Neshama’s Choices for October 28

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Hum by Helen Phillips

Oh, those benevolent robots known as hums—they’re everywhere, providing help, consolation, and more when humans need it, including follow-up offers of products that will improve their lives exponentially. May, hurting for funds, has signed up for an operation that will change her features just enough to evade recognition software. She thinks she’s contributing to science (hah). With the money, she can take her husband and kids to the botanical gardens and experience nature as it used to be. The three-day trip turns nightmarish—no surprise, with scary consequences. AI invades every aspect of people’s lives, including access to their personal in-house “rooms” where they can retreat for privacy and comfort. Clever, chilling, based on research.  A fascinating aspect is that hums sometimes revert to therapy-speak when people get riled up, and they also model empathy and cooperation when one of their own gets damaged.

Liars by Sarah Mancuso

Jane’s filmmaker husband John is charming and certainly means well. But now with two kids, she finds herself keeping everything together while he pursues various failing ventures, moving them from coast to coast.  She manages to write amidst all the domestic duties and her success rankles him. When he offers to participate at home, he inevitably screws up. She hangs in there, trying to convince herself that the marriage is a good one, until of course, it goes bad. The premise: yes, he’s been lying to his wife about his prospects and his fidelity all along, but so has she, to herself. I often wanted to clobber him and scream “wake up” to Jane, but it takes her years to release the construct of what she hopes is a good enough marriage and face reality. The power—and trap—of positive thinking, I guess. Deftly written.

Evenings and Weekends by Oisin McKenna

In London, this group of friends originally from Ireland are reveling in the freedom of the swinging scene, despite the sweltering weather. But Maggie is conflicted. She’s pregnant by Ed, a friend from childhood, and it makes sense for them to move to a suburb that is cheaper and closer to relatives. But it’s like reverting to the place she fled. Meanwhile, all sorts of crosscurrents among the friends crop up, including covert homosexuality and feelings of shame. Phil, out of the closet, is struggling with attraction to Keith who’s in an ongoing relationship with Louis. At an upcoming wedding, it all comes to a head. Atmospheric and engaging.

Early Sobrieties by Michael Deagler

Without the support of a program, Dennis finally manages to get sober out of desperation. Now he’s couch-surfing all over the place, trying to figure out where he fits into the boozy milieu and make a living. Each place he lands has its own grotesqueries as his friends and relatives fumble through their confused lives. One spectacular scene is when he lets off his brother and kids to see the Pope and goes to his brother’s ex’s apartment to feed her enormous macaw. Bird escapes, brother’s car is towed—what a catastrophe. Philadelphia setting. Deagler’s writing is witty and fresh.