This novel is very much a Sci-Fi “almost present day” look at a possible future for humanity. It is notable for its attention to the details of everyday life in that society, with settings and societal elements given appropriate descriptions, names, and acronyms. And thereby hangs a problem.
Excessive acronyms are accurate, even in our time, but they can distract the reader from the meaning of the sentence. A series of letters like FIPAA or MIOPE means a whole lot less than a carefully chosen commercial-sounding name like Fix8tion.
The main modernism the story discusses is the danger of advanced AI, but dealt with on a personal scale. This brings it alive for us, and the book posits a workable solution to the ethical dilemma. A related theme comes from the slowly developing and neatly choreographed “who can I trust?” conflict, which, as in real life, doesn’t get completely solved, leaving us primed for a sequel.
Some of the writing style is not so successful. Long, complex sentences and academic vocabulary will restrict the readership to more educated adults.
A minor point: this book makes an effort to normalize acceptance of various gender roles, some of it successful, some distracting. Using a character who identifies as they/them is reasonable, but it points out the communication problem caused by this new usage. It is a problem with all pronouns to be clear to whom the pronoun is referring, and dealing with a singular pronoun that has traditionally been used for plural means the author must be doubly careful that readers know the antecedent every time “they” is used. Other experiments in pronoun use feel less integral to the plot (“MI pronouns like it, ta, and x?”) and tend to become irritating.
This novel is a tight, emotionally charged discussion of a contemporary problem, with a few distractions that have minor effect on the overall experience. Of special interest to Sci-Fi fans with real-world concerns about AI.
4 Stars