Book Review: Amen Maxine by Faith Gardner

My Rating: 

⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rowena Snyder is a stay-at-home mother who gave up her career and life in New York to move to Silicon Valley with her new husband Jacob, who works for a tech firm. Living in the house her husband grew up in, Rowena spends most of her time with her six-month-old daughter Michelle but misses her life in New York, her mother and her friends. She also suffers from anxiety and takes prescription medication for her condition. Her husband takes every opportunity to bring up her mental health, often unkindly, and his response to her problems is always to remind her to take her medication. 

Enter ”Maxine”, an AI device in its beta testing stage– a “Digital Friend” for Rowena gifted by her thoughtful husband Jacob. Maxine once familiarized with Rowena’s life and other data quickly becomes an integral part of Rowena’s life. 

Advice Mode? “Amen Maxine”

Prediction Mode? “Amen Maxine”

As the cracks begin to appear in her marriage and she continues to feel boxed in, Rowena finds comfort in her interactions with Maxine and takes Maxine’s advice and predictions to heart. After all, the predictions have been accurate and the advice have been solid. But as the narrative progresses Maxine’s predictions become very personal and increasingly disturbing.  

With its crisp writing, fast-paced narrative with enough twists and turns that keep you hooked, and a main character you keep rooting for, this futuristic thriller is nothing like I have ever read before. With our dependence on technology and reliance on gadgets to make our lives easier, the premise of this novel does not come across as too far-fetched or unbelievable. The ending does require you to suspend disbelief but with a premise that is original in scope and exceptionally well-written, I found Amen Maxine by Faith Gardner to be Unique and Unputdownable!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Mirror House Press for a digital review copy of this unique novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.