THE INFINITE SADNESS OF SMALL APPLIANCES by Glenn Dixon

4 stars

Scout, a highly intelligent sentient Roomba vacuum cleaner, goes on a brave mission to save Harold, an elderly widowed human owner of her house. She wants to protect him from the malfeasance of “The Grid,” an AI overlord who has taken control over all tech to prevent human’s self-destruction. The Grid, a form on AI gone off the rails, has lost any compassion for individual humans and values efficiency above all else.

Scout, who’s named itself after the heroine in To Kill a Mockingbird, has more independence and intelligence than the rest of the household appliances, ranging from fridge to clock. When Harold’s wife, Edii dies of cancer, Harold is bereft and so is one of Edie’s young neighborhood students. The Grid, relying on efficiencies of data and algorithms, determines that the house is too big for Harold alone, and should be divided into apartments while Harold gets shunted off to a dreary old age home and his belongings to museum of human artifacts. Kate, Harold’s daughter who has been banished from seeing her parents by the Grid based on teenage rebelliousness, has been sent home by the Grid to help with the transition which Harold is resisting. Scout partners with Car, who’s both intelligent and has seen the larger world outside of the house, to figure out how to stop the Grid. She also befriends the young student who continues to come to play Edie’s piano.

It all proves a compelling dystopia, with Ai intelligence juxtaposed with kindness and humanity. You find yourself cheering on Scout and heart warmed by her smart scheming.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for an advance reader’s copy.

Stacy DeBroff

Stacy DeBroff, founder and CEO of Mom Central.com and social and digital consultancy, Influence Central, is a social media strategist, attorney, and best-selling parenting author. A sought-after expert for national media, she trend-spots regularly with national brands and speaks frequently to national and international audiences on a wide range of subjects, including influencer marketing, social media, entrepreneurship, and consumer trends. A passionate cook, gardener, reader, and tennis player, she adores this new chapter of post-college-age parenting.