Under the Blue

'Under The Blue' is an original, extremely well-written novel about survival after a pandemic. However, it is so much more than what is typical for this genre. The plot is gripping and the shock, fear and sense of isolation palpable. Environmental, artificial intelligence and ethical themes are weaved into the narrative and make a powerful impact. I don't usually leave reviews but this novel is unique; intelligently portraying so much about what it means to be human as well as our impact on the world we live in. The journey of three survivors runs alongside that of the exponential growth of an AI's intelligence. I won't give any spoilers on the plot but I was absorbed so much I couldn't put this book down. Having finished it last night I woke up this morning still thinking about it! It's so good to have such a refreshing change from the usual post-apocalyptic writing. This novel is amazing and I can't wait to read more by Oana Aristide.

Here is a novel I raced through - well written prose, excellent dual paced story line weaving together the disparate lives of Harry, an artist and two sisters, Ash and Jessie fleeing an escape across Europe, while a pair of scientists in the Arctic are developing Talos XI, AI. The novel cleverly ties together the pressing matters of our times; AI, climate change, a global pandemic (but not in a way I found too heavy!). But really this is a deeply human story; a beautifully written tender examination of trust and connection, identity and survival, Harry's moral compass in dealing with his past and his own immediate mortality, and with it a insightful depiction of what happens when everything established in the world changes suddenly. Highly recommended.

I've been looking forward to reading Under The Blue for months – a relative heard about it on I think a radio show or a written interview and told me it'd be right up my street. They were totally right! This is a beautifully written book that blends the complex subject of teaching ethics to AI with the loss, desperation and panic of navigating a pandemic. I don't want to say too much else about the plot, because I was happy to go into the story with little knowledge of what was going to happen. It's a must-read for lovers of science-fiction and pandemic-related fiction, but that shouldn't put you off if that's not your usual cup of tea as the character building and thoughtful handling of philosophical subjects is bound to appeal to everyone. This is easily one of my favourite reads of 2021 so far and I can't wait to see what the author writes next.

A stellar novel which is both immensely enjoyable to read, challenging and thought provoking. The book is only coincidentally about a pandemic, having been completed before Covid. At its heart, it exposes a fundamental contradiction of the present-day human condition: that we know as a species what is needed to save ourselves yet as individuals are incapable of behaving as if it were possible. The two intertwined narratives - an unlikely post-apocalypse road trip which manages to be funny and chilling by turns, and the education of an AI which brutally analyses human behaviours - are each compelling in different ways, and come together in the final pages in a way that is both surprising and curiously hopeful.

Single day reading book!!! Really well written and disturbingly accurate!!! A new air in systolic novels ♥️♥️