KLARA AND THE SUN

Narrator Sura Siu will be a fresh voice for many listeners, and her wonderfully subdued narration proves perfect for portraying Klara, the all-too-observant "AF" (artificial friend) purchased by a mother for her ailing child. Assigned to look after Josie, Klara slowly discovers she is being groomed to be the failing child's replacement. On this charged premise novelist Kazuo Ishiguro builds a complex story of the bond between master and servant, the relationship between dominance and dependence, both of which are reminiscent of his bestselling REMAINS OF THE DAY. Siu conveys a range of contrasting voices--male and female, adult and adolescent, American and British. In this challenging assignment, she proves herself a performer of rare grace, subtlety, and virtuosity whose haunting portrayal of Ishiguro's more than human main character will linger in listeners' minds for days. D.A.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2021]