The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu

The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu

My Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy from Quill Tree Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When Clementine Change moves to Mars for the fresh start she’s waited a long time for, she’s even more excited that she gets to work with Dr. Marcella Lin. Marcella is one of the major pioneers of the Artificial Intelligence field. It’s been Clem’s dream to meet and work with her idol for a long time, so she’s more than excited to get started. Things seem to be going smoothly, but there’s something strange about the office because everyone but Clem is tip-toeing around Marcella. Even Kye, a humanoid AI who was personally built by Marcella, is wary and seems lonely and miserable. When Clem and Kye form a friendship that slowly starts to become something more, it reveals the truth about Marcella, leading Clem, Kye, and SENA down a little known path about AI.

I’ve enjoyed the other books I’ve read from the author, so I was extremely excited to pick this up. We follow Clem and her best friend and personally built robot, SENA, as they restart their lives on Mars. Along the way, we learn a lot about Clem as well as SENA and their views on AI. They both believe that robots are their own beings, Artificial Intelligence or not, and should be treated with respect as well as able to have their own views and interests. It’s why Clem is so excited to work with Marcella, she seems to have the same beliefs as Clem and her best friend. It’s clear that Clem and SENA have been friends for a long time and that SENA is free to do what she wants and pursue her own interests. It’s also clear that Clem left Earth to escape her horrible upbringing, which is why Mars is a fresh start where she and SENA can finally bloom.

I found this book really interesting, both because I’ve always been fascinated by books and movies that include AI characters, but also because we’re currently seeing new advancements with AI in reality. It’s obviously not the same as a walking and talking sentient robot, but it’s easy to see how it will be possible some day in the very distant future with how AI has been advancing. Here we’re left to question how sentient AI are. Clem is among those who believe that, AI or not, robots are their own people who should be treated with respect and allowed to have their own thoughts and interests. Then we have people like Marcella, who portrays herself one way in public, but treats Kye absolutely terribly behind closed doors. We quickly learn that she’s an entirely different person when she’s alone with Kye over how she is with him around others, though her employees quickly become aware of the truth.

There is also a great cast of characters, though we don’t get to know most of them well. However, it didn’t feel that way while I was reading it. The supporting characters feel very lively and well characterized, so it never feels like anyone is one dimensional or superficially visited. There’s enough information given that each of the supporting characters feel well rounded no matter how much or how little they appear in the story. I also really like how the truth behind Marcella is slowly revealed to Clem. In my own experience growing up with an abusive narcissist, they really do know how to put on a show in front of people and suck them in before who they really are eventually gets revealed, so I found Marcella’s characterization to be very true to that.

All in all, this is an excellent story full of many layers. I think it’s a powerful story told with beautiful artwork through every panel with a cute love story in the mix. The author’s works seem to get stronger and stronger with each publication, which makes me very excited for whatever they publish next.