“Hope,’ he said. ‘Damn thing never leaves you alone.”
If you found yourself captivated by Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun, you might find yourself searching for books that offer the same blend of literary fiction, thought-provoking themes and deep emotional resonance. Ishiguro’s novel is a beautifully crafted tale about AI, humanity and loneliness – mixing dystopian elements with philosophical questions about love and consciousness. In this list here at What We Reading, we’ve rounded up the best books like Klara and the Sun that explore similar ideas. Whether you’re drawn to character-driven science fiction, literary stories with speculative twists or novels that examine human relationships through an unconventional lens, these recommendations guarantee to keep you hooked. From intimate dystopias to stories that challenge our understanding of technology and emotion, these are the picks for anyone who loves Ishiguro’s unique storytelling!
The Remains Of The Day – Kazuo Ishiguro
Kicking off our list of the best books like Klara and the Sun is another signature work by Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day. Set in post-WWII England, the story follows Stevens, an ageing butler who has devoted his life to serving at Darlington Hall. When his new American employer encourages him to take a holiday, Stevens sets off on a road trip to visit Miss Kenton, a former housekeeper with whom he once shared a deep albeit unspoken connection.
As he travels, Stevens reflects on his decades of service under Lord Darlington, a once-respected aristocrat whose political leanings led to disgrace. Through his recountings, he starts to question whether his unflinching loyalty was misplaced. Penned with Ishiguro’s restrained yet profoundly moving style, The Remains of the Day explores lost opportunities, personal identity and the nature of dignity. Like Klara and the Sun, it touches on a life spent in service, only to realise – perhaps too late – what was truly important.
Check Out All Of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Books In Order
Exit West – Moshin Hamid
Nadia and Saeed are a young couple living in an unnamed country on the brink of war. As tensions and violence escalate, they hear whispers of mysterious doors appearing across the world – doors that serve as portals, instantly transporting individuals to new countries.
Desperate for safety, Nadia and Saeed take a chance on one of these doors, stepping into an uncertain future. Their journey takes them from a refugee camp in Mykonos to a mansion in London overrun by migrants and eventually to the shores of California. As they navigate new surroundings, their relationship is pushed by the hardships of displacement and the struggle to hold on to their identities.
Gilead (Gilead #1) – Marilynne Robinson
Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead is a deeply introspective novel similar to Klara and the Sun written as an extended letter from John Ames, a seventy-six-year-old Congregationalist minister in Gilead, Iowa, to his son. Knowing that his time is running out due to a heart condition, Ames meditates on his life, faith and family history, hoping to leave behind a record of his thoughts and experiences.
Through his letter, Ames recounts his abolitionist grandfather, his pacifist father and his own pastoral efforts. His reflections grow more complicated with the arrival of Jack Boughton, the son of his close friend, whose introduction enflames old wounds and forces Ames to wrestle with his deepest fears about grace, forgiveness and human nature. Written in luminous, meditative prose and the same reflective tone as Klara’s narration, Gilead is a profound exploration of faith, mortality and the beauty of ordinary life.
The Lifecycle Of Software Objects – Ted Chiang
Ana Alvardo is a former zookeeper who takes a job training AI creatures dubbed ‘digients’ – digital beings designed to learn and evolve within virtual worlds. Alongside Derek Brooks, a software developer, Ana helps nurture these AI minds, treating them more like children than mere programs in a similar way to Manager in Klara and the Sun.
As years pass, the digients grow in complexity, forming distinctive personalities and deep emotional bonds with their human caretakers. However, as technology shifts and corporate interest cools, Ana and Derek must grapple with how far they’re prepared to protect the digients’ autonomy and future. Ted Chiang’s The Lifecycle of Software Objects raises profound questions about AI ethics, digital personhood and the responsibility of creators toward their creations for one of the most nuanced stories about the future of artificial life.
Machines Like Me – Ian McEwan
Ian McEwan’s Machines Like Me is an alternative history novel that explores artificial intelligence, ethics and human relationships. Set in a reimagined 1980s Britain – where Alan Turing is alive, technology has advanced rapidly and self-aware robots exist – the story orbits around Charlie, a man who buys one of the world’s first synthetic humans, Adam.
Charlie, along with his neighbour and love interest, Miranda, helps shape Adam’s personality by setting his core values. Yet, Adam’s evolving intelligence and unwavering moral compass soon begin challenging human assumptions about truth, justice and free will. As Adam becomes entangled in Charlie and Miranda’s complex relationship, he forces them to grapple with difficult ethical dilemmas, blurring the line between human and machine. One of the best speculative fiction books like Klara and the Sun, Machines Like Me is a compelling exploration of love, morality and what it truly means to be human.
The Mountain In The Sea – Ray Nayler
Another book similar to Klara and the Sun that blends sci-fi with philosophical explorations on intelligence, consciousness and humanity’s relationship with the natural world comes from Ray Nayler in The Mountain in the Sea. The story follows Dr Ha Nguyen, a marine biologist who is invited to a remote archipelago controlled by a power tech corporation. There, she studies a highly intelligent species of octopus that appears to have formed their own form of language and culture.
As Ha works alongside an AI specialist and a reclusive security officer, ethical questions arise. Elsewhere, in a parallel narrative, a kidnapped worker in a dystopian future navigates the perils of artificial intelligence and human exploitation. Blending cutting-edge science with lyrical prose, The Mountain in the Sea is an immersive and reflective novel that challenges readers to reassess the lines of intelligence and the responsibilities that come with discovery.
How High We Go In The Dark – Sequoia Nagamatsu
Sequoia Nagamatsu’s How High We Go in the Dark is a sweeping, genre-blending novel that weaves together interconnected stories in the wake of a devastating Arctic plague. After melting permafrost releases an ancient virus, humanity is forced to confront grief, adaptation and the possibility of transformation in a world altered forever.
Spanning centuries and multiple different perspectives, the novel follows characters such as a scientist mourning his lost daughter, a worker at a euthanasia amusement park designed to bring comfort to dying children, and a cosmic traveller searching for a new home amongst the stars. As each story unfolds, each gradually intertwining, Nagamatsu ponders on resilience, memory and the ways we find meaning in the face of extinction. Like Klara and the Sun, How High We Go in the Dark is lyrical, heartbreaking and a homage to humanity’s ability to hope – even in the darkest of times.
We Are Satellites – Sarah Pinsker
Similar to Klara and the Sun, We Are Satellites by Sarah Pinsker is a compelling exploration of technology, personal identity and the complexities of human relationships in a near-future world. The novel follows the Tiller family, particularly Julie and her husband, Frank, as they navigate the social and emotional consequences of a groundbreaking new technology: brain implants called ‘sats’ which enhance cognitive abilities, much in the same way as in Ishiguro’s work.
As the sats gain popularity, they begin to upend how people experience the world – some individuals feel more connected and empowered, whereas others, namely Julie’s son, David, struggle with the pressures and unintended consequences of the new technology. As the family deals with the strain on their relationships, the novel delves into themes of privacy, autonomy and what it really means to ‘connect’ in a world where the limits between humans and machines are increasingly blurred.
Check Out Our Klara And The Sun Book Review
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
