In a future reunified Korea robots are integrated into society in many roles. We follow siblings Jun, a detective who has integrated bionic components into their body and Morgan, a robot designer. Both of them long for their brother Yoyo, a robot they grew up with and who disappeared and have dealt with their grief in different ways. Morgan has designed her most recent child robot on Yoyo while Jun is convinced Yoyo is still out there. Reading this book, it is easy to compare to Kazuo Ishiguru's Klara and the Sun (which I loved), as it delves into the nuanced relationship between humans and robots in this society, as well as the lingering prejudice between the former divided countrymen. Luminous brings up some good discussion for potential book clubs. Enjoyed this one!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster via NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for honest review.

the premise of this book was very interesting and at times had to stop to think about our values and what makes us human. At times it felt too slow and disjointed so it wasn't as enjoyable a reading experience as I wanted but it had a lot of other redeeming qualities so would recommend to others.

I really enjoyed the writing in Luminous; the prose serves up the sci-fi world building with finesse and suave confidence, resulting in an immersive “robot society” experience that feels lived-in rather than glossy and manufactured. It feels very fresh for the genre, and is a dynamic treat for anyone looking for something both mysterious and introspective. A standout among the anticipated Q1 releases this year.

I don’t typically read literary fiction, so this was definitely outside my usual genres. That said, it was an interesting read that explores grief, companionship, identity, and what truly makes someone—or something—human, all set in a dystopian world where robots and humans coexist.

While I appreciated the thought-provoking themes, I struggled with the time jumps between POVs, which made it a bit hard for me to follow at times. Still, it was a unique and compelling take on humanity and connection, and I would still recommend to folx who appreciate literary fiction.

Thank you Simon & Schuster + SagaPress for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jun and Morgan grew up together, but have grown apart as they grew older and their lives took them in different directions. Jun is a detective in Robot Crimes after his time serving in the war left him with several robotic parts while Morgan works as a robot designer and is in a relationship with one of her creations. And in a different part of the city, 11-year old Ruijie finds a unique robot named Yoyo in the trash and the two quickly become friends. The story goes between these three main narrators as we learn more of their history and how Yoyo connects them all.

Thank you to #netgalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with an advance copy of the ebook.

This book is....a LOT. There are so many characters, so many storylines, so many things happen, it's easy to lose track of the important threads. At the same time, it is a vividly and completely imagined world, with an incredible amount of detail. A world in which robots and humans blend and co-exist. And a world replete with political and transgender issues. So, it is a futuristic novel at the same time as it is a realistic novel, no sugar coating on issues, just set into another time frame. As the book progresses we learn more about the characters and the story becomes richer.

The book is quite long but if you have the patience, it is worth the journey.

This ARC was provided by NetGalley and the publisher, the opinions expressed herein are strictly my own.

A robot sibling isn't something I thought I needed in my 2025 reading, but wow did I need this book. You will learn so much, but you will also read a strange, strange circumstance that Park has pulled off magically. I loved this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Overall I liked this and think that Park will have a great career writing. I’ve been really into using AI, robots and technology to highlight our own humans and choices and this story really follows that line of philosophical thought into interesting places.

I do think that some chapters could be edited for clarity and just ease of consumption, but it didn’t diminish the story much. Overall I would recommend for fans of sci fi literary fiction.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.75 stars)
**Haunting, Lyrical, and Utterly Mesmerizing**

*Luminous* by Silvia Park is a beautifully written novel that blends haunting atmosphere with deep emotional resonance. Park’s prose is both lyrical and immersive, pulling readers into a world that feels eerie yet intimate. The characters are richly developed, and the themes of identity, memory, and longing are explored with nuance and depth. The only reason this isn’t a full five stars is that some moments feel intentionally ambiguous, which may not work for every reader. Still, *Luminous* is an unforgettable read—poetic, thought-provoking, and truly mesmerizing.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

LUMINOUS reminds me of Ray Bradbury and Ursula K. LeGuin. It dives into what it means to be human, robots, relationships, and fluidity (both as a society and as a person's sexuality.

It's a complicated book, like much of literary fiction. I would call this literary sci-fi. AND it is definitely a dystopian.

If you like idea books and want to see how other people view and think about the world, this is perfect for you.

Happy reading!

A literary fiction meets science fiction, Luminous explores the lives of three siblings who each approach the robotic future in a different way. Overall, I thought this book was a thoughtful approach to artificial intelligence and how humanity may reckon with an uncontrollable intelligence. At times, the narrative was a bit confusing and I wasn't quite sure where all the plot threads were going or where they were, but it did all come together in the end. Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

I was interested in reading this book because although I am not typically a sci-fi lover, I do enjoy a good literary fiction mystery. Altogether, though, I didn't connect with this book. Divided into the perspectives of 3 siblings, 2 human and 1 robot (presumed dead), the pacing made sense for the story, I thought. What I noticed however is almost an assumed knowledge of how the world worked and the backstory of the characters. I do think this was a deliberate choice on the part of the author because we do learn more about the characters' backstory at the end, but to me the structure made that very difficult to parse together.

For me, I think this could have been stronger with explaining the world and scenarios a bit better. I did enjoy parts of it, as there were scenes that were interesting to me about the business of robots and how the general public interacted with them, but altogether did not feel it landed for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is an impressive debut novel from Park. I was drawn in by the themes of grief and identity, and there were several characters that I truly loved. The writing is fantastic, with sweeping lyricism and imagery. However, there were times when I felt a bit disconnected from the story, and I think that might be because of the many different POVs. I would have loved the book to be split between maybe two of these characters instead of several of them. By far my favorite part of the whole book was the ending; it actually made me tear up a bit. I will definitely be curious to see what Park tackles next.

I've been reading a lot of end-of-the-world books recently but this one was a fresh take that I hadn't considered before. The acceptance of robots and robotic technology in society. I really liked the different viewpoints and it kept my attention until the end.

I'm a little torn on this one. I loved the premise and the theme of the story. I also adore Ishiguro's Klara and the Sun. There were a lot of similarities between this and Klara and the Sun. However, at times I felt the writing style to be convoluted. The story was also very busy at times and I had a hard time keeping track of characters and events.

2.5/5

I’m not sure how I feel about this book. On one hand, I really enjoyed the writing—it was beautifully crafted, at times even poetic, making certain passages feel almost dreamlike. Park has a way with language that draws you in, creating a strong emotional atmosphere that lingers.

The characters were another highlight for me. They felt real and complex, and I appreciated how the novel explored grief, family, and what it means to be human. These themes were woven thoughtfully into the narrative, giving the story emotional depth.

That said, I found myself lost throughout the book more often than I would have liked. The plot was convoluted, and there were moments where I genuinely wasn’t sure what was happening. Some of the bigger plot points seemed to come out of nowhere, which left me feeling disconnected from the story at times.

Overall, Luminous is a beautifully written book with strong themes and compelling characters, but the way the story unfolded didn’t always work for me. If you enjoy lyrical writing and don’t mind a more abstract, unpredictable plot, you might find it more engaging.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this eARC.

I love fiction that confronts a classic question posed by sci fi: what does it mean to be human? Silvia Park’s Luminous lives vibrantly within this question, diving into the lives of characters who are robots, characters who are largely bionic, characters who require robotic support to survive. The question of where the line between robot and human lies is one with which the novel wrestles, a thought-provoking conundrum that becomes less answerable as the book unfolds. More important, the novel confronts whether that line really matters: do we owe compassion and empathy to “mere machines”?

While I often wished that the novel was more propulsive, I was nevertheless fascinated by its array of characters who are wrestling with their place in the world, with what they owe to others and to themselves.

DNF at 17%
I really wanted like this book; however, there are too many characters, human and AI. It gets confusing and bogs down the story. The book could use some heavy editing for clarification.

Robots are incorporated into society as companions, servants, and even ersatz children in a future Korea that is supposedly unified. Three people help us explore this world: Ruijie, a crippled girl who makes friends with an odd robot she finds in a junkyard; his sister Morgan, a programmer for the robot-making company Imagine Friends; and Jun, a detective in the "Robot Crimes" section. The missing, presumed-dead robot brother of Morgan, Jun, and Yoyo connects them all.
I would be lying if I claimed to be able to follow every discussion in Luminous all the time because there is a lot going on there. Though an actual plot ultimately emerges from the tangle (see Grace Chan's Every Version of You), the worldbuilding in this novel is so dense and vibrant that it almost overpowers everything (think Samit Basu's Chosen Spirits). Park does an excellent job of providing the characters with just the right amount of emotional background. Speaking of which, the group of teenage buddies is well-drawn (Mars is the MVP), and Stephen is a fantastic character to explore concerns about personhood. Excellent content: meaty ideas, excellent worldbuilding, and evocative writing.

"Luminous" by Silvia Park offers a captivating glimpse into a futuristic world that is both vibrant and thought-provoking. The novel masterfully blends elements of science fiction with deep philosophical questions about identity and technology. Park's writing is rich and immersive, drawing readers into a world where human and digital existences intertwine seamlessly.

One of the standout aspects of "Luminous" is its world-building. Park has crafted a setting that feels both innovative and hauntingly relevant, making it easy to become fully absorbed in the narrative. The characters are well-developed, each with their unique motivations and struggles, which add depth to the story.