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christajls's review against another edition
4.0
This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic
The Mad Scientist’s Daughter is a beautiful book. Even if you’re not a science fiction fan and don’t care for stories about robots (side note: Robots are cool! What’s wrong with you?) this book has definite cross genre appeal.
There is just SO much to this story. We follow Cat from childhood to adulthood and experience everything in between. Her first boyfriend, bullies at school, university, marriage, the death of her mother. All the highs and lows of her life. I think this grand overview worked in the context of this story – though at the expense of some secondary character development – because we got to see the relationship between her and Finn develop, adapt and change over time. Sometimes it was sweet, other times it was pushed to the limits. There were no easy so solutions or fade-to-black happily ever afters. All actions had consequences – both positive and negative and their relationship didn’t exist frozen in time. I really appreciated the authenticity and honest of it all.
In addition what made this book so heart warming for me was the way if raised questions about the nature of love. What does it mean to love someone and be loved in return? Can love conquer all? What lengths should you go to be with the one you love. The list goes on. I thought the constantly evolving relationship between Cat and Finn (from tutor-student to potentially more) was beautifully constructed and more romantic than I would have ever expected.
Now before you begin worrying that this book is all about love, I think The Mad Scientist’s Daughter also raised some fascinating questions about the nature of human consciousness. Specially, what makes someone human and when does “sentience” become human thought and intelligence. Where is the line and how will we know when we’ve crossed it. I think these are interesting questions to be asking ourselves in an age of constantly evolving technology and ideas of Artificial Intelligence. There was one particular scene that reminded me A LOT of Hal in 2001: A Space Odyessy and I think Cassandra Rose Clarke drew some interesting parallels.
So though, The Mad Scientist’s Daughter is science fiction, it is also a romance. And it is an interesting blending of the two. There are no heroes or heroines. It is simply the story of their lives over time. I think some amazing conversations can spring from the reading of this novel and it will definitely have a home on my shelf for years to come.
Recommendation: Even if you don’t consider yourself a science fiction fan READ THIS BOOK. It is gorgeous and thought provoking and fascinating. Even better – try and get someone else to read it at the same time. It’s a novel that demands to be talked about.
The Mad Scientist’s Daughter is a beautiful book. Even if you’re not a science fiction fan and don’t care for stories about robots (side note: Robots are cool! What’s wrong with you?) this book has definite cross genre appeal.
There is just SO much to this story. We follow Cat from childhood to adulthood and experience everything in between. Her first boyfriend, bullies at school, university, marriage, the death of her mother. All the highs and lows of her life. I think this grand overview worked in the context of this story – though at the expense of some secondary character development – because we got to see the relationship between her and Finn develop, adapt and change over time. Sometimes it was sweet, other times it was pushed to the limits. There were no easy so solutions or fade-to-black happily ever afters. All actions had consequences – both positive and negative and their relationship didn’t exist frozen in time. I really appreciated the authenticity and honest of it all.
In addition what made this book so heart warming for me was the way if raised questions about the nature of love. What does it mean to love someone and be loved in return? Can love conquer all? What lengths should you go to be with the one you love. The list goes on. I thought the constantly evolving relationship between Cat and Finn (from tutor-student to potentially more) was beautifully constructed and more romantic than I would have ever expected.
Now before you begin worrying that this book is all about love, I think The Mad Scientist’s Daughter also raised some fascinating questions about the nature of human consciousness. Specially, what makes someone human and when does “sentience” become human thought and intelligence. Where is the line and how will we know when we’ve crossed it. I think these are interesting questions to be asking ourselves in an age of constantly evolving technology and ideas of Artificial Intelligence. There was one particular scene that reminded me A LOT of Hal in 2001: A Space Odyessy and I think Cassandra Rose Clarke drew some interesting parallels.
So though, The Mad Scientist’s Daughter is science fiction, it is also a romance. And it is an interesting blending of the two. There are no heroes or heroines. It is simply the story of their lives over time. I think some amazing conversations can spring from the reading of this novel and it will definitely have a home on my shelf for years to come.
Recommendation: Even if you don’t consider yourself a science fiction fan READ THIS BOOK. It is gorgeous and thought provoking and fascinating. Even better – try and get someone else to read it at the same time. It’s a novel that demands to be talked about.
colorfulleo92's review against another edition
5.0
This was everything I could possibly have wanted to night from a book. Compelling characters, cool setting with the sci-fi, robots and loads of feelings, I very rarely cry because of books but this almost made me cry but that's okay because the book was amazing. It's part about robots but mainly about humanity I believe. Such a good story
golden_lily's review against another edition
4.0
Read This Review & More Like It At Ageless Pages Reviews
No summary could do The Mad Scientist’s Daughter justice. Look up there. That is an awful summary. I don’t want to read that book. That makes the story look like it’s about Finn and the fight for robot rights. Now, those are certainly in the book, but The Mad Scientist’s Daughter is about Caterina Novak, Cat for short, growing, learning, changing, learning she’s changed in the wrong ways, and growing some more. It’s about love and loss and death and life and humanity. It has more in common with David Nicholls’ One Day than Asimov's I, Robot.
The book is divided into 3 parts, Cat’s childhood, young adult, and adult lives. When Cat is five, her father brings home a strange man whom Cat thinks is a ghost. He is, in fact, Finn, a mysterious android who her father adamantly did NOT create, but will be staying with them. Through Cat's childhood, she and Finn bond as he becomes her tutor and later her best friend. Cat’s parents, reclusive scientists, fear she’s becoming too close to Finn and needs more human companionship. They are right.
For a book that deals with a lot of ethical questions regarding humanity and servitude, it really does gloss over the complete inappropriateness of a girl falling in love with an authority figure she’s known since she was five. From puberty until her late thirties, Cat lusts after Finn and the feelings are returned. It makes the first sex scene pretty icky, particularly due to Cat’s emotional state at the time. That’s not to say their love wasn’t sweet or hot, but there’s always an undercurrent of inappropriateness that no one but Cat’s mom comments on.
Cat undergoes a lot of trauma over the years and it doesn’t make her a very nice person. She is selfish, unhappy, and deeply flawed. Basically from high school until the last hundred pages, I didn’t like her at all. But, unlike many other books with unlikeable protagonists, I felt like her final redemption was well earned. She seemed to want to change, understand why she was wrong, and came to it in a believable way. I read the last section, her thirties, though a non stop wash of tears as every bad thing that can happen to a person came to pass. Even the ending is heart-breakingly bittersweet. Some parts do feel a little manipulative and, again, Finn and Cat’s last love scene has an icky undercurrent, but so much of the writing is beautiful, it’s easy to give the flaws a pass.
No summary could do The Mad Scientist’s Daughter justice. Look up there. That is an awful summary. I don’t want to read that book. That makes the story look like it’s about Finn and the fight for robot rights. Now, those are certainly in the book, but The Mad Scientist’s Daughter is about Caterina Novak, Cat for short, growing, learning, changing, learning she’s changed in the wrong ways, and growing some more. It’s about love and loss and death and life and humanity. It has more in common with David Nicholls’ One Day than Asimov's I, Robot.
The book is divided into 3 parts, Cat’s childhood, young adult, and adult lives. When Cat is five, her father brings home a strange man whom Cat thinks is a ghost. He is, in fact, Finn, a mysterious android who her father adamantly did NOT create, but will be staying with them. Through Cat's childhood, she and Finn bond as he becomes her tutor and later her best friend. Cat’s parents, reclusive scientists, fear she’s becoming too close to Finn and needs more human companionship. They are right.
For a book that deals with a lot of ethical questions regarding humanity and servitude, it really does gloss over the complete inappropriateness of a girl falling in love with an authority figure she’s known since she was five. From puberty until her late thirties, Cat lusts after Finn and the feelings are returned. It makes the first sex scene pretty icky, particularly due to Cat’s emotional state at the time. That’s not to say their love wasn’t sweet or hot, but there’s always an undercurrent of inappropriateness that no one but Cat’s mom comments on.
Cat undergoes a lot of trauma over the years and it doesn’t make her a very nice person. She is selfish, unhappy, and deeply flawed. Basically from high school until the last hundred pages, I didn’t like her at all. But, unlike many other books with unlikeable protagonists, I felt like her final redemption was well earned. She seemed to want to change, understand why she was wrong, and came to it in a believable way. I read the last section, her thirties, though a non stop wash of tears as every bad thing that can happen to a person came to pass. Even the ending is heart-breakingly bittersweet. Some parts do feel a little manipulative and, again, Finn and Cat’s last love scene has an icky undercurrent, but so much of the writing is beautiful, it’s easy to give the flaws a pass.
100pagesaday's review against another edition
4.0
Romeo and Juliet with robots. An at times heartwrenching, bittersweet and moving tale of a girl and her robot.
When Caterina Novak is just a young girl, her father brings home Finn to be her tutor. Finn doesn't eat or feel cold and young Caterina believes he is a ghost. She soon finds out that Finn is a robot, a one of kind robot who can feel emotions and even love, that becomes an important part of her life as she continues to grow up.
Cat's story was an emotional rollercoaster. This is a love story with a sci-fi twist that is set in a post-environmental disaster world. Cat and Finn are well-developed characters whose stories take many twists and turns. There are also many discussion points brought up about the rights of artificial intelligence. The book also moves through a large portion of time within Cat's life in a smooth way.
When Caterina Novak is just a young girl, her father brings home Finn to be her tutor. Finn doesn't eat or feel cold and young Caterina believes he is a ghost. She soon finds out that Finn is a robot, a one of kind robot who can feel emotions and even love, that becomes an important part of her life as she continues to grow up.
Cat's story was an emotional rollercoaster. This is a love story with a sci-fi twist that is set in a post-environmental disaster world. Cat and Finn are well-developed characters whose stories take many twists and turns. There are also many discussion points brought up about the rights of artificial intelligence. The book also moves through a large portion of time within Cat's life in a smooth way.
kortirion's review against another edition
1.0
This is really only science fiction-ISH. A woman seemingly incapable of emotion falls in love with a robot with emotions. Her relationships with other human males are utilitarian and sterile, even when the man cares for her. But when the robot appears, he's always surrounded by the natural world. The main character's only consistent display of emotion is shaking, like she's holding in emotion that we're not seeing or feeling or indeed have any evidence of.
I read a blurb that said this is science fiction for people who liked The Time-Traveler's Wife, and I think that's accurate. I didn't like either book because they didn't really explore the potential of the science they were relying on, and they were moody with a tortured love story that was inappropriate at times.
I almost didn't finish this book, but then I had a dream I was writing this review and decided it was a sign. Be aware there's some sex in this book, too, if you decide to read it anyway.
I read a blurb that said this is science fiction for people who liked The Time-Traveler's Wife, and I think that's accurate. I didn't like either book because they didn't really explore the potential of the science they were relying on, and they were moody with a tortured love story that was inappropriate at times.
I almost didn't finish this book, but then I had a dream I was writing this review and decided it was a sign. Be aware there's some sex in this book, too, if you decide to read it anyway.
sandritat's review against another edition
4.0
This book takes us on a journey through the life, successes, failures, learning and loves of a main character who isn't special in any way, isn't magical, or super intelligent, she just is. And what she is turns out to be someone with many flaws and mistakes, very human, very real, and very painful and beautiful to read in many different places. This isn't a book about scifi, or about the future, it isn't even really a romance, though it certainly has that as a central part of the story. I think it's more about seeing this character grow and develop, and suffer and break, and then come through the suffering put together in a new and different way. It's jarring, not because it's a lie or it's written badly, but because it's truth. And in that truth, I find hope.
This is one of those books that will stay with me for the rest of my life and I truly hadn't expected that.
I don't like writing reviews with spoilers (although I reserve the right to change my mind later on), but what I will say is that after I read this book I stared out through my spring filled window, and breathed, perhaps for the first time in a long time. I watched the journey of the main character, I saw her shatter and break, and then finally attain a sort of freedom... from herself. It was glorious, and heartbreaking, and it made me think about all my mistakes, and whether or not they will lead me to an eventual freedom.
This book made me feel, cliche, I know, but it pierced its way into my soul with its deftly written prose, its languorous descriptions that were just right and a tone that felt like wading through molasses at the speed of light (I may have taken some liberties with this metaphor, but I'm going to leave it there because it feels right).
I'll be over here drinking my cup of coffee, thinking about the book for the next few hours, while you should go out and get a copy and read it, because I said so.
This is one of those books that will stay with me for the rest of my life and I truly hadn't expected that.
I don't like writing reviews with spoilers (although I reserve the right to change my mind later on), but what I will say is that after I read this book I stared out through my spring filled window, and breathed, perhaps for the first time in a long time. I watched the journey of the main character, I saw her shatter and break, and then finally attain a sort of freedom... from herself. It was glorious, and heartbreaking, and it made me think about all my mistakes, and whether or not they will lead me to an eventual freedom.
This book made me feel, cliche, I know, but it pierced its way into my soul with its deftly written prose, its languorous descriptions that were just right and a tone that felt like wading through molasses at the speed of light (I may have taken some liberties with this metaphor, but I'm going to leave it there because it feels right).
I'll be over here drinking my cup of coffee, thinking about the book for the next few hours, while you should go out and get a copy and read it, because I said so.
hyms's review against another edition
4.0
In all my years as a reader, only two books managed to make me cry. The Mad Scientist’s Daughter almost got the third spot! Throughout most of the book I had a huge lump in my throat and several times at had to put the book down to make sure I wouldn’t cry – the melancholy from Cat hit me straight on.
The story unfolds at a very slow pace which was a bit boring at times, but as a hole it worked really well. It gives the reader a change to get to know Cat in a different way. The writing is just beautiful and it pulled me in between the pages every time I turned on my Kindle.
We meet Cat when she is approximately 6 years old and she meets Finn for the very first time. In the beginning, she thinks he is a ghost which I found so endearing. But in general Cat is a cute and innocent as a child. My problem with her only starts when she enters college; she becomes so cold-hearted and indifferent about everything. It eats me up that she cares so little about things and to me it seems like she just uses Finn at first – he is only a robot, he exists to please her needs. She makes some stupid choices but she changes during the story and her spirit from her childhood slowly enlightens again. The slow development of Cats feelings is heartbreaking and makes the book a long and beautiful love story.
The book opens up some really tough questions; when are you human? When do you have rights? What is love? If something looks human, acts human but isn’t human, how do you deal with it? This book is definitely worth a read! It took me through the entire scale of feelings and I loved every step. Cassandra Rose Clarke is an amazing writer!
The story unfolds at a very slow pace which was a bit boring at times, but as a hole it worked really well. It gives the reader a change to get to know Cat in a different way. The writing is just beautiful and it pulled me in between the pages every time I turned on my Kindle.
We meet Cat when she is approximately 6 years old and she meets Finn for the very first time. In the beginning, she thinks he is a ghost which I found so endearing. But in general Cat is a cute and innocent as a child. My problem with her only starts when she enters college; she becomes so cold-hearted and indifferent about everything. It eats me up that she cares so little about things and to me it seems like she just uses Finn at first – he is only a robot, he exists to please her needs. She makes some stupid choices but she changes during the story and her spirit from her childhood slowly enlightens again. The slow development of Cats feelings is heartbreaking and makes the book a long and beautiful love story.
The book opens up some really tough questions; when are you human? When do you have rights? What is love? If something looks human, acts human but isn’t human, how do you deal with it? This book is definitely worth a read! It took me through the entire scale of feelings and I loved every step. Cassandra Rose Clarke is an amazing writer!
literallykalasin's review against another edition
4.0
This book, in tone and feel, reminded me of "The Time Traveler's Wife." Like that book, Cat meets the love of her life, Finn, when she is a very young girl. Her scientist father brings home Finn to live with the family and act as her tutor. There is something not quite right about Finn however, a quality that causes Cat to think he is a ghost. Finn is unchanging, but not because he's a ghost. As Cat grows, she realises that Finn is an android; he cannot feel and yet Finn is her best friend. He cannot feel and yet she falls in love with him.
The book is essentially an extended push and pull against a changing definition of humanity as the robots and androids become more sentient in a dystopian world with a decimated population that utilises them to fill the gaps in the labour market. It is also Cat trying to be normal and fighting her feelings for someone who is incapable of returning them. Cat makes some terrible, compromising decisions in the name of normalcy.
This is a book that sticks with you. Even though it is essentially a story of frustrated love set on the backdrop of a future Earth, it also leaves you thinking about what it means to be human and the nature of settling.
The book is essentially an extended push and pull against a changing definition of humanity as the robots and androids become more sentient in a dystopian world with a decimated population that utilises them to fill the gaps in the labour market. It is also Cat trying to be normal and fighting her feelings for someone who is incapable of returning them. Cat makes some terrible, compromising decisions in the name of normalcy.
This is a book that sticks with you. Even though it is essentially a story of frustrated love set on the backdrop of a future Earth, it also leaves you thinking about what it means to be human and the nature of settling.
samstrong's review against another edition
4.0
A bit rough around the edges, but ultimately a fantastic story. The standard debut author ticks are here, but they're nothing that experience and a more aggressive edit won't fix.
As an aside, I went out of my way to avoid reading the back of the book and I'm really glad I did. The blurb focuses on Finn when this book is really Cat's story and is narrated entirely from her perspective.
As an aside, I went out of my way to avoid reading the back of the book and I'm really glad I did. The blurb focuses on Finn when this book is really Cat's story and is narrated entirely from her perspective.