There are many reasons that Annalee Newitz’ Automatic Noodle felt like it was written for me specifically. It has cooking, which is one of my great loves and is a way I show love and feel worth when I am anxious. It has characters trying to live and be in control of their lives in a country with laws that don’t grant them full autonomy. Every one of these characters, whether we get their backstory or not, is a weirdo with enormous trauma just doing their best to survive. And in this life on the fringes of society, they are supporting each other and creating a safe space for their neighbors and friends. I cried so many times listening to Automatic Noodle.
After I read LB’s review, I toodled on over to NetGalley and requested the advance listener copy, narrated by Em Grosland, who also narrated Becky Chambers’s Monk and Robot novellas. His voice is comfortable and moves easily between the characters. There are some delicate, emotionally fraught moments that his voice brings to life with so much grace. In my very favorite books, I sometimes feel like I am surfing, and here there are fathoms of life and back story that we just brush against as we’re propelled forward.
In a near future San Francisco, the city is recovering from a war between California and the United States, which has left California an independent nation. Many robots were created as part of the war effort and those with the highest level of intelligence, Human Embodied Equivalent Intelligence (HEEI) (pronounced hee-eye), have been granted some civil rights, but not citizenship. Stay Behind, Sweetie, Hands, and Cayenne were created for particular kinds of jobs. Whether they were active in the war or not, with their modicum of freedom they have grown past the intentions of their creators. They are so much more than what they were designed to be and that resonated with me on a cellular level.
This book is full of hope and community. It’s also about trying to build a life when you have been granted some rights, but not citizenship. In a precarious legal and financial situation, the robots create a sanctuary for themselves, and then they extend it to others, humans and robots. Even with a hopeful end to the story, it still feels fragile, especially when combined with the current news. The robots are resourceful though, and learning new ways to be resilient. I’m going to have Automatic Noodle in all the formats.
I received this as an advance listener copy from Macmillan Audio and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.