Review of The Silicon Divide

[Vivian Stones]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Silicon Divide" by Danielle Nowell.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Silicon Divide is an interesting science fiction about a futuristic world where AI is a major part of society. On a planet called Mirana IV, a group known as the Stellar Consortium has taken over the government of Trocher and inflicted so much harm upon humans. As a result of the "happening,", Trocher becomes divided into three social classes: the uppers, which consist of AIs; the cogs, who are the poorest; and the others, who can at least afford basic necessities. While the Cogs and the Others struggle to survive on the outskirts of the city, the Uppers enjoy beautiful lives and fully automated systems in the city.

Danielle Nowell introduces a girl, Artemis, the only child of her super-loving parents, Gwenvere and Dnaru Xeron. She has a childhood best friend, Cassia, who eventually becomes her lover, and an AI friend, Talin, too nice to be an AI. Things become tougher for humans as more and more people either get taken by the shield units for reprogramming or are “dispatched”. What would become of Artemis as her parents went missing? Would she ever recover when she finds out what happened to her parents and who is actually behind it? Find out more as you read this book.

There are a lot of positive aspects of the book. I could easily lose count of the number of things I liked about this book. First, the storyline and plot of the book are top-notch. The author was very deliberate with her style and choice of words. I like the way some events were described from different perspectives, like in the chapters where Talin’s perspective was described after Artemis’s. The book also wasn’t boring because each chapter had just the perfect length. The suspense was so great, it kept me anticipating the next chapter to uncover the truth for myself.

One negative aspect of the book was that the descriptive terms used at the beginning were difficult to relate to, like the description of Dnaru’s hair as lush, thick, dark salt and pepper hair. Also, it felt surreal that, with the height of technology in use, the Stellar Shields were unable to fish out Talin and Artemis escaping and alighting 30 minutes later at the other end.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars because it was not professionally edited, as a lot of errors were noted. Aside from that, the book is quite captivating. Even though the book ended unexpectedly, I still find it enthralling, creating room for the reader’s imaginative abilities. I recommend this book for anyone who loves to read interesting science fiction, especially young adults with an interest in AI and its technology.

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The Silicon Divide
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[Marina Flisvou]

It's great to hear that you found the book's storyline and plot to be top-notch, with a well-deliberated style and choice of words. The way the author presented events from different perspectives and the suspenseful nature of the story added to your enjoyment. Thank you for providing this detailed review.

[NetMassimo]

I might be old for this story but the centrality of artificial intelligence in particular makes me curious about it together with what happens to Artemis' family, so I hope the author does proper proofreading to prevent distractions. Thank you for your great review!

[Gee-Q Mdluli]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the book. I've never read it, and looking at the cover, I wondered what it could be about. Your review has convinced me to check it out. I find AI fascinating and I might check this book this weekend. Thanks again for your insight.

[Azaz Raja]

It's wonderful to learn that you appreciated the book's storyline and plot, along with its carefully considered writing style and vocabulary selection. The author's approach of presenting events from various viewpoints and the suspenseful elements of the narrative contributed to your overall satisfaction. Your comprehensive review is greatly appreciated. Thank you for sharing your insights!