Rose/House

By: Arkady Martine

Narrated by: Raquel Beattie

Basit Deniau's houses were haunted to begin with.

A house embedded with an artificial intelligence is a common thing: a house that is an artificial intelligence, infused with a thinking creature that is not human? That is something else. But now Deniau's been dead a year, and Rose House is locked up tight, as commanded by the architect's will: all his possessions and files and sketches are confined in its archives, and their only keeper is Rose House itself. Rose House, and one other.

Dr. Selene Gisil, one of Deniau's former protege, is permitted to come into Rose House once a year. Until this week, Dr. Gisil was the only person whom Rose House spoke to.

But even an animate intelligence that haunts a house has some failsafes common to all AIs. For instance: all AIs must report the presence of a dead body to the nearest law enforcement agency.

There is a dead person in Rose House. Rose House, having completed its duty of care and informed Detective Maritza Smith of the China Lake police precinct that there is in fact a dead person inside it, dead of unnatural causes-has—shut up.

No one can get inside Rose House, except Dr. Gisil. And someone died there. And someone may be there still.

©2023 Arkady Martine (P)2024 Tantor

Futuristic murder mystery

I am related to the narrator so this might not get posted. Engaging story with unique characters including the titular AI one. Liked this short novel.

The Eeriness Lingers

Well written and ever better narrated tale. The voice actor deserves a Hugo. Unresolved as to motivess of the house master. Saw the end coming and didn't mind.

Still a prison even as it's Smart/ Intelligent

I liked the great characters, humans living & dead, but also Rose House the being... very intriguing story

Very disappointing novella

The story simply has too little to it. Although it contains elements of an homage to noir or hard boiled detective mysteries, this doesn’t excuse the lack of clear motivations or character growth. The extremely short list of characters totally undercuts the mystery of the perpetrator’s identity, and in general this book wouldn’t merit any attention at all were it not for the author’s other books and reputation. I look forward to Martinez’s next effort and hope it is more of a return to form.

One of the Most Artistically Written Haunted House Stories

This book was written like poetry. There is a murder mystery. There is an investigation. But it is ultimately all happening in and around Rose/House. This story was always about Rose/House. The best haunted ai house and work of art and architecture in the world. A monument to its creator and perhaps successor to him. Or maybe something more than he ever could have been.

More than future detective Noir

Poetic, indefinite and haunting from beginning to end. Sculpts the substance and bizarre intelligence of Rose/House by proxy interactions until it is fully present and inescapable. This book is art, not genre.

Bad Plot

I kept wondering why don't they get a search warrant? why don't they call a corner? why don't they call the county attorney? why why why...
Plot doesn't grow or reveal much about motives or rose house or the potential for AI cities. why is it called a haunt? why why why?

A domestic inspired version of the Forbin Project.

Sad. Very sad. If a competent writer worked with this idea they could probably make a nice little story. Not the case here.

However, if you are careful, you totally ignore the stupid and contrived elements (such as experienced police go to investigate a suspicious death and neither of them are armed)! The male detective completely trusts an unknown female and takes her to the potential crime scene and worst of all abandons his partner at the crime scene one can dig a couple of pretty good ideas out of this whatever it is.

Recommendation, if you feel you must, get it from your local library. Personally, I wish I had my $7.95 back.