Shelter

A not altogether hopeless Dystopia
A woman who has been damaged by her family and life’s events finds her way to again wanting her life to have a purpose, and along the way is able to resolve some issues and change herself from being a victim of fate to being able to accept what has caused her deep psychic damage and gain the self-acceptance that enables her to once again be the force for good that she was before tragedy scrambled her life.The setting is wonderful and dark in the SF Bay area.The characters she interacts with are interesting, among which is an evolving AI, and the resolution is satisfying.The portrayal of her inner states is masterful as she gradually opens up again to the world outside.The world of a half-century or so from now is plausible and mildly depressive in nature, but it still left me by the end with a belief that things getting better was a strong possibility.I thought this book was great!Dan Nelson

Despite uneven pacing and heavy-handedness, Shelter is an intelligent, enjoyable novel centered on a bold theme. Recommended
Roberta is on parole for “excessive altruism” when Meredith reenters her life, prompting both to reflect on the events which drew them together: a devastating virus, Preston, first man translated into virtual existence, and their attempts to protect Nicholas and Fred, an unstable child and an artificial intelligence. Shelter has a number of flaws: over-explained backstory, a too-simple conclusion, and heavy-handed themes. Nonetheless it’s a brave and intelligent book. The plotline is intriguing and the characters empathetic, and the book is rich which thoughtful issues of identity. While it could be better, it’s still quite enjoyable and I recommend it.Shelter opens with a speaking house, a homeless man, and a violent rainstorm; it’s rich with mystery and hints at a dystopic near-future. What follows this promising beginning is far more concrete, and some of the book’s magic is lost in the change. Roberta and Meredith recollections are highly detailed and lean towards over-explication. The conclusion, by contrast, is rushed and verges on a deus ex machina, ending the book on a somewhat sour note. Despite these extremes, the uneven pacing and detail often finds a medium point that houses realistic characters and an intelligent plot; the book is intriguing and on the whole an enjoyable read, but not always a smooth one.Both plotlines are riddled with issues and events that range from pandemic disease to the autonomy of artificial intelligence, making for a vast and complicated book. Most of these issues are questions of identity: how intelligence, body, memory, and sense of self create a person. That’s a bold theme, and Palwick has much to say on it and nearly as many ways to say it. Her approach to the theme is sometimes heavy-handed, addressing it too blatantly and too often. But it’s a bold move to reach so far, and Palwick sometimes grasps her goal. Preston, Nicholas, and Fred, as a virtual identity, a child threatened by brain wiping, and an AI, are in turns empathetic and manipulative, artificial and startlingly real. Palwick creates a realistic world where they can all exist, and cultures genuine interest–not always in their safety, but always on the issue of their identity. Shelter is an imperfect book, but I applaud it for what it attempts to be and enjoy it for what it is. I recommend it. It’s akin in style and theme to some of Margret Atwood’s books (though admitably lacks some of her finesse), and may appeal to a similar audience of readers interested in personal narratives which center around strong science fiction themes.

Uneven and tone deaf
1. One of the main characters is a negative, depressed bully with a lot of spite and anger. But she’s undergoing a forced monitoring because she suffers from…an excess of compassion.2. The most interesting and likable characters are the talking house and Squeaky the Squirrel.3. Preston, the man in the television, is downright creepy.4. Too much detailed and interminable back story. Too many philosophical discussions about the nature of AI and disembodied entities, such as Preston. Are they sentient, are they not, can they own property, or not. What is their legal status? What is their moral status? I’d prefer more plot and less codswallop.5. A tiny point, I know–but what’s with the old-fashioned names? Constance, Brenda, Roberta, etc.? This is supposed to take place in the future.