It's an intuitive vision, one arising, as it were, from the cracks of our own present and forming a very credible, version of the mid 21st century. Plus, this being interlaced with the ancient Japanese beliefs of Shintoism, kamis, shrines and temples truly made thos book for me. You’ll have to read the book yourself to decide whether advancements in technology have improved or imperilled the world, but what I can say is that the author has built a world here that is a seamless blend of beautiful and terrifying, recognisable and alien, appealing and repellent, all at the same time. I loved the characters and all their quirks and even enjoyed the slow pace, as the writing was so beautiful and unique to the story.

Before she learns about the exact nature of her final code, which essentially gives her free will, this leads Neotnia to question whether she volunteered in the care home because she wanted to, or because she was pre-programmed to, and whether being created with a specific purpose in mind is the one big thing that sets her apart from humans. Working in a restaurant run by disgraced ex-Samurai Goeido, she seems a lonely figure with no other family or friends. Except for seventeen-year-old John, a tech prodigy from a damaged family, who hides a deeply personal secret. Technology can still be temperamental and janky; for instance, we encounter an entertaining self-driving counterpart to the “old banger”. His writing has appeared in Fast Company, VICE, The Guardian, Litro Magazine, The Irish Times, Screen, Quartz and others.The Japan setting was an added bonus, because it’s not a destination I get to visit often in my books… And I’m definitely glad that I decided to give Beautiful Shining People a go now. The plot doesn't kick in until later, but until then Grothaus wants us to get to know both John and Neotnia and witness their burgeoning romance. Thoroughly enjoyed this speculative, sci-fi but not too sci-fi story set in a futuristic Tokyo, all about the possibilities of technology but equally about what it is to be a human. We are looking at a world where physical violence is virtually meaningless when it comes to global politics, and where cyber attacks, deep fakes and the planting of 'fake news' causes far more harm on a domestic scale than any cold be achieved by waging a more traditional war. He stumbles across a cafe where he meets a young Japanese woman Neotnia who randomly gives him an ear cleaning.

His writing has appeared in Fast Company, VICE, The Guardian, Litro Magazine, The Irish Times, Screen, Quartz, and others. While in parts he did come over as a bit immature, it’s is easy to like his flawed character and development.As Grothaus points out, this would not only allow countries to spy on one another more effectively, but it would engender intense paranoia, as people wouldn't know who they could trust among their neighbours and colleagues, and might report anyone they perceive as "a bit off" as suspected androids. Its been over a month since I finished this book and I still don't feel like I have the right words to describe how hauntingly real and beautiful it is. As speculative/sci-fi stories go, it presents a relatively optimistic and soft vision of the future, where robots have relieved humans of menial tasks, as opposed to taking over the creation of art, music, and books, or replacing interaction with other people. I’m starting to think publisher Orenda Books has a secret Indiana Jones-style warehouse filled with talented authors and quirky books. Apologies for the delay, but today I’m finally sharing my review for the mesmerising and unforgettable Beautiful Shining People.