I'm joining Kat and the Unravelers with the same rainbow scarf as before. I'll admit that it does look much the same as last week, just longer as I'm approaching the end of the second skein. But this week, I do have a special guest posing with the scarf.
I'm pet-sitting Justin's cat, Nugget, this week, so she was happy to pose for a few WIP photos in exchange for a handful of treats. Then she sat on my lap and let me scratch her ears for an hour or so. I really need to consider getting a cat of my own. My blood pressure would be lower and somehow the news of the world is much easier to face with a warm, purring cat snuggled on your lap.
I only finished one book this week. It was one I had placed on hold way back in July and looked forward to reading for a long time but it turned out not to be my cup of tea. Culpability sets out to be both a tense
family drama and a sharp exploration of AI ethics, but it ends up as
neither. The premise is promising: a wealthy family’s autonomous minivan
collides with another car, forcing each family member to reckon with
their role in the tragedy. Unfortunately, the novel quickly becomes a
muddle of overwrought family conflict and scattered tech commentary,
with neither strand developed in a satisfying way.
The multiple
themes are messy and inconsistent. Lorelei’s OCD, Noah’s suspicions,
Alice’s chatbot project, Izzy’s shifting behavior, Charlie’s fragile
mental health, criticism of entitled teens, AI drones in war zones, a
corporate secret from Lorelei’s past, a dull teen romance, and even a
fidelity subplot made for too many threads, and none pulled tightly
enough. What could have been a sharp study of guilt and responsibility
instead veers into soap-operatic twists and a search-and-rescue detour
that feels tacked on.
Holsinger has a gift for premise and
pacing, but here the execution falls short. The book loses its way,
juggling so many competing storylines that the important central
question, what it means to be responsible in an age of machine
intelligence, gets buried.
A few interesting ideas flicker to the surface, but overall Culpability
never fully commits, leaving me with the sense of a novel that wanted
to be about everything and ended up being not much at all. Two and a
half stars but I can't round up.
What are you making and reading this week?
Yes, you should carefully consider a cat. Think of all the pros and cons. Once you got 'em, you got 'em. I love Boomer, he improves my life, but he is a lot of work. I knew that going in. RIght now, he is bugging me about going out on a walk, but it is still quite dark outside. Cats are much less work, but I am allergic. Love the scarf, how much longer are you going to make it? Nugget seems very cooperative and the perfect model. I just finished Good Time Coming by C.S. Harris. It is about surviving the Civil War via a woman's perspective. I quite enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteNugget is such a perfect little loaf! If Justin lives close enough to you, you might want to consider just going to visit with Nugget when you need it. I don't regret adopting Ruthie, but she is a lot of work. I know cats are generally easier than dogs, and I certainly won't discourage anyone from getting a pet, but Nugget seems like the perfect buddy when you need a little kitty time. In any case, the scarf is looking amazing. And I appreciate the book review so I know I can skip that one.
ReplyDeleteBe careful or Nugget will claim the rainbow scarf as her own!! She is so sweet looking and the scarf looks great. How long is it now? Thanks for your review of Culpability - like Sarah, I will skip that one!
ReplyDeleteThat rainbow scarf is amazing! Nugget looks so sweet. I never knew how much I loved cats until we got our cat, Rutabaga. Definitely lowers the blood pressure having a purring cat on your lap!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Erika! I was a little surprised that Nugget was so willing to pose with the scarf but glad that she did. I love your cat's name!
DeleteNugget is just adorable... she has really got the Knitwear Modeling down to perfection! (and I say YES YES to a having a pet... they add so much to the quality of ones life!) Thanks for your excellent book reviews... even for the ones that aren't a hit!
ReplyDeleteI am about to unleash the fabric and begin the great pin out! Ha!
You should get a cat! I love Holly and how she head butts me (behind my head on the couch) and purrs in my ear. It's the best thing ever. That scarf is looking mighty fabulous.
ReplyDeleteA rainbow runway!! It's looking amazing. I really miss having a cat sometimes.
ReplyDeletePets do wonders for blood pressure! and all those rainbow stripes are making me smile. I haven't heard much in my bookish communities about Culpability and now I know why :-)
ReplyDeleteEven though I have three of them, I am terribly allergic to cats so snuggling is never something I can do. I really envy those of you who can. I love to hear them purr-from afar.
ReplyDeleteThat scarf is the happiest thing I've seen today. It just keeps getting bigger and better.
I should probably measure the scarf. Ryan and I figured that six feet would be about right but I have no idea how long it is now. I hope it's less than I need because I really enjoy knitting it!
DeleteThat scarf brightens my day. The novel though doesn't sound like one I would enjoy. I can enjoy characters with flaws but this group sounds like it is too full of drama for me. Thanks for the review though. As always, I value your opinion.
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