I was so excited when this came out and I actually ordered it in to the bookstore because we didn’t have it in. But, something else came up, can’t remember what it was at this time, and I just now got around to reading it. And it was good, just like I knew it would be.
This is the sequel to Skinned by Robin Wasserman. Our main character is Lia Kahn. In Skinned, Lia died in a car crash and her father had her brain scanned and put into a robotic body. A skinner as the people call them. Well, people aren’t really accepting of these robots. Including Lia’s own family members. Even though she has all her memories and feels like herself, people won’t give her a chance. There was one guy, Auden, who did believe in her, and at the end of Skinned he got hurt from trying to save her, and then he sent her away. So she’s gone and lived with the other mechs, as they call themselves. Jude, Riley, Quinn, and Ani. Among others who come to live with them in Quinn’s huge family home.
There is the religous group trying to stop this practice of putting people’s memories into these robots. And Auden has joined in against Lia. It has become a big deal, mechs against orgs(living people). And after several attacks, the government has started to consider taking away any “rights” that the mechs have, turning them back into machines or property.
I’m told that the shortlived SyFy show called Caprica is a lot like the theme in this book, so I’ll have to find it on DVD and watch it. Now I’m just looking forward to reading Wired, the third in the series.
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Have you heard of the theory of the "uncanny valley"?
Basically, it's the idea that humans LOVE robots, and the more cute and anthropological they look, the more we like them.
Until – they look ALMOST like a real person. But not quite. When they are NEARLY perfect, but just slightly OFF, then, humans will be horrified and want to avoid contact.
The reason is that on a biological level, it trips the part of your brain that says, "Here's a new acquaintance. But something looks WRONG with them. Maybe they're ill. I don't want to catch it."
Even when you logically know that it's a robot (or computer simulation, or whatever) it doesn't matter – you still have the irrational negative emotional reaction.
Isn't that fascinating?
Hi Madigan, I have actually heard that theory. It's very interesting, and fits in perfectly with this series.