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ClareR (6054 KP) rated Machines Like Me in Books

May 25, 2019  
Machines Like Me
Machines Like Me
Ian McEwan | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
6
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Androids and an alternate 1980s Britain
I’ve been vacillating between 6 and 7/10 since I’ve finished this. I really liked parts of it - the robot, Adam, learning his way in the world, how he falls in love. Parts of it I found exceptionally frustrating. Why would you spend £84,000 and then ignore the Android for days? Why would you want nothing to do with it once it’s ‘awake’ and learning? Why bother at all!

I thought the alternate 1980s Britain was quite interesting - how we would potentially have reacted to a defeat during the Falklands war and the repercussions. And what would Alan Turing have been like if he hadn’t committed suicide?

The thing is, I didn’t particularly like either Charlie or Miranda (the lead human protagonists). Neither were likeable and treated Adam with contempt and suspicion, which grated on me. I usually like a book where I don’t like the main character, but there was something about Charlie that made me put the book down on several occasions, swearing to myself that I wouldn’t pick it up,again. Bit I did, and I think Adam, and Miranda’s backstory is to blame.

And as for Miranda. Well. I wasn’t convinced about her suddenly needing to foster/ adopt Mark, a small boy who is abandoned on their doorstep. It was just so unlikely.

I don’t know. I’ve read other Ian McEwan books that I’ve loved, but this one really didn’t do it for me on the whole. You can’t love them all, I suppose.