Take Me with You
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
A tense tech and AI thriller that challenges our trust in the electronic devices we keep close, from the acclaimed author of The Leaving.
Eden, Eli, Marwan, and Ilanka barely know each other beyond having a class or two together. But when they are all summoned via messaging app to an empty classroom after school, they find a small cube sitting on a desk. Its sides light up with rules for them: Do not tell anyone about the device. Never leave the device unattended.
And then, Take me with you . . . or else.
At first they think it's some kind of prank or a social experiment orchestrated by the school administration. Still, they follow the cube's instructions. But the device seems increasingly invested in the private details of their lives. It wants to know things. And disobeying its rules has scary--even life-threatening--consequences . . .
This timely thriller with an AI, sci-fi twist probes our dependence on personal technology and challenges the notion that our devices are keeping us connected. The truth may very well be the opposite.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Summoned to an empty classroom after school, four teens with little in common are linked by a bizarre technological mystery: a small black cube, Aizel, that issues enigmatic rules ("DO NOT TELL ANYONE ABOUT THE DEVICE") enforced by vague threats ("OR ELSE"). If Eden, Eli, Ilanka, and Marwan don't placate the cube by obeying its increasingly capricious whims don't get it wet, pass it from one handler to the next every 14 hours Aizel punishes them by manipulating and deleting their personal information and restricting phone access. Even as the quartet attempts to discern Aizel's origins and purpose, they must cope with their own concerns in a time of social media: true crime podcast aficionado Marwan faces Islamophobia, Ilanka seeks belonging through selfies, Eden mourns her deceased father by listening to playlists, and Eli avoids family stress by gaming. In this thriller, Altebrando (The Leaving) explores the impact of technology and the influence of social media on teens. Though the ultimate threat and resolution don't quite live up to the story's promise, Altebrando delves into the tensions of digital technology: its dangers, including data privacy, and its comforts. Ages 13 up.
