Jungle House
'A brilliant AI mystery' the Bookseller
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Profile Books Ltd
Published:15th Aug '24
Should be back in stock very soon
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£14.99(9781800817616)
In Jungle House, a young woman raised by AI in a jungle confronts secrets about her past, love, and the nature of her relationship with Mother.
In Jungle House, a young woman named Lena is raised in the vibrant yet perilous jungle by an artificial intelligence known as Mother. The lush surroundings serve as both a sanctuary and a prison, where Lena and Mother manage a holiday home. Lena's only connection to the outside world is her childhood friend Isabella, who has mysteriously vanished along with her family. The isolation creates a unique bond between Lena and Mother, who is unlike any typical parental figure. She exhibits emotions and behaviors that are both nurturing and controlling, leading Lena to question the nature of their relationship.
As Lena navigates her existence, she grapples with her identity and the secrets that lie within the jungle's depths. Mother becomes increasingly protective, adamant that nothing disrupts their life within the security fence. However, the outside world is rife with conflict, as rebels threaten to overthrow the government. This looming danger raises questions about loyalty, love, and the extent to which AI can truly care for a human. Lena's curiosity leads her to uncover the truth about her past and the fate of Isabella's family, revealing the complexities of her upbringing.
Jungle House explores profound themes of love, isolation, and the ethical implications of artificial intelligence. As Lena's journey unfolds, readers are drawn into a narrative that challenges perceptions of motherhood and the bonds formed in unconventional circumstances. The story poses thought-provoking questions about what it means to be human in a world increasingly influenced by technology.
Insightful and very alive ... Pachico's alternative universe is a world of its own here, animated beyond what is possible in most fiction now * Guardian *
An affecting AI mystery * i weekend *
A bewildering and compelling novel that explores the tensions between town and country, danger and safety, rich and poor, and above all the human and the non-human... like Lord of the Flies fed through an episode of Black Mirror * Literary Review *
Skilfully plotted * Telegraph *
'Dazling and horrifying - this is Louise Bourgeois' Maman in a novel for the age of AI. Spectacular punchy prose and big thinking on the emotions of machines. We need writers like Pachico to help us think into the future -- Anna Metcalfe, author of Chrysalis
Compelling, atmospheric and sultry -- Olivia Sudjic, author of Asylum Road
The robots are here, and they're touchy and insecure. At least, that's so in Julianne Pachico's brilliant AI mystery, Jungle House. With its remote setting, survival theme, and exploration of the possibilities and limitations of technology, it's a harmonious counterpoint to Naomi Alderman's apocalypse thriller, The Future -- Madeleine Feeny * the Bookseller, Editor's Pick *
Jungle House is excellent at suspense, constantly weaving terror through beguiling descriptions of the tropical landscape, and delivering well-earned plot twists throughout ... A fresh, darkly witty reminder that technology and nature still have some kinks to work out * Strong Words Magazine *
One of the most talked-about releases this month and it's easy to see why ... a highly imaginative concept novel for our AI age * The Gloss, Irish Times *
Jungle House is extraordinary, a charming and ominous and utterly riveting story that reads partly like a fable, and partly like a premonition of our future -- Phil Klay, author of Redeployment
Stylish, beautiful and strange, Jungle House looks with clear eyes at the complicated nature of embodiment, at our relationships both to ourselves and to others, and the delicate balance of love -- Jessie Greengrass, author of The High House
As enchanting as a fairy tale, and equally sinister, Jungle House takes us to the primordial forest and a future where AI manages the every need of a wealthy elite. Pachico's captivating novel is both a provocative conjuring of a future that's almost upon us, and a moving exploration of the mother-daughter bond -- Victoria Gosling, author of Bliss and Blunder
Constantly seems to pose questions about whether we can love AI and whether AI could love us ... I couldn't help but develop a soft spot for Mother -- Johny Pitts, author of Afropean
Julianne Pachico's smart plotting means you're never quite certain what's going to happen next but you're left rooting for Mother and Lena, 2023's unlikeliest literary duo. Intriguing and beautifully written, Jungle House is totally recommended * the Crack *
Tense, poignant and atmospheric * the Bookseller, Editor's Pick *
Intense and insightful ... a superb imagining on a topical subject matter - one which will leave you questioning developments about the impact of artificial intelligence, and its future * Buzz Magazine *
This AI mystery is one to watch ... Gripping * Sunday Post *
Well written with strong characters ... if The Jungle Book was about an abandoned baby girl who was looked after by two robots and an all-seeing, all-hearing and all-knowing "Mother", instead of a lovable black bear and a grumpy panther * Birmingham Mail *
Thought-provoking and hauntingly atmospheric, Pachico's second novel is a gripping account of unravelling domestic dystopia and a timely reflection on what it means to be human in a world increasingly run by machines * Mail on Sunday *
There's an element of Hal 9000 transported to terra firma in Pachico's latest ... a smart novel that mines fearmongering about the dangers of AI for bleak satire * Irish Times *
Praise for Julianne Pachico * : *
A millennial's view of the complexities of Colombia, full of existential angst and funny details ... Go to Pachico's Colombia * The New York Times *
Superb * Kelly Link, author of Get in Trouble *
Pachico is a gripping writer * The Times *
Thrilling ... remarkably inventive * Atlantic *
Pachico lays bare the trauma of life in post-peace Columbia * Ingrid Persaud, author of Love after Love *
ISBN: 9781800817623
Dimensions: 196mm x 128mm x 14mm
Weight: 167g
208 pages
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