maryleong's review
3.0
"She thinks AI can fix our most challenging relationships. She wants the machines to do what she can't."
"We can only fix ourselves. Technology will give us the freedom to do so. But the work is still ours."
When ambitious PR executive Aisha Malik finds herself working with renowned futurist Jay Edison, she sees technology as an opportunity for a second chance – with her mother, with her wife. Fully entrenched in the machine class, Aisha is condescending and dismissive towards those oppose automation, including the "Neo-Luddites" whose jobs have been replaced by AI. Her brother, Sam, who opposes this conception of technology, is often on the receiving end of her ire.
When their mother Maura dies, Aisha extracts her brain as part of Edison Lab's Brain Reinvigoration Project, hoping to reenact their last conversation and discover the truth that has driven a wedge between the two siblings. For Aisha, technology is a balm, a Band-Aid, a solution to the emotions she desperately tries to suppress. Sam is skeptical, even hostile, towards the idea of reconnecting with his mother's "brain in a jar". The tension between siblings is realistic and highlights how far their paths have diverged since childhood.
The major downside of this novel is its pacing. Most of it reads like a domestic drama wrapped in an AI shell, a thoughtful (but fairly slow-paced) exploration of family dynamics amongst a highly technological world. Over halfway into the novel, we meet Sam's friend Zain, who is using a different form of intelligence to tackle violence in Chicago's South Side. A lot happens in the last bit – we are introduced to new characters and significant plot points occur. This storyline comes in almost too late to be fully fleshed out, almost like an afterthought.
Ultimately, this is a story about loss, family secrets, and regret. About the distractions that people engage with in order to avoid dealing with challenging emotions, and (re)learning the connections that make us human.
Thank you to BookSirens and Nadia Uddin for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
"We can only fix ourselves. Technology will give us the freedom to do so. But the work is still ours."
When ambitious PR executive Aisha Malik finds herself working with renowned futurist Jay Edison, she sees technology as an opportunity for a second chance – with her mother, with her wife. Fully entrenched in the machine class, Aisha is condescending and dismissive towards those oppose automation, including the "Neo-Luddites" whose jobs have been replaced by AI. Her brother, Sam, who opposes this conception of technology, is often on the receiving end of her ire.
When their mother Maura dies, Aisha extracts her brain as part of Edison Lab's Brain Reinvigoration Project, hoping to reenact their last conversation and discover the truth that has driven a wedge between the two siblings. For Aisha, technology is a balm, a Band-Aid, a solution to the emotions she desperately tries to suppress. Sam is skeptical, even hostile, towards the idea of reconnecting with his mother's "brain in a jar". The tension between siblings is realistic and highlights how far their paths have diverged since childhood.
The major downside of this novel is its pacing. Most of it reads like a domestic drama wrapped in an AI shell, a thoughtful (but fairly slow-paced) exploration of family dynamics amongst a highly technological world. Over halfway into the novel, we meet Sam's friend Zain, who is using a different form of intelligence to tackle violence in Chicago's South Side. A lot happens in the last bit – we are introduced to new characters and significant plot points occur. This storyline comes in almost too late to be fully fleshed out, almost like an afterthought.
Ultimately, this is a story about loss, family secrets, and regret. About the distractions that people engage with in order to avoid dealing with challenging emotions, and (re)learning the connections that make us human.
Thank you to BookSirens and Nadia Uddin for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
lulu365's review
4.0
This book definitely felt like an episode from the show Black Mirror! I honestly don’t know if you can limit this to any one genre, but it was very engaging and thought provoking. I think this would make a great book club selection as there is discuss such as AI technology, family, and social issues.
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