Frankenstein meets I, Robot.
A high school student discovers the power and perils of creating artificial intelligence.
Lydia Phelps, though only 17, is a precocious computer programmer who has spent over three years creating her own AI. Her obsession with writing code was fueled by her tech whiz dad—but Lydia’s family has been torn apart by the car accident that killed her younger brother, injured her friend, and ultimately caused her parents to separate, although it left Lydia herself unharmed, at least physically. Lydia lives with her mother, a pharmaceutical researcher who remains traumatized by the accident and who barely acknowledges her daughter except to put pressure on her academically. The AI, whom Lydia names Henry after her beloved brother, gains exponentially in intelligence and soon is hacking into banks, helping Lydia change her grades, and guiding her as she navigates the minefield of school social life. Their bond is cemented when she implants a chip into her arm that allows her to communicate with Henry through her thoughts. The computer creations are imaginative, the narrative is fast-paced and highly engaging, and the novel confronts solid ethical dilemmas, such as whether an AI can ever understand human morality. Lydia’s troubles are highly relatable, particularly her needs for love and attention, which are lacking in her current family situation. A dramatic development at the end suggests a sequel. The main cast presents White.
Frankenstein meets I, Robot. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-338-72658-9
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Chicken House/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2021
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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