named Professor Andrew Martin. While he begins his mission with a specific idea and judgment of humans, he’ll soon find that there’s more depth to humans than he initially believed possible. |
Before You Set Off…
Like Klara and the Sun, I hope these books make you think, and I hope they make you feel too. May they add some sunshine to your reading life. For those who want to devour more books in the vein of the Klara and the Sun movie, check out these book adaptations we want Taika Waititi to direct, as well as these great sci-fi robot books.