A review by jordanian_reads_
Rose/House by Arkady Martine

4.0

I loved Arkady Martine’s Teixcalaan novels, so I was thrilled to receive an ARC of Martine’s forthcoming novella. Rose/House combines a murder mystery with speculative fiction set in the near future. Preeminent architect Basit Deniau passed away one year ago, leaving his archive locked within his most legendary creation: Rose House, a fantastical house built as an artificial intelligence. Dr. Selene Gisil, Deniau’s former disciple, thought she had successfully cut ties with Deniau until she was appointed his executor and the only individual permitted access to Deniau’s legacy. Selene is determined to resist the posthumous sway of Deniau and Rose House, when Selene receives notice that a dead body is on the property and she’s a prime suspect.

Martine initially tees up Rose/House as a police procedural with Detective Maritza Smith trying to solve the case with Selene’s conflicted assistance. Rose/House is infused with a deliciously creepy yet understated atmosphere reminiscent of film noir. Further, its desert setting is stark and magnificent. However, in this novella, ideas predominate over everything (including the plot) – ideas on artificial intelligence and legacy, narrative and language, ego and volition. Rose/House is a very smart, philosophical work; reading it I highlighted over thirty lines. It made for an especially good buddy-read.

Rose/House also left me with a number of questions, making me wish Martine had fleshed Rose/House out into a full length novel and provided us with a few more answers. Even so, I found it extremely thought-provoking and look forward to her next work.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance copy upon request via NetGalley.com.