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Glass Houses
Win a free print copy of this book!
6 days and 04:01:07
50 copies available
U.S. only
A masterful near future whodunit for fans of Glass Onion and Black Mirror; join a stranded start-up team led by a terrifyingly realistic charismatic billionaire, a deserted tropical island, and a mysterious AI-driven mansion--as the remaining members disappear one by one.
A group of employees and their CEO, celebrating the sale of their remarkable emotion-mapping-AI-alogorithm, crash onto a not-quite-deserted tropical island.
Luckily, those who survived have found a beautiful, fully-stocked private palace, with all the latest technological updates (though one without connection to the outside world). The house, however, has more secrets than anyone might have guessed, and much darker reason for having been built and left behind.
Kristin, the hyper-competent "human emotional support technician" (i.e., the eccentric boyish billionaire-CEO Sumpter's idea of an HR department) tries to keep her colleagues stable, throughout this new challange, but staying sane seems to be as much of a challange as staying alive. Being a "woman in technology" has always meant having to be smarter then anyone expects....and Kristin's survival skills are more impressive than anyone knows.
A group of employees and their CEO, celebrating the sale of their remarkable emotion-mapping-AI-alogorithm, crash onto a not-quite-deserted tropical island.
Luckily, those who survived have found a beautiful, fully-stocked private palace, with all the latest technological updates (though one without connection to the outside world). The house, however, has more secrets than anyone might have guessed, and much darker reason for having been built and left behind.
Kristin, the hyper-competent "human emotional support technician" (i.e., the eccentric boyish billionaire-CEO Sumpter's idea of an HR department) tries to keep her colleagues stable, throughout this new challange, but staying sane seems to be as much of a challange as staying alive. Being a "woman in technology" has always meant having to be smarter then anyone expects....and Kristin's survival skills are more impressive than anyone knows.
272 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication August 13, 2024
About the author
Madeline Ashby
54 books481 followersMadeline Ashby is a science fiction writer and strategic foresight consultant living in Toronto. She has been writing fiction since she was about thirteen years old. (Before that, she recited all her stories aloud, with funny voices and everything.) Her fiction has appeared in Nature, Tesseracts, Escape Pod, FLURB, the Shine Anthology, and elsewhere. Her non-fiction has appeared at BoingBoing.net, io9.com, Tor.com, Online Fandom, and WorldChanging. She is a member of the Cecil Street Irregulars, one of Toronto's oldest genre writers' workshops. She holds a M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies (her thesis was on anime, fan culture, and cyborg theory) and a M.Des. in strategic foresight & innovation (her project was on the future of border security). Currently, she is represented by Monica Pacheco of Anne McDermid & Associates.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
April 11, 2024
Okay my bookish friends, we have a little tough sci fi thriller to discuss: I both liked and also disliked at the same time which is making things complicated to form a fair verdict.
Firstly the book is far too intelligent that made me feel not capable enough to understand the whole scientific terminology that discussed in pages (that’s why after reading this book, I gave my approval to my husband wear his “I’m with this stupid shirt” that with an arrow pointing someone stands next to him: which is absolutely “me”) The idea of emotion-mapping-AI algorithm turning human emotions into currency is not comprehensible subject for me as a person who has even problems to fully understand the mechanics of crypto currency.
I also had really hard time to connect with Kristen Mara: the eerie heroine who is too intelligent, detached, showing sociopathic tendencies who didn’t give me anything to hold on for empathizing her and her painful, tragic childhood.
But I cannot deny, the plot line with reminiscences of Glass Onion, Lost and And Then There Were None are perfectly executed, describing ten people: a part of innovative tech company who lurched emotion-mapping-AI- algorithm survive from plane crash, finding themselves in a tropical island where a bizarre black box shaped house awaiting them to stay till somebody notices their acceptances. But just like Christie’s famous book each of them starts dying with unknown reasons that might be supernatural identities threatened the islanders or a secret psychopath targets them and this person can be one of them.
Yes the plot line of the book is intriguing which is told by the present time in island and flashbacks putting a light how Kristen, a soul survivor of a fire that has taken her family’s life, sued to the firm that created the malfunctioning fire and won it that put her in the spotlight of media stalkers. Kristen is hired as “chief emotional manager” by eccentric boyish billionaire, CEO Sumter who insists they’re two pieces of pod with similar pasts they end to sue the companies which are responsible to kill both of their parents.
We see blossoming relationship of Kristen with mysterious Antonin who keeps questioning the piling death around Kristen and we learn more about company related suicides that may lead to something more sinister.
When we return back to the present, we start questioning what’s going on in the island, why their automated piloted place did crash, who is the owner of fully-stocked black box shaped mansion on the island where none of the women can open the fridges or any drawers. Is one of them having a very dangerous secret agenda to hunt them one by one or is this another test created by Sumter and Mason?
Well, I’m rounding up 3.5 stars to 4 because of the unique definitions and original inventions in this book even though all those characters are highly irritating that I didn’t care they live or die! But as a fantasy and speculative science fiction this book stands tall from its rivals. The execution and pacing is great. That’s why I raised my grade!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for sharing this smart sci-fi novel’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange of my honest thoughts.
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Firstly the book is far too intelligent that made me feel not capable enough to understand the whole scientific terminology that discussed in pages (that’s why after reading this book, I gave my approval to my husband wear his “I’m with this stupid shirt” that with an arrow pointing someone stands next to him: which is absolutely “me”) The idea of emotion-mapping-AI algorithm turning human emotions into currency is not comprehensible subject for me as a person who has even problems to fully understand the mechanics of crypto currency.
I also had really hard time to connect with Kristen Mara: the eerie heroine who is too intelligent, detached, showing sociopathic tendencies who didn’t give me anything to hold on for empathizing her and her painful, tragic childhood.
But I cannot deny, the plot line with reminiscences of Glass Onion, Lost and And Then There Were None are perfectly executed, describing ten people: a part of innovative tech company who lurched emotion-mapping-AI- algorithm survive from plane crash, finding themselves in a tropical island where a bizarre black box shaped house awaiting them to stay till somebody notices their acceptances. But just like Christie’s famous book each of them starts dying with unknown reasons that might be supernatural identities threatened the islanders or a secret psychopath targets them and this person can be one of them.
Yes the plot line of the book is intriguing which is told by the present time in island and flashbacks putting a light how Kristen, a soul survivor of a fire that has taken her family’s life, sued to the firm that created the malfunctioning fire and won it that put her in the spotlight of media stalkers. Kristen is hired as “chief emotional manager” by eccentric boyish billionaire, CEO Sumter who insists they’re two pieces of pod with similar pasts they end to sue the companies which are responsible to kill both of their parents.
We see blossoming relationship of Kristen with mysterious Antonin who keeps questioning the piling death around Kristen and we learn more about company related suicides that may lead to something more sinister.
When we return back to the present, we start questioning what’s going on in the island, why their automated piloted place did crash, who is the owner of fully-stocked black box shaped mansion on the island where none of the women can open the fridges or any drawers. Is one of them having a very dangerous secret agenda to hunt them one by one or is this another test created by Sumter and Mason?
Well, I’m rounding up 3.5 stars to 4 because of the unique definitions and original inventions in this book even though all those characters are highly irritating that I didn’t care they live or die! But as a fantasy and speculative science fiction this book stands tall from its rivals. The execution and pacing is great. That’s why I raised my grade!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for sharing this smart sci-fi novel’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange of my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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March 27, 2024"Glass Houses" by Madeline Ashby is a dark thriller set in the near future, teeming with advanced technology, both real and imagined. As a fan of such books, I was eager to delve into its pages.
The story follows a group of start-up team members led by their eccentric billionaire boss, CEO Sumter. They embark on a trip to celebrate the sale of their emotion-mapping AI algorithm but find themselves stranded on a deserted tropical island after their autonomous airplane crashes. Among the ten survivors are Sumter and his right-hand assistant, Kristen, who holds the position of 'chief emotional officer. On the island, they stumble upon an AI-driven mansion filled with secrets and advanced technology. While grappling with their situation and attempting to enter the house, Kristen does her best to keep tensions low and people safe.
I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery, reminiscent of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None," the "Big Brother" vibes, and the array of fascinating technology depicted in the story. Understanding the tech isn't necessary to enjoy the book; being a sci-fi enthusiast, I had no issue with it. The title aptly captures the essence of the book and "Glass House Effect," and the cleverly imagined dark plot keeps you on the edge of your seat as tension mounts.
The narrative unfolds through dual timelines, before and after the crash, narrated in the third person from Kristen's perspective. We come to know Kristen and several other characters intimately, although the more I learned about her, the less I found her likable. Indeed, most characters are rather unlikable, yet this didn't hinder my enjoyment of the tale or my curiosity about their survival chances.
The book delves into the depths of the human psyche, exploring themes such as PTSD, obsession, gender dynamics in male-dominated industries, the erosion of privacy in the age of social media, and the ramifications of broadcasting one's life to the world. I don't have a smart home system in my home, and after reading this book I won't get one...
My only grievances with the book were the occasional unrealistic behaviors of the survivors, the petty quarrels, and a few awkward descriptions and imagery (such as those concerning bandages) that neither made sense nor added to the story; The book is better off without them. Nevertheless, I found the book enjoyable and rate it 4 out of 5 stars. I recommend it to fans of the genre seeking an original albeit dark read.
* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.
* Review in my blog: https://galibookish.blogspot.com/2024...
The story follows a group of start-up team members led by their eccentric billionaire boss, CEO Sumter. They embark on a trip to celebrate the sale of their emotion-mapping AI algorithm but find themselves stranded on a deserted tropical island after their autonomous airplane crashes. Among the ten survivors are Sumter and his right-hand assistant, Kristen, who holds the position of 'chief emotional officer. On the island, they stumble upon an AI-driven mansion filled with secrets and advanced technology. While grappling with their situation and attempting to enter the house, Kristen does her best to keep tensions low and people safe.
I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery, reminiscent of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None," the "Big Brother" vibes, and the array of fascinating technology depicted in the story. Understanding the tech isn't necessary to enjoy the book; being a sci-fi enthusiast, I had no issue with it. The title aptly captures the essence of the book and "Glass House Effect," and the cleverly imagined dark plot keeps you on the edge of your seat as tension mounts.
The narrative unfolds through dual timelines, before and after the crash, narrated in the third person from Kristen's perspective. We come to know Kristen and several other characters intimately, although the more I learned about her, the less I found her likable. Indeed, most characters are rather unlikable, yet this didn't hinder my enjoyment of the tale or my curiosity about their survival chances.
The book delves into the depths of the human psyche, exploring themes such as PTSD, obsession, gender dynamics in male-dominated industries, the erosion of privacy in the age of social media, and the ramifications of broadcasting one's life to the world. I don't have a smart home system in my home, and after reading this book I won't get one...
My only grievances with the book were the occasional unrealistic behaviors of the survivors, the petty quarrels, and a few awkward descriptions and imagery (such as those concerning bandages) that neither made sense nor added to the story; The book is better off without them. Nevertheless, I found the book enjoyable and rate it 4 out of 5 stars. I recommend it to fans of the genre seeking an original albeit dark read.
* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.
* Review in my blog: https://galibookish.blogspot.com/2024...
June 5, 2024
✨B O O K • F E A T U R E✨
Glass Houses // Releases: August 13, 2024
#ad I received a gifted advance copy of this book - many thanks to @madashby + @tornightfire #partner
I absolutely loved this book. Honestly, I can't decide what I loved more: the book itself or Kristen's character. Both were equally amazing.
This book has made me want to read more science-fiction books like this one. It was such a fun journey, and the tech elements were fascinating. I feel smarter after reading it. Haha. But seriously, the concepts in this book are incredible.
The story centers around a plane with no pilot that should fly itself. Instead, the pilotless plane crashes and a group of coworkers from a tech startup crash-land on an island. They see nothing around them until they find a black, all-glass house, only problem is is that it has no doors. They need to get inside because the house contains everything they need to survive. But why did they crash here in the first place?
As things go wrong, the stranded group starts to turn on each other, unsure of who to trust. Was the crash an accident or a deliberate plan?
The narrative unfolds in dual timelines: the present and the past. The chapters set in the past always provide hints relevant to the present.
I can't wait to read more from this author. Great read.
#glasshouses #TorNightfire #sci-fi #thriller #bookrecommendations #bookstagram #readmorebooks #alwaysreading #bookhoarder #bookstack #readabook #bookworms #bookrecommendation #bookaesthetic #bookshelves #readabook #readmore #suspense #books #bookworm #igbooks #bibliophile #booksbooksbooks
Glass Houses // Releases: August 13, 2024
#ad I received a gifted advance copy of this book - many thanks to @madashby + @tornightfire #partner
I absolutely loved this book. Honestly, I can't decide what I loved more: the book itself or Kristen's character. Both were equally amazing.
This book has made me want to read more science-fiction books like this one. It was such a fun journey, and the tech elements were fascinating. I feel smarter after reading it. Haha. But seriously, the concepts in this book are incredible.
The story centers around a plane with no pilot that should fly itself. Instead, the pilotless plane crashes and a group of coworkers from a tech startup crash-land on an island. They see nothing around them until they find a black, all-glass house, only problem is is that it has no doors. They need to get inside because the house contains everything they need to survive. But why did they crash here in the first place?
As things go wrong, the stranded group starts to turn on each other, unsure of who to trust. Was the crash an accident or a deliberate plan?
The narrative unfolds in dual timelines: the present and the past. The chapters set in the past always provide hints relevant to the present.
I can't wait to read more from this author. Great read.
#glasshouses #TorNightfire #sci-fi #thriller #bookrecommendations #bookstagram #readmorebooks #alwaysreading #bookhoarder #bookstack #readabook #bookworms #bookrecommendation #bookaesthetic #bookshelves #readabook #readmore #suspense #books #bookworm #igbooks #bibliophile #booksbooksbooks
March 27, 2024
This phenomenol novel is crreepy, grippy, thrilling and all too scary. I almost can't believe what I read!
I picked it up because of the summary - A group of employees and their CEO, celebrating the sale of their remarkable emotion-mapping-AI-algorithm, crash onto a not-quite-deserted tropical island.
I thought it might be fun, a little thrilling but it was absolutely and incredibly mind-blowingly scary. Kristen is our heroine and her backstory is incredibly interesting and unique. It may be why. Sumter, a very Elon-Musky, billionaire baffoonish man has hired her as his right -hand-woman. They work well together and her skill set allows her to continue to lead the team after a devastating plane crash and massive loss of life.
When they find a hotel, a mansion, or a palace filled with all of the food they need, Kristen knows there has to be more to the story. While she flashes back to her history, and her very limited life outside of the company we begin to get a better picture of who Kristen really is and what she might be able to do in this scenario
If you like Hitchcock, Highsmith, Vacations-gone-wrong or speculative fiction then this is a MAJOR GEM for you. I might just read it again now, but with the light left on.
#tor #madelineashby #glasshouse
I picked it up because of the summary - A group of employees and their CEO, celebrating the sale of their remarkable emotion-mapping-AI-algorithm, crash onto a not-quite-deserted tropical island.
I thought it might be fun, a little thrilling but it was absolutely and incredibly mind-blowingly scary. Kristen is our heroine and her backstory is incredibly interesting and unique. It may be why. Sumter, a very Elon-Musky, billionaire baffoonish man has hired her as his right -hand-woman. They work well together and her skill set allows her to continue to lead the team after a devastating plane crash and massive loss of life.
When they find a hotel, a mansion, or a palace filled with all of the food they need, Kristen knows there has to be more to the story. While she flashes back to her history, and her very limited life outside of the company we begin to get a better picture of who Kristen really is and what she might be able to do in this scenario
If you like Hitchcock, Highsmith, Vacations-gone-wrong or speculative fiction then this is a MAJOR GEM for you. I might just read it again now, but with the light left on.
#tor #madelineashby #glasshouse
June 16, 2024
2.5 stars. I like the concept here but there's something about Ashby's execution that just doesn't click for me. Everything felt a little vague, slightly out of focus. I could never quite get my bearings.
Let's also correct the record: this is not a whodunnit. Or a picked off one by one book. There's always one very clear explanation, the most obvious answer, and there aren't any real red herrings or list of suspects. The book gives just the slightest attention to most of these characters anyway. Instead it's a book where you're pretty sure you know who is behind what's happening, it's just not clear WHAT is actually happening.
The book is at its best when we're in that WHAT is actually happening mode. But we aren't in it very often. The balance of flashbacks to present was off, mostly in service of final act twists which didn't do much to add to the story. By the end I felt like we had less than we started with, which is never great.
Let's also correct the record: this is not a whodunnit. Or a picked off one by one book. There's always one very clear explanation, the most obvious answer, and there aren't any real red herrings or list of suspects. The book gives just the slightest attention to most of these characters anyway. Instead it's a book where you're pretty sure you know who is behind what's happening, it's just not clear WHAT is actually happening.
The book is at its best when we're in that WHAT is actually happening mode. But we aren't in it very often. The balance of flashbacks to present was off, mostly in service of final act twists which didn't do much to add to the story. By the end I felt like we had less than we started with, which is never great.
March 17, 2024
ARC for review. To be published August 13, 2024.
Wuv (maybe the worst name ever), an AI algorithm for emotions has been sold for big bucks and the team, including billionaire CEO Sumter, is on a trip to celebrate. Unfortunately there is a plane crash into an island. The good news is this island has a fully stocked, deserted mansion, filled with tech updates. The house also has some secrets.
Kristen, the “chief emotional officer” (previously known as HR, and really Sumter’s right hand) is trying to keep everyone going, and that includes keeping everyone alive. And that’s going to take everything she’s got.
Well, first you have to get over the ridiculous premise, and then supposedly smart people keep doing stupid things. But it wasn’t a terrible book and I kept turning the pages.
Wuv (maybe the worst name ever), an AI algorithm for emotions has been sold for big bucks and the team, including billionaire CEO Sumter, is on a trip to celebrate. Unfortunately there is a plane crash into an island. The good news is this island has a fully stocked, deserted mansion, filled with tech updates. The house also has some secrets.
Kristen, the “chief emotional officer” (previously known as HR, and really Sumter’s right hand) is trying to keep everyone going, and that includes keeping everyone alive. And that’s going to take everything she’s got.
Well, first you have to get over the ridiculous premise, and then supposedly smart people keep doing stupid things. But it wasn’t a terrible book and I kept turning the pages.
May 28, 2024
Couldn’t put this down. I like the style of telling the story in both the past and the present. Murder mystery set on a remote island after a plane of a tech start up crashes!! Won this in a Goodreads giveaway 🌟
April 18, 2024
This novel is a well-written exploration of what it means and costs to be a woman in tech.
There are a great deal of sci-fi books that market themselves as being for fans of "Black Mirror" but honestly this is one of the few I think are deserving of the comparison.
There is a balance between the spectacular technology and the more mundane, recognizable things about tech corporations.
The protagonist is well written and strikes intrigue that kept me avidly reading.
Overall I would highly recommend to any sci-fi or thriller fans.
There are a great deal of sci-fi books that market themselves as being for fans of "Black Mirror" but honestly this is one of the few I think are deserving of the comparison.
There is a balance between the spectacular technology and the more mundane, recognizable things about tech corporations.
The protagonist is well written and strikes intrigue that kept me avidly reading.
Overall I would highly recommend to any sci-fi or thriller fans.
May 8, 2024
ARC by NetGalley and the publisher.
What does a tech CEO do to celebrate a huge new deal, well jet setting of course! However, this celebration is cut short when a tragic plane crash lands the tech team on a nearly deserted island. The survivors stumble upon a large house with all of the latest technological updates. Seeing it as a sign of hope for not only does this home have all the latest tech it is also fully stocked. As the remaining survivors begin to disappear one by one, it appears the sanctuary might be too good to be true. With its true purpose being something much darker and sinister.
Ashby created such a unique thriller that combines horror and science fiction elements in a technological driven world. Glass Houses wastes absolutely no time at all setting the intense pacing and terrifying survival plot with the reader seeing the aftermath of the deadly plane crash that traps everyone on the eerie island. Think the Glass Onion meets Lost with the cast of characters being Silicon Valley tech industry game changers. The plot focuses on Kristin, chief emotional manager to eccentric CEO Sumter as we see present time on the island and flashbacks. The flashbacks are well placed, shedding light on Kristin‘s younger life experiences as well as the tech companies sinister past. I was completely engrossed into this story from the moment they discover the ominous black box of a tech house on the island. This gave the most perfect setting for all the twists and turns that Glass Houses dished out. Overall this was an exciting fast paced thriller that is the perfect summer read. I will definitely be picking up more of Ashby’s work in the future and recommend this to anyone who likes a little bit of tech talk with their thriller reads.
Glass Houses comes out August 13th, 2024.
Thank you NetGalley and Tor Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
What does a tech CEO do to celebrate a huge new deal, well jet setting of course! However, this celebration is cut short when a tragic plane crash lands the tech team on a nearly deserted island. The survivors stumble upon a large house with all of the latest technological updates. Seeing it as a sign of hope for not only does this home have all the latest tech it is also fully stocked. As the remaining survivors begin to disappear one by one, it appears the sanctuary might be too good to be true. With its true purpose being something much darker and sinister.
Ashby created such a unique thriller that combines horror and science fiction elements in a technological driven world. Glass Houses wastes absolutely no time at all setting the intense pacing and terrifying survival plot with the reader seeing the aftermath of the deadly plane crash that traps everyone on the eerie island. Think the Glass Onion meets Lost with the cast of characters being Silicon Valley tech industry game changers. The plot focuses on Kristin, chief emotional manager to eccentric CEO Sumter as we see present time on the island and flashbacks. The flashbacks are well placed, shedding light on Kristin‘s younger life experiences as well as the tech companies sinister past. I was completely engrossed into this story from the moment they discover the ominous black box of a tech house on the island. This gave the most perfect setting for all the twists and turns that Glass Houses dished out. Overall this was an exciting fast paced thriller that is the perfect summer read. I will definitely be picking up more of Ashby’s work in the future and recommend this to anyone who likes a little bit of tech talk with their thriller reads.
Glass Houses comes out August 13th, 2024.
Thank you NetGalley and Tor Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Want to read
March 28, 2024ARC received! Thank you so much, Tor!!!
This sounds so, so fun! I can't wait!!
This sounds so, so fun! I can't wait!!
July 8, 2024
This novel had it all: interesting and creepy characters, a deserted island, mysterious deaths, and multiple plot twists. Even though most of the time I couldn't put the book down, sometimes I found myself losing interest in the plot because of how predictable some of the revelations were, despite the fact that some of them were unexpected. More explanation of the world would have been helpful; the author provided us with so little information that I occasionally got lost and found it difficult to understand how their world functioned.
Of all the characters, I enjoyed Kristen's character the most, but I do wish we would get to see more of her thought process and the way she grew up. I think it would help us understand her character more,
I also wish we would get longer chapters about their lives on the island instead of the long chapters about the BEFORE. At times, I found myself skipping over some parts of the past because they were too long and didn't really offer the insight into Kirsten's life I was looking for.
Overall, I would really recommend this book to fans of mystery. It will have you hooked from the beginning until the end!
I would like to thank NetGaley and Tor Publishing Group for giving me a chance to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Of all the characters, I enjoyed Kristen's character the most, but I do wish we would get to see more of her thought process and the way she grew up. I think it would help us understand her character more,
I also wish we would get longer chapters about their lives on the island instead of the long chapters about the BEFORE. At times, I found myself skipping over some parts of the past because they were too long and didn't really offer the insight into Kirsten's life I was looking for.
Overall, I would really recommend this book to fans of mystery. It will have you hooked from the beginning until the end!
I would like to thank NetGaley and Tor Publishing Group for giving me a chance to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.
March 19, 2024
Glass Houses, set in the near future, had all the makings of a great mystery. It started with the crash of an autonomous airplane onto a deserted island and the survivors finding their way into a large glass mansion. There are two timelines, one during the time on the island and one for the time before the flight. However, there was a lot of technology in this book. Most of this tech made little to no sense to me and I have no idea if it is even real. Not understanding any of the tech and the amount of it was a major drawback, but if you can skip over those parts it was an interesting story.
My copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review it.
My copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review it.
June 6, 2024
Thank you to the publishers for providing a free ARC for an honest review.
Glass Houses launched itself to the top of my "oh my god I want to read this as soon as possible" list immediately, so I was thrilled to receive and ARC from TOR and, in a startlingly odd turn of events, was not disappointed! It was even close to being a 5-star read for me. I would actually suggest going into this book as blind as possible, because there are elements of it that move between genre boundaries that I feel are most rewarding when they are less expected. Overall, a fairly smart, pointed and fun read!
The best part about Glass Houses is the world building: Ashby creates a kind-of dystopian world that isn't really elaborated on but feels chillingly real and increasingly imminent with every off hand comment and bit of information given to us. Unexpectedly, most of the action occurs away from settings where a lot of this world building would be realized or seen on page, and I both like and am frustrated by this choice. On the one hand, this distance keeps the worldbuilding tantalizing and strong: like a horror movie monster, it's the kind of thing that feels like it may crumble if elaborated or focused upon too extensively. On the other hand, I'd love to see so much more of it. Despite the stranded nature of the main plot, there is a strong thematic and narrative fit between the two that keeps them from feeling disconnected from or incidental to each other.
There is a great deal of biting social commentary in this novel, and it mostly works! Ashby appears to have put a great deal of thought into technology and the political economy and social and political worlds in which it is produced and operates, and it comes across quite well for most of the book - it feels neither preachy nor underbaked. A lot of the observational or thematic points are salient and powerful and manage to not come off as trite or jejune, which a lot of similar types of stories tend to end up being. The social commentary does feel a touch more tired and superficial towards to end, but by that point I was invested enough that it only slightly turned me off.
The plot itself was engaging and a fun ride to be on, even if it's pretty apparent early on where this is all going. There are a couple plot elements that I didn't fully understand or felt were underdeveloped or unnecessary .
Glass Houses launched itself to the top of my "oh my god I want to read this as soon as possible" list immediately, so I was thrilled to receive and ARC from TOR and, in a startlingly odd turn of events, was not disappointed! It was even close to being a 5-star read for me. I would actually suggest going into this book as blind as possible, because there are elements of it that move between genre boundaries that I feel are most rewarding when they are less expected. Overall, a fairly smart, pointed and fun read!
The best part about Glass Houses is the world building: Ashby creates a kind-of dystopian world that isn't really elaborated on but feels chillingly real and increasingly imminent with every off hand comment and bit of information given to us. Unexpectedly, most of the action occurs away from settings where a lot of this world building would be realized or seen on page, and I both like and am frustrated by this choice. On the one hand, this distance keeps the worldbuilding tantalizing and strong: like a horror movie monster, it's the kind of thing that feels like it may crumble if elaborated or focused upon too extensively. On the other hand, I'd love to see so much more of it. Despite the stranded nature of the main plot, there is a strong thematic and narrative fit between the two that keeps them from feeling disconnected from or incidental to each other.
There is a great deal of biting social commentary in this novel, and it mostly works! Ashby appears to have put a great deal of thought into technology and the political economy and social and political worlds in which it is produced and operates, and it comes across quite well for most of the book - it feels neither preachy nor underbaked. A lot of the observational or thematic points are salient and powerful and manage to not come off as trite or jejune, which a lot of similar types of stories tend to end up being. The social commentary does feel a touch more tired and superficial towards to end, but by that point I was invested enough that it only slightly turned me off.
The plot itself was engaging and a fun ride to be on, even if it's pretty apparent early on where this is all going. There are a couple plot elements that I didn't fully understand or felt were underdeveloped or unnecessary .
April 21, 2024
There was something deeply funny about reading this novel while living in the Silicon Valley. Even though it takes place within Canada (and slightly beyond) it concerns the tech industry in the near future, and so much of it was a reflection of life here today, and an echo of what I hear people around me saying. Some of its critiques are scathing, even if it is fictional, and there's a sense of humor and lightness to it that contrasts nicely with being a thriller, and the fear the characters face.
The pacing is near perfect, which I so rarely see within the genre, and the sci fi elements sprinkled around like tasty little treats for the reader to discover. It's a cross-genre work- mostly said thriller, with those little elements thrown throughout, set in the near enough future that it all feels deeply plausible.
My only real critique is that the very ending- the last 20 or so pages- get a little muddled, the pace turned up to furious where it could have gotten away with merely being speedy. Overall, this will make a nice summer read for many- especially those in the tech cities.
The pacing is near perfect, which I so rarely see within the genre, and the sci fi elements sprinkled around like tasty little treats for the reader to discover. It's a cross-genre work- mostly said thriller, with those little elements thrown throughout, set in the near enough future that it all feels deeply plausible.
My only real critique is that the very ending- the last 20 or so pages- get a little muddled, the pace turned up to furious where it could have gotten away with merely being speedy. Overall, this will make a nice summer read for many- especially those in the tech cities.
March 18, 2024
Madeline starts her story with a horrible plane crash. Kristen Howard, (Kiki) find herself on the plane and gets off and goes into the ocean to clean herself up from the blood. She sees Craig floating face up and he's been attacked by birds and bottom feeders and is dead. Flashback, Kiki is with her boss, Sumter, and meeting with Elias Qureshi to find someone to give financing to the company Wuv, but she's put off and is sent to a private washroom. At the end of the hall she meets Antonin Kashif Almasi, who is a spy and they end up making love. Now back to the present day, Kiki has found a black home on the Island and found that there was a few people that made it off the plane, I'm leaving a lot out of the story so when you read it you will find much more in it. But what has happened is that her boss was killing people off after the company was bought out. Kiki ends up killing her boss and ends up with Antonin with only Nora Mae as an employee that made it off the Island other than her. I missed a lot of background which is very interesting to the story. Please read it.
April 1, 2024
I received an advance copy through NetGalley.
I'll be honest: I like it when my sci-fi has some horror elements, and when it's focused on technology, I love it when it's so unsettlingly plausible and familiar that it is almost a distraction.
That being said... This book was INCREDIBLE.
The first chapters set a familiar near-future tone that's hard not to recognize... but once you settle in with the pattern of flashback chapters and present tense survival horror, the game truly begins. In a dizzying kaleidoscope of teeth-grittingly nerve wracking scenes between the startup squad who've survived a plane crash on a remote island after a huge success for the company, your journey as a reader becomes increasingly less safe, less obvious, less comfortable. But you won't be able to stop reading. You have suspicions, yes, but no proof. And what's this thing that keeps getting danced around? One reveal happens, and you're stunned. You keep going to the next reveal; a shock to your senses.
You're in it now. And you'll absolutely NEVER guess the truth. At least, not the whole truth.
My god this was disturbing. I absolutely loved it.
I'll be honest: I like it when my sci-fi has some horror elements, and when it's focused on technology, I love it when it's so unsettlingly plausible and familiar that it is almost a distraction.
That being said... This book was INCREDIBLE.
The first chapters set a familiar near-future tone that's hard not to recognize... but once you settle in with the pattern of flashback chapters and present tense survival horror, the game truly begins. In a dizzying kaleidoscope of teeth-grittingly nerve wracking scenes between the startup squad who've survived a plane crash on a remote island after a huge success for the company, your journey as a reader becomes increasingly less safe, less obvious, less comfortable. But you won't be able to stop reading. You have suspicions, yes, but no proof. And what's this thing that keeps getting danced around? One reveal happens, and you're stunned. You keep going to the next reveal; a shock to your senses.
You're in it now. And you'll absolutely NEVER guess the truth. At least, not the whole truth.
My god this was disturbing. I absolutely loved it.
July 2, 2024
What a ride! I loved it. There are two POVs - before and present. I cannot even decide which I loved more. They both captured me immediately and did not let go. I could not turn the pages fast enough, but there were enough new technologies / futuristic things that had me stopping frequently to try and picture in my head. The characters were fantastic! Always a bit vague, never showing their true selves, adding to my unease and unsure feeling the whole time reading. Who do you root for, who can you trust, when is the author springing the trap?! You never know!
The atmosphere - just perfect. It was thrilling futuristic horror and the only type I want to read from now on. I yelled out loud so many times, but then was smiling so my partner was so confused. This is UNLIKE anything I have ever read and I absolutely loved it and this will stick with me certainly forever. Now I bet the audiobook would be even more fabulous....
The atmosphere - just perfect. It was thrilling futuristic horror and the only type I want to read from now on. I yelled out loud so many times, but then was smiling so my partner was so confused. This is UNLIKE anything I have ever read and I absolutely loved it and this will stick with me certainly forever. Now I bet the audiobook would be even more fabulous....
May 20, 2024
3.5 stars, rounded up.
This was a page-turner, and the author is clearly a gifted writer and storyteller. I'm a sucker for speculative fiction that explores the eventualities of smart tech, social media, and capitalism in general.
I fear the premise of this book was stretched too thin to allow sufficient suspension of disbelief. Despite the presence of a savvy, tough, smart female protagonist I couldn't help but root for despite her flaws, the plot leaned far too heavily on comic-book levels of one-note villainy.
I enjoyed my time spent between these covers, and I found myself wanting to talk about this story with the people around me. Still, it didn't leave me with any sort of edification. I was picking apart the story's plausibility even while I was experiencing it.
This was a page-turner, and the author is clearly a gifted writer and storyteller. I'm a sucker for speculative fiction that explores the eventualities of smart tech, social media, and capitalism in general.
I fear the premise of this book was stretched too thin to allow sufficient suspension of disbelief. Despite the presence of a savvy, tough, smart female protagonist I couldn't help but root for despite her flaws, the plot leaned far too heavily on comic-book levels of one-note villainy.
I enjoyed my time spent between these covers, and I found myself wanting to talk about this story with the people around me. Still, it didn't leave me with any sort of edification. I was picking apart the story's plausibility even while I was experiencing it.
June 9, 2024
My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher, Tor Publishing Group for an advanced copy of this science fiction mystery about a woman who thought that the worst thing that would ever happen to her was in the past, but finds that her present might be much worse.
Tragedy strengthens people in many ways, and leaves mark sometimes physical and sometimes so deep that no one sees it. Shared tragedy makes people think there should be a bond, but people compute events differently. One person might go on to start a business, and maybe some other things. Some might just want to be alone, or keep people at a distance, and not get involved. Surviving is different for people, and surviving sometimes isn't thriving, its just getting by. The biggest fear is that something even worse might happen again, something that will test all those defenses that one has used to pass through life. And hoping that one can survive again. Glass Houses, is a mystery thriller set in the near future that is even more broken then the world we have now, dealing with technology, the cut-throat business world, and the fact that no one can believe their eyes anymore.
The time is the near future on an island that has just had a plane crash on it. Kristen is the Chief Emotional Officer, as her boss calls her, with an ability to handle most problems promptly, not matter how strange. Kristen however has no idea why the plane crashed or how, only awakening covered in blood, mostly not her own. A dip in the ocean causes her to find a body, and her boss Sumter, who also says he has no idea why the plane crashed, but wonders if it could have been corporate sabotage. Sumter's company had just completed a new AI system, an Emotion mapping algorithm that could change everything. Until the plane crash. Sumter and Kristen both share a childhood full of pain, but for different reasons. One that has left scars on Kristen that are both visible, and deep inside. A house and other survivors are found, a house, with lots of technology, and but no way of calling out. And with a lot of odd quirks. Kristen assumes the worst and is soon proven right as things start happening, and the people who survived the plane crash get smaller and smaller.
A bit of Agatha Christie but more The Decagon House Murders with the added twist of technology and business culture. The story is twisty and told in both the past and the present by Kristen who can be a little annoying sometimes. Kristen is smart with problems, but poor in reading people, and can seem not just distant but very removed from situations. This has to do with both her past, and being a women in business, which even a bit into the future is still very anti-female. The world is interesting, like I stated sometime in the future, where things are running even worse than now. The science might be a bit for regular thriller readers, but I liked that aspect and found it an interesting addition to the plot. The story works well, though the leaving of a few character is not quite the loss that it appears, as some of them could grate on the nerves. A taut thriller full of surprises, and quite a bit of oh wow moments.
Tragedy strengthens people in many ways, and leaves mark sometimes physical and sometimes so deep that no one sees it. Shared tragedy makes people think there should be a bond, but people compute events differently. One person might go on to start a business, and maybe some other things. Some might just want to be alone, or keep people at a distance, and not get involved. Surviving is different for people, and surviving sometimes isn't thriving, its just getting by. The biggest fear is that something even worse might happen again, something that will test all those defenses that one has used to pass through life. And hoping that one can survive again. Glass Houses, is a mystery thriller set in the near future that is even more broken then the world we have now, dealing with technology, the cut-throat business world, and the fact that no one can believe their eyes anymore.
The time is the near future on an island that has just had a plane crash on it. Kristen is the Chief Emotional Officer, as her boss calls her, with an ability to handle most problems promptly, not matter how strange. Kristen however has no idea why the plane crashed or how, only awakening covered in blood, mostly not her own. A dip in the ocean causes her to find a body, and her boss Sumter, who also says he has no idea why the plane crashed, but wonders if it could have been corporate sabotage. Sumter's company had just completed a new AI system, an Emotion mapping algorithm that could change everything. Until the plane crash. Sumter and Kristen both share a childhood full of pain, but for different reasons. One that has left scars on Kristen that are both visible, and deep inside. A house and other survivors are found, a house, with lots of technology, and but no way of calling out. And with a lot of odd quirks. Kristen assumes the worst and is soon proven right as things start happening, and the people who survived the plane crash get smaller and smaller.
A bit of Agatha Christie but more The Decagon House Murders with the added twist of technology and business culture. The story is twisty and told in both the past and the present by Kristen who can be a little annoying sometimes. Kristen is smart with problems, but poor in reading people, and can seem not just distant but very removed from situations. This has to do with both her past, and being a women in business, which even a bit into the future is still very anti-female. The world is interesting, like I stated sometime in the future, where things are running even worse than now. The science might be a bit for regular thriller readers, but I liked that aspect and found it an interesting addition to the plot. The story works well, though the leaving of a few character is not quite the loss that it appears, as some of them could grate on the nerves. A taut thriller full of surprises, and quite a bit of oh wow moments.
May 18, 2024
It's difficult to rate this due to its intriguing premise and yet scattered world-building. This story has the potential, and I was incredibly obsessed with finding out about this futuristic world. The casual mention of highly technical concepts and geopolitical events was confusing and alluring. I really wish the technologies and technical references could have been elaborated further to create depth of environment to which a layperson could connect with.
The other difficulty rested in gaining an understanding of the main protagonists' feelings, worldview, and motives. It felt like it was assumed readers would be telepathic to the internal workings of this protagonists perceptions, but it really needed to be drawn out in obvious text. It somewhat becomes clearer towards the end, but even then, she still moves passively towards sudden new developments without much explanation. There were no guided hints towards her secret until the end, so her reveal just felt stilted. The ending was satisfying but rushed and complex due to sudden reveals. The story could have benefitted from further elaboration of technology, fleshing out of each colleague character, and improving the romantic tension emotional dialogue, all to create better tangibility.
Nevertheless, I still felt obsessed with Kristen. She's the badass every group needs. Strategic. Cunning. Five steps ahead. Yet somehow also five steps behind. And I wanted to love this story. I wanted to know more about this near future dystopia referred to as "surveillance capitalism". I did love parts of the book, the writing, and the intelligent uniqueness. I loved how there's some cat and mouse thrills. But it was overall disjointed, with major jumps between contexts or metaphors. It truly needs a refinement and it'd be excellent. That said, I would read another book by this author as I'm so intrigued by the style.
Thank you to NetGalley, Madeline Ashby, and TOR Publishing Group for this digital advanced copy.
The other difficulty rested in gaining an understanding of the main protagonists' feelings, worldview, and motives. It felt like it was assumed readers would be telepathic to the internal workings of this protagonists perceptions, but it really needed to be drawn out in obvious text. It somewhat becomes clearer towards the end, but even then, she still moves passively towards sudden new developments without much explanation. There were no guided hints towards her secret until the end, so her reveal just felt stilted. The ending was satisfying but rushed and complex due to sudden reveals. The story could have benefitted from further elaboration of technology, fleshing out of each colleague character, and improving the romantic tension emotional dialogue, all to create better tangibility.
Nevertheless, I still felt obsessed with Kristen. She's the badass every group needs. Strategic. Cunning. Five steps ahead. Yet somehow also five steps behind. And I wanted to love this story. I wanted to know more about this near future dystopia referred to as "surveillance capitalism". I did love parts of the book, the writing, and the intelligent uniqueness. I loved how there's some cat and mouse thrills. But it was overall disjointed, with major jumps between contexts or metaphors. It truly needs a refinement and it'd be excellent. That said, I would read another book by this author as I'm so intrigued by the style.
Thank you to NetGalley, Madeline Ashby, and TOR Publishing Group for this digital advanced copy.
April 20, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for providing this book, with my honest review below.
Glass Houses has to be one of the most disturbing thrillers I’ve read in some time, and I mean this as a compliment. I was interested in the idea of a glimpse of a reimagined world of the future, a downed plane and desert island with a mystery. What I didn’t count on was the romance and backstory that went with it, as well as some of the off the wall reveals.
Kristen, Chief Emotional Manager (aka Chief of Staff) has a traumatic past being a burn victim after home caught fire killing both her parents. Sumter is a tech boy wonder whose company, Wuv, was just acquired. Together they and employees of the startup are returning from a celebratory trip when they have an accident and land on a not so deserted island, as a giant futuristic home is there. But the island seems to be killing the survivors and as Kristen, and Wuv’s, backstories are explored it becomes obvious that there’s a whole lot more to the mystery than the plane crash and monolithic home.
This was just plain weird and, again, very enjoyable. There was a lot happening and a lot to keep up with (not just in orienting ones self in the world this novel takes place in but also in all the moving pieces). I was hooked throughout though, yes, the ending got a bit crazy. I’d recommend this but also acknowledge it won’t be for everyone. If you’re an adventurous reader who does like your thrillers to take place in sci fi settings then pick this one up!
Glass Houses has to be one of the most disturbing thrillers I’ve read in some time, and I mean this as a compliment. I was interested in the idea of a glimpse of a reimagined world of the future, a downed plane and desert island with a mystery. What I didn’t count on was the romance and backstory that went with it, as well as some of the off the wall reveals.
Kristen, Chief Emotional Manager (aka Chief of Staff) has a traumatic past being a burn victim after home caught fire killing both her parents. Sumter is a tech boy wonder whose company, Wuv, was just acquired. Together they and employees of the startup are returning from a celebratory trip when they have an accident and land on a not so deserted island, as a giant futuristic home is there. But the island seems to be killing the survivors and as Kristen, and Wuv’s, backstories are explored it becomes obvious that there’s a whole lot more to the mystery than the plane crash and monolithic home.
This was just plain weird and, again, very enjoyable. There was a lot happening and a lot to keep up with (not just in orienting ones self in the world this novel takes place in but also in all the moving pieces). I was hooked throughout though, yes, the ending got a bit crazy. I’d recommend this but also acknowledge it won’t be for everyone. If you’re an adventurous reader who does like your thrillers to take place in sci fi settings then pick this one up!
May 28, 2024
Thank you to Tor Books for my gifted copy of this book for review.
This book ended up not really being for me, but I think others might enjoy it. I appreciated that it was a fairly quick read. I read it in one evening after dinner.
It is advertised as "for fans of Black Mirror," and I can see how it has Black Mirror vibes. I was a Black Mirror fan, but I found this story kind of hard to follow.
A team from a tech company ends up stranded after a plane crash. They find an odd large glass house on the island that has everything they need, and it is a little too convenient. Someone knows more than they are saying about what is going on.
My issue was mostly that I had a difficult time following this book. There is a lot of futuristic technology involved., which didn't bother me. The plot felt a little jumbled and things felt like they were just happening with no real build up.
The personalities of the characters were a little bizarre. They all survived a plane crash where some of their friends and colleagues did not, yet they were all still bickering and hating each other over small petty things. It just didn't seem to fit. Their attitudes would have made more sense if they had landed there for a work retreat or something.
The ending also wasn't entirely clear to me. I would recommend giving it a try if you are into Black Mirror. I think if someone can make more sense of it than I did, they will enjoy it more than me.
This book ended up not really being for me, but I think others might enjoy it. I appreciated that it was a fairly quick read. I read it in one evening after dinner.
It is advertised as "for fans of Black Mirror," and I can see how it has Black Mirror vibes. I was a Black Mirror fan, but I found this story kind of hard to follow.
A team from a tech company ends up stranded after a plane crash. They find an odd large glass house on the island that has everything they need, and it is a little too convenient. Someone knows more than they are saying about what is going on.
My issue was mostly that I had a difficult time following this book. There is a lot of futuristic technology involved., which didn't bother me. The plot felt a little jumbled and things felt like they were just happening with no real build up.
The personalities of the characters were a little bizarre. They all survived a plane crash where some of their friends and colleagues did not, yet they were all still bickering and hating each other over small petty things. It just didn't seem to fit. Their attitudes would have made more sense if they had landed there for a work retreat or something.
The ending also wasn't entirely clear to me. I would recommend giving it a try if you are into Black Mirror. I think if someone can make more sense of it than I did, they will enjoy it more than me.
July 4, 2024
I received this as an ARC from NetGally. I am so grateful to them for passing along this story to me.
First off, this story really took me by surprise. The way each chapter builds the tension of the mystery had me unable to put this down. Any fans of the series Lost, and the movie Glass Onion will probably enjoy this book.
The setting for Glass Houses is in the future, where the need and use of technology is integrated heavily into our daily life.
Bloody masterpiece
The story follows a group of team members on a return flight from the successful sale of their A.I that maps human emotions and turns it into currency. The plane crashes onto a deserted island claiming the lives of several people, and stranding the others. Among the survivors is the eccentric billionaire and founder, Sumpter, and Kristen, his chief emotional officer. The survivors find only a mysterious black house, that is fully stocked, as if it had been awaiting people. The mystery deepens when one by one the surviving team members start disappearing.
The story is split between dual timelines, before the plane crash, and after the plane. We navigate through this futuristic world, and the mystery of the island with Kristen. With her title as Chief Emotional Officer, we get an intimate look at the company she works with and the people she works alongside.
This book delves into a lot of heavy things like PTSD, navigating a male dominated industry as a woman, and how the advancement of technology has destroyed a person’s right to privacy.
Honestly, the tech advancements described in this story feel close at hand, and it’s almost upsetting how close our world is to resembling this fictional one.
The pacing of Glass Houses is so well done. I honestly cannot get over how engaging everything with this story is, and how hooked you are into the mystery.
If you’re a fan of science fiction thrillers, and mysterious, then I highly recommend this story !
First off, this story really took me by surprise. The way each chapter builds the tension of the mystery had me unable to put this down. Any fans of the series Lost, and the movie Glass Onion will probably enjoy this book.
The setting for Glass Houses is in the future, where the need and use of technology is integrated heavily into our daily life.
Bloody masterpiece
The story follows a group of team members on a return flight from the successful sale of their A.I that maps human emotions and turns it into currency. The plane crashes onto a deserted island claiming the lives of several people, and stranding the others. Among the survivors is the eccentric billionaire and founder, Sumpter, and Kristen, his chief emotional officer. The survivors find only a mysterious black house, that is fully stocked, as if it had been awaiting people. The mystery deepens when one by one the surviving team members start disappearing.
The story is split between dual timelines, before the plane crash, and after the plane. We navigate through this futuristic world, and the mystery of the island with Kristen. With her title as Chief Emotional Officer, we get an intimate look at the company she works with and the people she works alongside.
This book delves into a lot of heavy things like PTSD, navigating a male dominated industry as a woman, and how the advancement of technology has destroyed a person’s right to privacy.
Honestly, the tech advancements described in this story feel close at hand, and it’s almost upsetting how close our world is to resembling this fictional one.
The pacing of Glass Houses is so well done. I honestly cannot get over how engaging everything with this story is, and how hooked you are into the mystery.
If you’re a fan of science fiction thrillers, and mysterious, then I highly recommend this story !
March 19, 2024
It's the near future, and a plane full of tech start-up employees has crashed on an abandoned island. Well, abandoned except for the huge tech-mansion whose door only opens when a man touches it.
Wait, back up. It's the nearer future, and Kristen works for a Canadian tech start-up which is trying to sell some impossible to make design that involves monetizing human emotion. Her boss is in love with her, her coworkers are suspicious of her, and she's hooking up with a spy who she occasionally meets in other countries. The planet is dying, and so are plenty of other people.
Wait, back up again. It's a very near future, and Kristen has survived the house fire that killed her parents. It was started when her father's bitcoin business hit big, overloading his basement set-up. Even in the hospital, Kristen is hounded by her family's fans and foes. Lots of people are influencers in this future, and Kristen has been one against her will all of her life. She has PTSD around surveillance and entrapment.
Pretty great concept for a thriller, which is absolutely what this is no matter what marketing you've seen. I only gave it four stars because I'm tired of people getting away with things that nobody should get away with. Then again, even though Kristen is not a great person and neither is anybody else in this book, I was rooting for her to win.
Wait, back up. It's the nearer future, and Kristen works for a Canadian tech start-up which is trying to sell some impossible to make design that involves monetizing human emotion. Her boss is in love with her, her coworkers are suspicious of her, and she's hooking up with a spy who she occasionally meets in other countries. The planet is dying, and so are plenty of other people.
Wait, back up again. It's a very near future, and Kristen has survived the house fire that killed her parents. It was started when her father's bitcoin business hit big, overloading his basement set-up. Even in the hospital, Kristen is hounded by her family's fans and foes. Lots of people are influencers in this future, and Kristen has been one against her will all of her life. She has PTSD around surveillance and entrapment.
Pretty great concept for a thriller, which is absolutely what this is no matter what marketing you've seen. I only gave it four stars because I'm tired of people getting away with things that nobody should get away with. Then again, even though Kristen is not a great person and neither is anybody else in this book, I was rooting for her to win.
June 30, 2024
A group of employees and their CEO celebrating the sale of emotion tracking AI algorithm, crash onto a not-quite-deserted tropical island.
For those who do survive, they come across a beautifully stocked private palace. The house however has more secrets than anyone might have guessed
This book is for fans of Black Mirror, and I think that it was delivered. However, my biggest complaint was that these people all survived this plane crash, but there’s really no explanation really into what happened with the plane. Why did they go down. But the people who survived just carried on like nothing had happened. I would be a mental mess; on the verge of a breakdown, you can guarantee that. The characters were detached and showed sociopath tendencies. Kristen was a great character and full of depth. It was interesting to see the flashes to the past so I could get to know her more. Really added a lot of understanding.
This book is most certainly a twisted read and one that will make you wonder, and keep you guessing until the last minute.
Thank you to @tornightfire and @netgalley for this e-arc. I appreciate it so much.
All thoughts are my own.
For those who do survive, they come across a beautifully stocked private palace. The house however has more secrets than anyone might have guessed
This book is for fans of Black Mirror, and I think that it was delivered. However, my biggest complaint was that these people all survived this plane crash, but there’s really no explanation really into what happened with the plane. Why did they go down. But the people who survived just carried on like nothing had happened. I would be a mental mess; on the verge of a breakdown, you can guarantee that. The characters were detached and showed sociopath tendencies. Kristen was a great character and full of depth. It was interesting to see the flashes to the past so I could get to know her more. Really added a lot of understanding.
This book is most certainly a twisted read and one that will make you wonder, and keep you guessing until the last minute.
Thank you to @tornightfire and @netgalley for this e-arc. I appreciate it so much.
All thoughts are my own.
March 30, 2024
This near future thriller seems almost too real. The Glass House is the ultimate smart home, programmed by a genius to keep his guests exactly where he wants them, too terrified to step outside. It starts with a corporate plane crash. Kristen wakes up to colleagues all around her dead. She stumbles off the plane to find there are some other survivors, including her boss, who chartered the pilotless airplane to take his employees on a dream vacation. They are on an island and the only building is a huge block of a glass house. The house is fully stocked with food and supplies, water and electricity. Perfect. Except none of their devices work. They can't communicate with the outside world. And people keep disappearing. Or turning up bleeding or dead. Before she dies, one of Kristen's friends says the island tried to eat her. Kristen, a strong, intelligent woman is determined to find out what is going on. Flashbacks give glimpses of the terrible past that turned her into a no-holds-barred survivor.
July 10, 2024
When the employees of a start-up specializing in an innovative emotion-mapping-AI-algorithm crash on a deserted island, they discover a mysterious AI-driven house and start to suspect something sinister is going on as the remaining employees start to disappear one by one.
This was an excellent sci-fi/techno thriller that very much reminded me of Black Mirror. The concept was very unique and it definitely made me think; all the what-if sinister technology speculation was really fun if you just accept the premise of the book and roll with it. The story was told in two timelines--the current predicament on the island as well as the past that revealed more of Kristin's (the "chief emotional officer" aka HR) character and past. Sumter's character (the CEO of the tech start-up) is clearly an amalgamation of the "tech boy billionaire" but not overly or distractingly recognizable as any real-life person, in my opinion. The action was a little slow to get going, but overall the plot kept me turning the pages and I felt like I read it very quickly.
This was an excellent sci-fi/techno thriller that very much reminded me of Black Mirror. The concept was very unique and it definitely made me think; all the what-if sinister technology speculation was really fun if you just accept the premise of the book and roll with it. The story was told in two timelines--the current predicament on the island as well as the past that revealed more of Kristin's (the "chief emotional officer" aka HR) character and past. Sumter's character (the CEO of the tech start-up) is clearly an amalgamation of the "tech boy billionaire" but not overly or distractingly recognizable as any real-life person, in my opinion. The action was a little slow to get going, but overall the plot kept me turning the pages and I felt like I read it very quickly.
June 26, 2024
Glass Houses is a mystery that explores the darker parts of technology and human behaviour. When a start-up team for an AI emotion mapping algorithm are involved in a plane crash, they land on a deserted island, with only a handful of the passengers surviving. On the island, they find an abandoned house with all the latest technology installed but remain unable to contact the outer world. One by one, they start to go missing, and the house they are using as a refuge feels less and less safe by the day.
This book took me a while to really get into. But by the time I was halfway through, I was hooked! Initially, I struggled with the switching between past and present chapters as I didn’t feel I could fully understand either timeline as I didn’t feel I had a deep enough understanding of them. However, as I read on, the events became clearer and I was able to enjoy Glass Houses more. The timelines were woven together well and the book ended in a fantastic crescendo.
This book took me a while to really get into. But by the time I was halfway through, I was hooked! Initially, I struggled with the switching between past and present chapters as I didn’t feel I could fully understand either timeline as I didn’t feel I had a deep enough understanding of them. However, as I read on, the events became clearer and I was able to enjoy Glass Houses more. The timelines were woven together well and the book ended in a fantastic crescendo.
June 3, 2024
_Glass Houses_ by Madeline Ashby is a science fiction mystery/thriller set in the technologically advanced future, written with measured pacing, distant characters, and details of the tech industry specifically focused on the mistreatment of female workers. Kristen is the chief emotional manager at a company run by the rich and eccentric Sumpter, when the plane the employees are on crashes on a remote island. Kristen and the rest of the employees struggle for survival, with flashbacks to before the crash and Kristen’s handling of difficult situations. While Kristen is a distant character that the reader may not feel connected to, she has an intriguing story and the plot keeps the reader enthralled.
This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 1, 2024
In the near future, an autonomous airplane crashes on a deserted Pacific island. Several people die in the crash, but several also survive, including the CEO of Wuv, a software company that purports to be able to evaluate emotions using contact lenses and other smart devices. The survivors find a house that will only open for men. Everything within the house will only open for men. What is this place? Kristen is the "chief emotional officer" of Wuv, who was hired to hold the hand of the CEO, Sumter. Being a woman in tech has always been an issue and it has not gotten any better, except Kristen has been working on that. It becomes clear there is more going on than meets the eye and Kristen's boss is right in the middle of it all. A very interesting take on women in tech and what might happen in the future.
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