A review by crafalsk264
MARiiMO by Tyrel Pinnegar

challenging emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

This book is told in the form of a journal kept by an autistic (undiagnosed) roboticist named Tammy Maheswaran. Tammy is a reclusive, independent, self educated scientist. She has decided to build a robot with a high level artificial intelligence with the ability to learn. The first quarter of the journal entries deal with Tammy’s thought processes and problem solving. We get to know how Tammy relates to her environment and emotions. We follow her decisions on the design, production elements, specifications and programming. This shows us how Tammy deals her own issues of isolation, anxiety, touch and connection. Tammy names her creation “Mariimo” (from marimo, a form of green algae). “To me, marimo represent the beauty hidden in things that most would overlook. It’s my hope that when Mariimo is activated for the first time, her curiosity and unique perspective will allow her to find beauty in things that even I had never considered.”

As Mariimo learns about her environment, masters sitting up, standing, walking. She also imprints on Tammy as the most interesting part of her world. The pace of the book is slow, meditative, thoughtful. The plot premise is intriguing. Character development is unusual in that Tammy is the character and by reading her journal, we learn what she thinks, feels, hopes, and dreams. The ending was satisfying but left the final resolution unknown. Overall a very good read with some discretion regarding sexual content.