patchworkbunny reviewed The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg
Review of 'The Kingdom' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Review copy provided by publisher - review first posted at Curiosity Killed the Bookworm.
he Kingdom™ is a magical place where your dreams can come true, with species brought back from extinction and the most perfect princesses to see to your needs during your stay. Ana is one of seven Fantasists, androids designed to be beautiful and to obey. But when Ana is accused of murdering a park employee, she must go to court to prove she's incapable of moral judgement.
I devoured The Kingdom, this Westworld/Disneyland mash-up was just what I needed. It could so easily be twee but Jess Rothenberg has shown the darker side of an entertainment industry, in a page-turning tale.
The narrative switches between the trial transcripts and Ana's life in the park. The trial's purpose is to decide if Owen's murder was the result of a malfunction or if Ana had evolved beyond …
Review copy provided by publisher - review first posted at Curiosity Killed the Bookworm.
he Kingdom™ is a magical place where your dreams can come true, with species brought back from extinction and the most perfect princesses to see to your needs during your stay. Ana is one of seven Fantasists, androids designed to be beautiful and to obey. But when Ana is accused of murdering a park employee, she must go to court to prove she's incapable of moral judgement.
I devoured The Kingdom, this Westworld/Disneyland mash-up was just what I needed. It could so easily be twee but Jess Rothenberg has shown the darker side of an entertainment industry, in a page-turning tale.
The narrative switches between the trial transcripts and Ana's life in the park. The trial's purpose is to decide if Owen's murder was the result of a malfunction or if Ana had evolved beyond her programming and committed murder with intent.
Ana is one of the later models, with more advanced AI compared to some of the other Fantasists, who regurgitate on-brand lines, and are less likely to think for themselves. Even under times of stress, Ana's programming returns her to this more simple state, removing her ability to act upon her feelings.
As the story unfolds, it becomes clearer that the Fantasists are controlled through more than just their programming. They are fed lies about the world outside, believing the visitors are there to escape a ravaged land. It's inferred that the investors are using the Fantasists for sex, then their minds are wiped, so they can never speak out.
I felt a bit sad for the hybrid animals, as one might a sociable creature kept alone in a zoo. I'm not entirely sure why they were part android, part genetically engineered though. Were clones just too unpredictable and android not realistic enough? That doesn't seem right if the Fantasists were as real as humans...
Anyway, I really enjoyed it. It's not anything particularly new but I liked how it was done.