Tag Archives: androids

Review: The Mad Scientist’s Daughter

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The Mad Scientist’s Daughter by Cassandra Rose Clarke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Source: eARC courtesy of Angry Robot via NetGalley

I’ve enjoyed all that I’ve read from Angry Robot so far and this one, a little weird and caught me by surprise but was still worth the read. That’s what spec-fic is all about though, isn’t it!

The story began when Cat was just a little girl and her parents brought a ‘special android’ to tutor her rather than sending her to school. Being the only child with no other playmate, Finn became not only her tutor but her best friend. As she grew, her relationship with Finn changed and yet, everything is grey. The opinion of the world does not coincide with what she thinks should be and so as Finn struggles with his identity, Cat struggles to understand him and how to relate to him.

I was expecting some sort of YA tale and when it started with Cat’s childhood, I was surprised and was surprised further when it carried on til she was at least late 20s. Can’t really peg this down as YA at all. I have to admit that I don’t particularly like Cat. She seems to me as someone who ignores her inner voice and continued to struggle to do so to comply with the world’s general good opinion even though doing so feels like it denying who you are. She then was like a ghost for quite a long time ‘til the dam broke and she could not deny herself anymore.

The story is told from Cat’s sole perspective and the author has done marvellously well in showing the readers just how like a ghost Cat was. Even though I don’t like Cat, I found myself sympathising with her throughout and it’s rare that I’d sympathise with a character I don’t like. That’s what I found most amazing about this book.

Thank you Angry Robot and NetGalley for the privilege to read & review galley.

View all my reviews

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