4 out of 5 stars
How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.
In a Nutshell: The danger of allowing an autonomous 'agent' into your house. Set in Australia.
I enjoyed this book. The writing is very accessible, and it flowed very well, throughout. A good 'easy read'!
The basic plot: In the near future, Arthur and Patricia purchase an AI controlled robot to help with jobs around the house. Before long they're talking to it as if it's human. Naming it. Introducing Samuel to the rest of the family. Allowing it to make certain decisions itself, beyond their instruction. What could possibly go wrong?
This is the second novel I've read recently about people thinking they can control AI, only to discover how wrong they are. A warning to us all, if it's not already too late.
I had a couple of issues with the book, one of which is purely subjective - I found the ending a bit too cosy, and the twenty years later epilogue too long and detailed. I must underline that this is only my opinion, and I am sure that many readers will like the way in which it is all wrapped up. The other thing was Arthur and Patricia. They're only in their early sixties, but they felt older, from times past, rather than a few years into the future. I'm older than both characters, but I couldn't relate to them at all.
I liked that there was a certain amount of humour within the narrative and dialogue - that worked very well, as did the chapters from Samuel's POV. This novel is definitely worth reading, and subtly emphasises the the craziness of relying on technology to undertake tasks that humans can do themselves.
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