A book that began with me being very interested in what it could do but sadly I quickly lost that interest and just kept waiting for the ending.

I seldom use the term "weirdly good" to describe a book, but that's the best way I can characterize Hum. I simply could not put it down! It both scared and intrigued me, evoking a sense of anxiety while also making me contemplate. Surprisingly, it even prompted a few chuckles from me, particularly with the constant AI ads, which I found rather humorous.

The book's setting immerses you in a not-so-distant future where technology reigns supreme. Personal smart devices, AI robots that perform most jobs, and ubiquitous cameras that record everything depict a society deeply intertwined with technology. May and her family deeply rely on technology and experience a sense of deprivation without it. Sound familiar?

Hum is a short novel (272 pages). However, Phillips's succinct prose still offers vast themes that provide contemplative discussions: climate change, the complexity of motherhood, how technology affects our human connection, the quest for authenticity, and how to survive in a digital world. I'm thankful I buddy-read this with @amy_alwaysreading and @rachellelovesbooks because I needed to sort through my thoughts, feelings, and story themes. I highly recommend grabbing a buddy to read this strangely wonderful book!

I was really waiting for the main character in this novel to make some sort of action or change in their life. Nothing ever seemed to happen though. I felt like I was reading the diary of someone that was clinically depressed but never got any help or tried to improve their circumstances. The author painted an interesting, if grim, world but never really had any action or movement within it.

Hmm this was an interesting picture of the future and certainly an immersive one. There was a lot that I liked, particularly the botanical garden but I do think the ending fell a bit flat for me. There were just one or two strands that felt like they were missing in the deeper connection between the hums and the humans that if pushed a little bit further I think would’ve made me feel more invested in the journey and satisfied by the ending. Given all that though, I’m still a sucker for sci-fi and this is a quick and interesting sci-fi read. I received an ARC of this novel through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Oh man, what a disappointment for me. I don't know why I had hyped this one up so much in my head but it didn't live up to my expectations at all. I mean, a literary sci-fi horror sounds like perfection, but this one fell flat on all three accounts. I expected some sort of profoundness or existential thinking, but the literary mark didn't hit. The dystopian and hi-tech aspects were lack-luster. And it was more boring than thrilling. It really wasn't great for me. The main character was two dimensional. The children were obnoxious and for no reason given way too much weird dialogue that didn't make sense nor make me care about them. Even as short as it was, it was a struggle to finish this one.

This book desperately wants to be profound. Instead it reads as the viral video of the mother crying over her adult sons tattoos set in a world reminiscent of a technological Glasgow Willi-Wonka experience. The entire novel just feels insincere.

Hum was one of the books I was most looking forward to this year, and it absolutely lived up to my expectations. There’s a constant tension running through the story, but it’s balanced with just the right amount of wit for it to never feel too bleak or flat. Phillips does a fantastic job of weaving together multiple timely themes such as the looming threat of climate change, the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, and the trials of motherhood in an unforgiving society.

What really hit me was how close the world of *Hum* feels to our own—it’s almost like a glimpse of our own planet's possible trajectory if we’re not careful. That sense of realism definitely served to heighten the anxiety of it all for me. The resolution perhaps felt just a tiny bit rushed, but not enough for me to really have any major complaints.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and consider it a must-read of 2024 for anyone who’s into speculative or dystopian near-future fiction.

All of my thanks to Netgalley, Simon Element, & S&S/Marysue Rucci Books for the ARC!

I liked this dystopian look at a future that might come our way with the technology we have already. In this world, people are living their lives in large cities with no nature whatsoever, they have so much technology they are reliant upon and love their lives disconnected from one another. It reminded me of a glimpse of our world 15-20 years in our future.

In the story we meet May who is having facial surgery to earn money for her family. She is going to be an experiment to see how long it takes the technology to catch up and figure out her identity.

May uses some of this money to take her family to a botanical forest in the midst of their city (a luxury only the very wealthy get to experience) and from there things really take off.

I really liked the dystopian aspects - it made me consider how I currently use technology and the evils that might lurk just under that surface. I also liked the family story at this books’ center.

An excellent read on all fronts. Hum is a particularly poignant examination of technology’s relationship with society. Set in a not so distant future, much of the setting, while remaining somewhat fantastical, is easy enough to believe. We watch as the stories protagonist navigates modern life, with all its dwindling beauty and pitfalls.

The prose here doesn’t particularly stand out, but services the story and pace perfectly. I tend to only give 5 stars to books that resonate with me, and stand out in my memory. This most certainly will linger, as its characters and world drew me in completely and I connected deeply its dramas.

I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for their generous ARC even though I completed it after release. If you’re looking for something modern and impactful with just enough science fiction to keep it exciting,I strongly recommend this great book.

this has stayed with me longer then i thought it would! interesting class critique set in a near future world where ecological collapse is ever present

Thank you S&S/Marysue Rucci for my free ARC of Hum by Helen Phillips — available now!

» READ IF YOU «
📱 are hopelessly addicted to your phone
🤖 love weird character-driven stories
🧑‍🔬 enjoy (are terrified by?) dystopian settings

» SYNOPSIS «
May's life is crumbling around her, and she attempts to salvage some happiness by selling her face to an AI company. With the money, she treats her family to a lavish Disneyworld-like vacation, but makes a huge blunder and becomes a social pariah because of it. Feeling the pressure, May is unsure who to trust and where to turn, especially when an AI bot shows up offering assistance.

» REVIEW «
This was suuuuch an interesting book, and man did I feel like a total loser with how much time I spend on my phone and connected to tech. So prepare for that 😂. Personally, I loved the ending because it's sort of ambiguous? It fosters amazing discussion with other readers, which is one of my favorite things that literature can do for society. This novel is relatively short but packs a punch, delving into relationships, technology, conservation, motherhood, empathy, and identity all at once. Loved it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I use assistive readers as an accessibility device because I take medications for disabilities that affect my vision. Since the author or publisher opted not to make assistive readers available on this ARC, I am unable to read it. I apologize for this inconvenience, but devices are necessary for disabled readers and should be made available to us.

I loved this one so much! It was so creepy how close to the present this book felt. It demonstrated out obsession with our screens and questioned truly where the line for technology is.

Readers have widely anticipated Hum after Phillips’ series of acclaimed books including her last novel The Need (2019), a New York Times Notable Book long-listed for the National Book Award. It doesn’t disappoint. Because of May’s extreme and constant insecurity, reading the novel can be an unpleasant experience — like being on an anxiety roller coaster. But because of Phillips’ incisive symbolism and sure-footed plotting, the reader emerges delighted, educated and not a little worried for the future.

In this novel, we are introduced to a family that is living in the not-too-distant future where climate change runs rampant and robots have taken on several important roles in society.

Nature is no longer freely available to enjoy and be soothed by, instead, you have to pay for entry into the Botanical Garden, which is insanely expensive.

While in the Botanical Garden, some unnerving things happen that cause the family to be put under extreme scrutiny, leading to lots of distress.

Overall, it's a really interesting read that although fiction, really forces us to reevaluate our relationship with the technology we possess in real life.

It's well-written, and engaging and I enjoyed it very much!

Thank you to #Netgalley for this ARC of #hum

Thank you to NetGalley and Marysue Rocci books for an advance reader copy.

This is the book we needed for this moment in time. Hum is a fast-paced exploration of the anxieties all parents face raising kids in today’s world. It explores our reliance on technology, a future in which we have ignored climate change, and helicopter parenting taken to the extreme. It is gripping, but also tender in its depiction of the characters. Helen Phillips has given us all something to think about. Highly recommend!

Loved this creepy dystopian novel that tackles technology, connection, consumerism, and privacy through a fast paced sci Fi story.

I really enjoyed this book! This story keeps you very engaged. I highly recommend reading this. It makes you think about the way we approach technology and nature. It also tackles how technology affect our relationships.

This book hits on so many things we're currently dealing with and is so relatable on many fronts. May is a wife and mother and she's just lost her job to AI. Unsure when she'll land her next one, she decides to undergo experimental facial surgery that will alter her appearance just enough to confuse the ever present cameras throughout the city, but will beef up their bank account with nearly a year's worth of cash. We're already at a place where we value technological connection rather than real, human connection with one another and the earth, so this was a sad mirror to the way we're all heading.

This was an interesting read. The premise and themes surrounding our dependence on technology versus the need for privacy and genuine human interactions worked well. However, the story felt incomplete. There were numerous plot holes, and the narrative lacked a clear direction. A more developed plot and characters could have significantly enhanced the impact of the story.