Between Moku’s endearing charm and Bador’s expressive eyemojis and heroic ambitions, including winning a bot martial arts tournament, the bots steal the show in Basu’s (The City Inside) fantastic, futuristic take on the “Aladdin” story.
Readers will empathize with Joey’s dilemma and get caught up in the minutiae of her life. The novel’s theme, that the truth does not and cannot set anyone free, is as disturbing as it is thought-provoking.