Autonomous by Andy Marino - NO

Marino, Andy Autonomous, 368 pages.  Freeform (Disney), 2018.  $18.  Language: R (100+ swears, 40+ ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (teen alcohol and drug use); Violence: PG-13 (fights and danger)

William has led a sub-interesting life up until the day he wins the world’s first autonomous car and becomes an instant celebrity.  For his first voyage, a trip across the country to the Moonshadow Festival in Arizona, he has invited his best friend, Daniel, stud basketball player; Melissa, Daniel’s social media obsessed girlfriend; and Christina, his reclusive, computer genius neighbor.  While William likes them all, they really know nothing about each other.  Otto, as William names the car, supposedly has everything within it that they need, plus Otto supposedly is smart enough to know what they want even before they do.  As the trip progresses, not only do the kids learn more than they want to know about each other, but Otto is also learning things they never wanted it to know and is changing in new, frightening ways.

While Marino’s story about technology run amok has some great points to make, it's too bad his idea of authentic teenage life includes the constant use of the ‘f’ word, rampant drug use, and overt sexuality.  Instead of letting the story spin out, it just feels like he’s trying to be hip.  The story would be plenty compelling, even fascinating, without the heavy-handed swearing.  This reminds me of when Microsoft unleashed its A.I. Tay on Twitter and within 48 hours it became a racist, genocidal hate spewer.  Watching the final scenes spin out was a riveting, agonizing trainwreck that left me breathless.  I wish I could recommend this.

HS - NOT RECOMMENDED. Cindy, Library Teacher