Book Review THE FUTURE Naomi Alderman

Thank you to the author Naomi Alderman, publishers Simon & Schuster, and also to NetGalley, for an advance digital copy of THE FUTURE. All views are mine.



I really really love A.I. and I'm a proponent of its development. So when I heard about this book and heard such good things about it, I was really excited to read it. Unfortunately, I think it just makes too many stylistic and narrative choices that kept me from engaging! I was excited when THE FUTURE started describing the differences between human and computer consciousness. I wanted this book to also explore the moral and intellectual tether humans have to A.I., the similarities between us, the responsibility we have to each other... but the narrative didn't go there. It's undoubtedly strange and wonderful, but I couldn't pay attention with this one.

DNF 68%

Three (or more) things I loved:

1. The suggestions of uses for Metadata is completely eye-opening and amazing, table at loc. 1204. The author describes making Metadata free and accessible for everyone as something that could be the great equalizer and lift us all up from struggling for our lives. All this information fascinates and compels. How much is nonfiction?

Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. This book meanders so much, I just have no idea what it's about and I'm 15% of the way in. The plot is clearly purposefully convoluted, but I'm finding it challenging to hang with the book, not understanding anything going on, and just waiting for everything to fall into place. I'm not invested enough in what's there to have that much patience. 

2. This book feels fluffy. What I mean is, I've read over 100 pages of it and only taken 2 content notes. There's so much content whose purpose I don't understand or appreciate. I'm just not connecting with the ideas. It might be a form issue. A writer has so many choices of vehicle through which to tell stories. Here, Alderman focuses most of her page count developing her characters. Through their experiences, we encounter the events of the story. So far, I find this reading perspective too narrow and limiting. I might change my mind though!

Rating: 🦊🐰👁 survivalist forum posts
Recommend? Yes, this just wasn't my jam
Finished: Nov 10 23
Format: Digital arc, NetGalley 
Read this book if you like:
☄️ dystopian stories
🤖 AI stories
😵‍💫 cult stories 
🌈 queer rep
💻 coding

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