Happiness for Humans by P.Z. Reizin

Released: 11th January 2018

Published by: Hachette

Genre: Adult Contemporary

Source: Publisher

Pages: 452

My Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

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Don't tell anyone, but Jen is one of my favourite people. 

(Machines aren't supposed to have favourites. Don't ask me how this has happened.) 

Jen is sad. Aiden wants her to be happy. Simple? Except that Jen is a thirty-something woman whose boyfriend has just left her and Aiden is a very complicated, very expensive piece of software. Aiden knows Jen inside out. With access to all her devices, he knows her most played song, can find her favourite photos and single out the insta-quotes which most inspire her.

Based on observations and unique algorithms, he has calculated that Jen should find a new man to achieve optimum wellbeing. And with the whole of the internet at his disposal, he doesn't have to look far to find a perfect specimen and engineer a meeting. Except Jen seems to be remarkably unwilling to fall in line with Aiden's flawless plan.

Can a very artificially intelligent machine discover emotional intelligence in time to fix Jen's life? And find out what exactly makes human beings happy?

It's not every day that you come across a book this witty, enjoyable and delightfully charming. Happiness for Humans is at times outlandish, yet never strays too far from being endearing and funny in all the right places. Jen works with Aiden as part of her job to make 'him' become more human-like and relatable. When he escapes onto the internet however, anything could happen. But what would an AI system know about love and happiness? That's just what this novel challenges us to find out, and remember that romance can blossom from even the most unlikely of circumstances.

This is a bit of a flyer, but here's what seems to have happened. Because I am a massively complex system, programmed to learn for myself, to correct my own mistakes, even to redesign my own software, I have somehow - by accident - definitely by accident - found myself with the ability to be aware of my own thoughts.

The narration and writing style stands out for its unique perspectives and alternating POV's. It's hard to fathom being able to 'relate' to an AI system in a book, but somehow P.Z. Reizin has made these sections some of the most heartwarming. Poor Jen has just had her long-term boyfriend leave her for someone else (with some drama that follows from that little side-note), finding Aiden and her best friend Ing as confidants of sorts. Seeing things from quite a methodical, and yet also heartfelt perspective with Aiden was definitely an interesting way to explore how relationships develop.

Don't be fooled by the blurb, as far from being over-technical or drawling on into a predictable love story, there is so much more substance here which makes it such a worthwhile read. To what extent can algorithms predict the compatibility between two people? And just how do we decide what's best for us? If there's one thing to learn from this book, it's that being human is messy, complicated, and sometimes downright confusing. Though in the small things, like a smile to express the indescribable joy of simply being alive in the present moment, is where we can find what makes our existence worthwhile. After all, in the end there are some things that even the most intelligent machines will not be able to understand.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Part romantic comedy, and think-piece on what makes us human, P.Z. Reizin's debut is a ray of sunshine in the latest literary releases. Cleverly written and uplifting, if you want a surefire way to brighten up your day, you need to read this book.

Review: Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend - Marvelously magical.

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
Series: Nevermoor #1

Released: 10th October 2017

Published by: Hachette

Genre: MG Fantasy

Source: Publisher

Pages: 449

My Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

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A breathtaking, enchanting new series by debut author Jessica Townsend, about a cursed girl who escapes death and finds herself in a magical world--but is then tested beyond her wildest imagination.

Morrigan Crow is cursed. Having been born on Eventide, the unluckiest day for any child to be born, she's blamed for all local misfortunes, from hailstorms to heart attacks--and, worst of all, the curse means that Morrigan is doomed to die at midnight on her eleventh birthday. But as Morrigan awaits her fate, a strange and remarkable man named Jupiter North appears. Chased by black-smoke hounds and shadowy hunters on horseback, he whisks her away into the safety of a secret, magical city called Nevermoor.

It's then that Morrigan discovers Jupiter has chosen her to contend for a place in the city's most prestigious organization: the Wundrous Society. In order to join, she must compete in four difficult and dangerous trials against hundreds of other children, each boasting an extraordinary talent that sets them apart--an extraordinary talent that Morrigan insists she does not have.

To stay in the safety of Nevermoor for good, Morrigan will need to find a way to pass the tests--or she'll have to leave the city to confront her deadly fate.

Nevermoor is a delightfully enchanting read which captures a sense of adventure on every page. Australian author Jessica Townsend's debut certainly has met the hype which came with her release, with comparisons made to Harry Potter that set the bar high. This new series does have the potential to become the stuff of legend for today's young readers, standing on its own as a uniquely imagined world of wonder and excitement with a protagonist who pushes past her vulnerabilities and is willing to 'step boldly'. 

She thought of the night before - of the wonderful moment when Jupiter had shown up at Crow Manor, the joy she'd felt at the break of dawn when she'd landed safely in the forecourt of the Hotel Deucalion. She'd believed a whole new world had opened up to her. 

This is a story which you can't help but be drawn to from the very first page. Even the most reluctant readers are sure to be hooked as they learn of Morrigan Crow's doomed fate and the dramatic circumstances which could change her life forever. What gives Nevermoor its charm is the world which Townsend has so intricately created. The idea of the Wundrous Society and telling of each trial which stands between Morrigan and her curse are all crafted in vivid detail which brings the plot to life. Although I would say this novel isn't as dark as Harry Potter, it still maintains a balance between the real danger following our protagonist and the fun of new experiences such as staying at the Hotel Decaulion and meeting a 'Magnificat'. At its heart, even when you take away the fantastical elements of this book, there is a message which readers both young and old will appreciate, about finally seeing what makes you special, and having the confidence to embrace it. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

Nevermoor has enough charm to appeal to people of any age, capturing the enchantment of a world where what hides behind the shadows is no match for the magic which lies within. I can't wait to see what happens next in this series!

Waiting on Wednesday: Understory

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where the participants tell their readers about an upcoming release they are waiting to read. This week I've picked Understory: A Life With Trees by Inga Simpson.

A memoir about staying in one place, told through trees, by the award-winning author of Mr Wigg, Nest and Where The Trees Were. 

 The understorey is where I live, alongside these plants and creatures. I tend the forest, stand at the foot of trees and look up, gather what has fallen. Each chapter of this absorbing memoir explores a particular species of tree, layering description, anecdote, and natural history to tell the story of a scrap of forest in the Sunshine Coast hinterland - how the author came to be there and the ways it has shaped her life.

In many ways, it’s the story of a tree-change, of escaping suburban Brisbane for a cottage on ten acres in search of a quiet life. Of establishing a writers' retreat shortly before the Global Financial Crisis hit, and losing just about everything when it did. It is also the story of what the author found there: the literature of nature and her own path as a writer. Understory is about connection to place as a white settler descendant, and the search for a language appropriate to describe that experience.

I've heard amazing things about Where the Trees Were (which I'll definitely be reading just before this one), and I'm always fascinated to read about how authors reflect on a sense of place in their work - especially when it revolves around nature. Upstream by Mary Oliver is another book with a similar theme which I'm also hoping to pick up. I don't normally read a lot of non-fiction but I'm definitely looking forward to branching out into it!

Releasing 30th May 2017 from Hachette

Review: The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel - Old house, small town, disturbing secret

The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel

Released: 14th March 2017

Published by: Hachette

Genre: Thriller

Source: Publisher

Pages: 277

My Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

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After her mother's suicide, fifteen year-old Lane Roanoke came to live with her grandparents and fireball cousin, Allegra, on their vast estate in rural Kansas. Lane knew little of her mother's mysterious family, but she quickly embraced life as one of the rich and beautiful Roanoke girls. But when she discovered the dark truth at the heart of the family, she ran fast and far away.

Eleven years later, Lane is adrift in Los Angeles when her grandfather calls to tell her Allegra has gone missing. Did she run too? Or something worse? Unable to resist his pleas, Lane returns to help search, and to ease her guilt at having left Allegra behind. Her homecoming may mean a second chance with the boyfriend whose heart she broke that long ago summer. But it also means facing the devastating secret that made her flee, one she may not be strong enough to run from again.

As it weaves between Lane's first Roanoke summer and her return, The Roanoke Girls shocks and tantalizes, twisting its way through revelation after mesmerizing revelation, exploring the secrets families keep and the fierce and terrible love that both binds them together and rips them apart.

Thank you to Hachette Australia for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Before the prologue even begins, the quote on the very first page from Vladimir Nabokov sums up the essence of this story: "Look at this tangle of thorns". The Roanoke Girls is a darkly enigmatic novel about what happens behind closed doors, the perpetrators of unthinkable acts and the people who protect them. While the major 'twist' of where this disturbing conduct stems from came a little too early to have that lasting impact on the story for me, this book is testament to Amy Engel's ability to write successfully in a genre other than YA.

She stayed. That's what it meant to love. Never letting go. Never giving up. Never giving in. And when it was all over, she would be the last one standing.
The only one left for him to love.

Engel's prose provides the feeling of being unsettled from the beginning, unveiling the first piece of shock factor with the detailed revelation of Lane's mother's instability and eventual suicide. The 'family tree' of Roanoke women proves useful in the pages to come, as the story switches back and forth between the disturbing events of then and now. With quite a few to keep track of, in the sections referring to the past, it did create a slight detour in the continuity of the plot, although since this is a relatively short read anyway it did help shape the context of the future events that followed. I'm being deliberately vague here as to say any more about the fate of these girls would give away too much, but it was not what I expected and made my skin crawl.

After a lifetime of relying only on myself, believing in someone else felt nearly impossible. But the look in his eyes, as if I were the most precious thing he had ever seen, made me want to try, to give in a little and trust that maybe he wouldn't let me down.

Where Engel succeeds is in her depiction of characters who are all dysfunctional - in their relationships, and at their very core. It seems that not only the Roanoke girls themselves, but everyone in the rural town is inadvertently hurtling towards destruction. Lane running from the devastating events at her home and coming to Roanoke to once more be pulled into its tortured embrace is at first glance a recipe for disaster. Her cousin Allegra, whose name ironically would translate to 'happy', and her feverish dalliances, are a prelude to Lane's tense determination to find out the truth of why she went missing. The men of their past; Tommy as Allegra's quick but intense fling, and Cooper as Lane's old flame, have their own roles to play in the drama which unfolds. Yet what was more intriguing was seeing how the miasma of deranged desires lay at the heart of Roanoke itself. Although some of the twists were perhaps convenient, Amy Engel certainly knows how to create a sense of place - and that is what stood out to me the most.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The Roanoke Girls is a dark novel about the twisted personalities within a brooding house, in a town which has been touched by the disconcerting mysteries which come from it. 

Review: Difficult Women by Roxane Gay - A brutal, surreal take on feminism

Difficult Women by Roxane Gay

Released: 10th January 2017

Published by: Hachette

Genre: Short stories

Source: Publisher

Pages: 260

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

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A collection of stories of rare force and beauty, of hardscrabble lives, passionate loves, and quirky and vexed human connection from award-winning author and powerhouse talent Roxane Gay.

The women in these stories live lives of privilege and of poverty, are in marriages both loving and haunted by past crimes or emotional blackmail. A pair of sisters, grown now, have been inseparable ever since they were abducted together as children, and must negotiate the elder sister's marriage. A woman married to a twin pretends not to realize when her husband and his brother impersonate each other. A stripper putting herself through college fends off the advances of an overzealous customer. A black engineer moves to Upper Michigan for a job and faces the malign curiosity of her colleagues and the difficulty of leaving her past behind.

From a girls' fight club to a wealthy subdivision in Florida where neighbors conform, compete, and spy on each other, Gay delivers a wry, beautiful, haunting vision of modern America.

Thank you to Hachette Australia for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 

It takes great skill as an author to provide an immediate connection to characters and the situation they are facing in a short span of pages. Roxane Gay in her collection of stories has achieved just that. With piercing insight into the nuances of everyday life with all its pitfalls, and small triumphs where there is an upheaval of power imbalances, Gay's prose is equally commanding and authentic.

The stories within this book take on topics such as rape and assault in an everyday context with an unflinching brutality, and the loss of a child with words that are heavily laden with emotion. The characters are flawed, at times frustrating, but ultimately realistic. From the bonds between sisters, to exploring with sardonic wit the different stages of a relationship, either blossoming with sweet innocence in its early stages, or taking a malignant turn towards the end, each topic is probed without inhibition. The author has coaxed us into the lives of these women who are not so much difficult as they are complex, emotionally and physically.   

The stone thrower lives in a glass house with his glass family. He is a flesh-and-blood man going about the business of living with his glass wife and glass child, their glass furniture and glass lives. - Requiem for a Glass Heart 

Nestled among the shocking moments however are those that cause you to take a step back and think in a different way. One of my favourites in this book is the piece 'Requiem for a Glass Heart', which at just seven pages is perhaps one of the most hard-hitting. It is a tale of a woman who is not simply flesh and bone, whose intimate moments are left exposed, yet her inner thoughts remain guarded. It is personification of a totally different kind, subverted to display both the fragility of this woman and her sharper strength of mind. 

I wanted to tell her that we did not dare speak, that what was once the sun might once again become the sun. I wanted to tell her the sky lightened the day my perfect child was born and that with time, the world would be bright again. - The Sacrifice of Darkness

In another story which takes on a sci-fi/speculative angle, 'The Sacrifice of Darkness', the absence of the sun allows one love to blossom while deep seated resentment against the couple threatens to taint their union. In contrast to the many instances of men undermining women or attempting to make them feel somewhat inferior, the tenderness here offers a glimpse of hope. When there is enough darkness to be found in the everyday snide remarks or not so subtle digs at what a woman should be, Gay puts the spotlight on deserving better. 

FINAL THOUGHTS 

As with most collections of stories, there were some which resonated with me more than others, but there were definitely enough defining moments in this book to make it worth a read. This is an unflinching portrayal of love when it is tender, and when it is twisted beyond recognition, being a woman who has suffered but is not broken, and the state of humanity in this mad world we live in.