Can robots dream? From Bladerunner to AI there is no shortage of sci-fi narratives asking how close the artificial experience may come to our own. But Ishiguro manages to carve his own path on well trod ground, giving a masterclass in world and character building. While the details of the future in which this story takes place are on the periphery, what the reader can assess from the lives of Klara, an AF (Artificial Friend), and her ward Josie, is as rich with possibility as it is haunting. Ishiguro’s decision to narrate the story from Klara’s perspective forces the reader to confront their own hopes and dreams for life in a profound way.