This was an odd little book. I enjoyed the near future setting and the overall idea but I was a little underwhelmed/bemused with the execution. Maybe I missed the point but not much really happened and so much also did happen? And sometimes the protagonist really seemed real and then the next I was feeling like I was reading the day of a character in The Sims. And the children were really goddamn odd?! Wait, maybe the children were supposed to be strange. I’ve got to say it made them definitely seem more real. Maybe this is the first author to write children completely three dimensionally? Can you see what I mean, I'm unraveling!

It felt like I was supposed to kind of feel a wistful contentment at the end of the novel, but then there was also a really shoehorned ‘and it was all a dream’ which I’m not a fan of and also I can’t work out if that even was what the ending was saying. Was the AI evil? I dunno. Help, maybe this book has tricked me and made me question everything? Ms Phillips are you a genius?

It’s an interesting and intriguing book and weirdly an easy read given the backdrop of the story setting. Essentially at heart it is a book about marriage, family and worries for the future. Thanks to NetGalley for the early copy.

2.5 Hum was one of my most anticipated books of 2024 and I requested it the moment it was pushed to NetGalley! This book tried to cover a lot of ground and some of it, while surface level, provides for some interesting thoughts and conversations; but, the overall theme was primarily motherhood/parenting which wasn’t what I was expecting and dampened my enjoyment.

What worked for me:
● Dystopian world was fascinating. Set in a not-so-distant future with a terrifyingly intrusive surveillance culture, this world was a cautionary tale about social media, AI, reliance on technology and climate breakdown
● “Are they or aren’t they sentient” thing going on with the Hum
● Time we spent in the biodome* - the deep appreciation of what remained of the natural world was juxtaposed with the heartbreaking reality that these spaces were so rare and limited to those who could afford prohibitively expensive fees to enjoy them
● I’m always here for commentary on how vapid and harmful capitalism is

What I wasn’t so keen on:
● May’s annoying kids were unbearably obnoxious. Their whining and bickering got so much airtime and, similar to being trapped in any space with bratty kids, *sucked the atmosphere out of the biodome completely. Throughout the book, we were constantly being pulled out of interesting arcs by these horrible kids and their nonsensical dialogue.
● Could’ve done without the weird and jarring descriptions of urine, penises, and deeply uncomfortable sex. These were all gratuitous and not in the same vein style-wise as the rest of the writing.
● May and Jem were a frustrating pair: They didn’t communicate (I spend the entire book wondering why they were even married?) and they are in financial straits but keep spending what little money they did have on stupid stuff. It was painful and frustrating to watch.
● As I mentioned earlier, I didn’t gel with the theme. I was hoping for more focus on the dystopia, the ethics of the Hums, and some commentary on the direction we’re heading with technology. While some of these themes are covered, it’s all very light touch and doesn’t get under the hood of anything in a meaningful way. Instead, the focus of the book is around May’s relationship with motherhood and her (objectively horrible) kids. This wasn’t the immersive dystopian sci-fi that I’d expected based on the blurb.
● The vibe is just stressful. This is a tough book to 'enjoy' because everyone makes bad choices, the stress and desperation is palpable, and it has a really hopeless undercurrent.
● Plotholes and a lot of unsatisfactory resolutions <spoilers removed>

Hum sort of reminded me of Leave the World Behind albeit a bit faster paced. There was something about the writing style and the gratuitous descriptions of bodily fluids and acts that brought that book to mind.

I don’t think I’d recommend this one to hard sci-fi readers or those looking for a richly built dystopia with cutting commentary on technology. However, for those brand new to some of these themes and interested in how they may intersect with motherhood, this could be for you!

I was privileged to have my request to read this book accepted through NetGalley. Thank you, Atlantic Books!

I surprised myself by liking this as it is not my usual genre. The author has a flowing, compelling style which sweeps you along in this dystopian world she has created. The world is based on events in the here and now, cleverly woven into the plot (as she chronicles at the end of the book). There are shades of Big Brother and The Truman Show. The main character, May, is trying to do the best for her family after losing her job working to improve AI functioning. but makes lots of mistakes. Jem, her husband, a sort of odd-job man, is a weak character who hardly features. The children are rather annoying - demanding and rather whiny. I thought the end was a little puzzling I wasn't sure what was happening, but all in all a good read and a scary vision of the future if we don't get pollution, climate change and AI under control. Not to forget over-reliance on phones and other devices.