Edison in the Hood is a fusion of science fiction, speculative fiction, and wonderfully written literary fiction that was one of my favorite books I read last year. I am a little sad that this novel has not received more praise because it is a book that will become a cult classic I feel in years to come.

I really enjoyed the two different storylines. On one hand, we have the sibling's relationship that is pushing them to make choices to embrace technology in order to revisit a conversation with their mother, and yet, the author also has a story arc that examines humanity and our connection to technology. The moral questions that this novel made me contemplate really left me breathless at times.

This book will leave you changed once you have read it and a part of it will stay with you forever.

First, I want to thank the author and Apperception press for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this title through NetGalley.

I want to start by saying that the premise of this title caught my attention right away. We are currently living through a world of massive changes in AI technology, and Nadia Uddin tries to tackle some of the major questions we face as a species. Our story takes place amidst a season of great change for two brilliant siblings who must weather the storms of grief, loss, and family secrets while also trying to crack the secrets of consciousness and artificial intelligence. The scope of this book is pretty phenomenal given the page count.

I enjoyed the opening of the book and the development of the characters and the sci-fi elements of the story, but I feel like the story got a little lost after that point. To a large extent, this felt like two different stories. One story about the siblings, Sam and Aisha's, relationship after the loss of a parent, and a totally unconnected story about Edison and his goals of creating a truly conscious AI. Sam and Aisha's story raises a lot of questions about religion, family, identity, grief, and a whole host of problems that plague modern society and individuals. The second story raises nearly as many if not more questions about AI, consciousness, transhumanism, and more. My problem is just in the short and somewhat forced manner in which these issues are explored. It also felt like some of the characters flopped back and forth quite quickly between very different philosophies and camps of thought without much story motivation.

I want to say that even though I had a tough time enjoying this as a story, I would absolutely suggest that anyone who has an interest in AI, transhumanism, or identity theory should take a look at this title. I found myself really considering some ideas that I hadn't before.

ahhhh. i'm very conflicted. i had pretty high expectations for this book going in, because i really loved the concept and i thought it was particularly exigent at a time where discussion around AI technologies and the future of humanity are so prevalent, but i found it really hard to get into it. as i went on, the writing became hard to follow and the dialogue was incredibly discursive and "intellectual"—sometimes to an unbearable extent. if you really enjoy science-y literature and like characters who speak like robots who are phd candidates, go for it. if you aren't one of these people, i would advise you to stay away.

I have mixed feelings about that book. Hopefully, it alternates POV between chapters, because really Aisha's POV makes me cringe 😅
The topic (brain reinvigorating, AI modelling on the body of living humans) is as interesting as it is uncomfortable.
I first thought this book was a warning against transhumanism. But it is more likely advocating for it.

Really not sure what to think about it all. It is well written.
(There is quite a lot of head tilting though 🙃. I mean search for "tilt" occurrences, you'll be amazed)
But I can't say I enjoy reading it

So unfortunately I can't give it a 4-star. But I can't either give under 3 because, well, it still is a well written book with an interesting story.
It's just not for me

Thanks anyway to NetGalley for providing the ARC. I would have probably not given it a try otherwise

I recognize the talent and creativity in the story but I don't think I was in the headspace to enjoy it. It warrants a reread in the future when I'm more open to the ideas it is presenting.

Since my issues with the story come from me, I'm going to refrain from giving this a star rating but net galley is forcing me too.


Shoutout to NetGalley and Apperception Press for the eARC in exchange for this review.

Edison in the Hood is a novel that explores the philosophy and ethics of scientific advancement and transhumanism. While that is cool, I wish it had focused more on plot. I was intrigued by the Brain Reinvigoration Project that's introduced early on, but it is ultimately inconsequential. I think it could have been a brilliant idea to have two characters with opposing philosophies gradually trade views, but Sam's change of heart is sudden enough that I didn't understand the character's motivations.

I think the last couple chapters and the Afterword have good potential for a story/sequel. I would have preferred the rest of the story focus a little less on the character's personal issues and more 9n the science. But if you're more interested in the social consequences of scientific advancement than in the flashy sci-fi stuff this could be an interesting read.

This book definitely felt like an episode from the show Black Mirror! I honestly don’t know if you can limit this to any one genre, but it was very engaging and thought provoking. I think this would make a great book club selection as there is discuss such as AI technology, family, and social issues.

I had a hard time with this writing style. I thought the plot was interesting. I struggled with the back and forth between past and present with the writing style. Overall interesting story. Thank you NetGalley for a chance to read early.

This has been an excellent read that I did not expect to lose myself in the way that I did. There are clear and compelling lines of thought that have gone into crafting the story, and it asks interesting questions of its readers. I hope to see more from this author in the future!

this was a unique take on the scif genre, I was interested based on the cover and the description. Nadia Uddin has a great writing style that I enjoyed going through. The characters were what I was hoping for and really enjoyed getting to know them. I really enjoyed reading this and can't wait to read more from the author.

"And then he heard a beep and static noise that was reminiscent of a fax machine, a sound he hadn’t heard in over twenty years. The computer turned back on, and he, after locking the front door, returned to the desk and eased into the chair, using the armrests to steady himself."