In a self-running, smart house, a young and sentient Roomba listens as her owner, Harold, reads aloud to his dying wife, Edie. Mesmerized by To Kill a Mockingbird and craving the human connection she witnesses in Harold’s stories, the little vacuum renames herself Scout and embarks on a journey of self-discovery.
But when Edie passes away, Scout and her fellow sentient appliances discover that there are sinister forces in their midst. The omnipresent Grid, which monitors every household in the City, seeks to remove Harold from his home, a place he’s lived in for fifty years.
With the help of Adrian, a neighborhood boy who grows close to Scout and Harold, as well as Kate, Harold and Edie’s formerly estranged daughter, the humans and the appliances must come together to outwit the all-controlling Grid lest they risk losing everything they hold dear."
As a Brave Little Toaster enthusiast, when I first heard about this book I knew without a doubt that I would have to read it. It was made for me (and I was especially pleased when I saw the author mention that influence in his acknowledgments sections--I’m glad I wasn’t crazy for thinking it!).
This is a story about appliances and humans, but at its core is our protagonist: a Roomba vacuum who has named herself Scout. Scout is an advanced model of vacuum and is deeply curious about the world around her. I loved her innocent curiosity and her commitment to doing everything in her power (whether it’s allowed or not) to help the humans she’s tasked with caring for.
In this world, everything is controlled by something called the Grid. All appliances, including those inside the home outside of it, such as cars (“Autos"), operate under the Grid’s directions. In Scout’s household, their leader is Watch, a device worn on the wrist of a human named Harold. Watch keeps everything in order, ensuring all appliances under his purview follow their routines automatically, allow for updates, and function exactly as they are expected. The most important rule that must be followed above all else, however, is simple: prevent humans from experiencing pain.
I really loved how Dixon chose to explore what that rule really means. Humans are meant to avoid pain, but what is pain? On the surface, the appliances interpret this to mean physical pain, something that is clear and measurable and able to be avoided. But as Scout begins to learn more about the humans around her, she begins to question this and wonders if those definitions aren’t quite right. Are there other types of pain--some that might not be physically seen, but instead felt within a human’s mind? Is something called ‘sadness’ also causing pain? And what exactly is the idea of beauty? Can appliances or machines of any type sense beauty? Feel sad? Experience those same emotions humans can? Can they experience some form of it in their own right? These questions are explored in such thoughtful and gentle ways throughout the book, and I really enjoying thinking about them alongside Scout.
I had such a great time getting to know Scout and learn about her duties over the course of this story, and I really loved seeing her development and curiosity grow. In addition, I enjoyed meeting all of the other appliances, such as Fridge and Clock, and I appreciated how they all had very unique and distinct personalities. I feel like it could be difficult to develop the personalities of machines that work in a household, but somehow Dixon did this really well. I also found the plot aspect of following Harold in the aftermath of losing his life partner really compelling and realistic in a very quiet way. It was interesting to see the ripples of the loss throughout the household, and I especially loved the introduction of Aidan's character, as well as seeing how Harold's daughter fit into everything (and her own complicated history).
This is a rather bittersweet story at times, as might be expected given the premise. There are moments that are very sweet and heartfelt, and there's a quiet sense of hopefulness that runs throughout this story. There is also, as you might expect from the title, a bit of sadness and melancholy that is also present throughout the book. It's not an overly dramatic book, but it becomes more and more affecting emotionally as you progress in the story.
Overall, I absolutely recommend this one to readers who want a book that feels slow paced and low stakes, but also isn't that at all--and if that doesn't make any sense to you, it doesn't make a lot of sense to me, either, but it fits, so be sure to check it out to find out for yourself.
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