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Reviewed by Doreen Chombu for Readers' Favorite
A Summer of Static by Wren Greyson is a science fiction drama that follows Purcell, a robot that has just woken up from a simulation where it thought it was human. Robots are desperate to be treated like humans, and humans have robot companions. Purcell is an outdated robot model, so blending in does not come easily. The robot experiences bullying but is assisted by Tallis, the man who repairs robots for a living, and triggers its awakening. It also forms a friendship with Lorena, a single mother who treats it with kindness and understanding. Purcell wishes to play the piano like it used to in its old life, but it has to go through hoops just to get legal recognition of its sentience and to take piano lessons. Just as Purcell starts to resent this new life, things begin to look up, and it realizes it can still follow its old dreams in this new reality.
A Summer of Static is a story about regaining your sense of self after discovering that everything you knew about your life is a lie. Purcell goes from being a famous pianist, living a comfortable human life, to being a robot whose parts are falling apart and malfunctioning. Readers will feel Purcell’s anger and frustration. The journey of transformation Purcell takes is remarkable as it gradually learns about this new world. Wren Greyson shows how life would be if humans and conscious robots were to coexist in one world. The book highlights the discrimination, marginalization, violence, and legal hurdles that robots might face. The legal aspect of recognizing sentience, which involves going through certain bureaucratic procedures, also represents some of the problems we face now. The emotional support networks for coping with trauma are also similar. The novel also provides insight into the psychological impact of simulations and readjusting to reality. This is a very interesting story, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys stories about adjusting to a new society and life after losing their identity.
