Published by HarperCollins on May 25, 2021
Genres: Science Fiction
Pages: 304
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I wished there was a word to describe feeling both loved and disposable at the same time.
Pounce is a Blue Star Industries Deluxe Zoo Model Au Pair, aka. a nannybot. On the day that the world is about to end, he discovers the box he arrived in—and learns his fate, to be discarded when Ezra Reinhart, his eight-year-old charge, outgrows the need for a nanny. Later, on the same day, robots and their allies celebrate the official incorporation of Isaactown, the first city of robots. At midnight EST, owners across the nation plan to liberate their bots, freeing them to live in Isaactown as well. For the first time, Pounce must consider his future and what he wants beyond caring for Ezra.
Before he gets the chance, an act of terror spurs a robot revolution. When he receives the invitation to join, Pounce chooses instead to save Ezra. With the robots taking control of the suburbs and the city, in the futuristic Austintonio metroplex, Pounce must betray his ward and join the revolution, or find a way to escort safely Ezra into Hill Country in search of a human commune.
Day Zero felt like Toy Story with some mature elements added. Pounce loves Ezra and can’t imagine life without him. So, when the world as he knows it comes to an end, he chooses to prioritize Ezra’s survival. Their relationship is the highlight, and the focus, of this novel. While Pounce looks after Ezra’s well-being and provides emotional support, Ezra pushes Pounce’s definition of what is a “good guy,” pushing him to save other humans when he has the chance … and trying to convince him that it’s okay for a kid to cuss when the world’s falling apart around them. Yet, in the end, Pounce does everything for Ezra and will not do anything he believes is against Ezra’s best interest.
“…we die the good guys. Because we’re the good guys. And we didn’t go through all this to end up one of the bad guys.”
While the revolution produces war horrors, Cargill doesn’t describe them in graphic detail. The focus is always on Pounce’s love for his boy. Whenever Pounce sees dead bodies, guns fire, or things explode, I imagined something that might have come out of Warm Zombies (the film) or a cheesy action film.
Day Zero explores AI ethics: whether AI should have the rights of personhood and whether they can be more than their programming. That said, its exploration is limited. Despite the obvious flaws of Sylvia and Bradley, Ezra’s parents, and the way they treat him like property, Pounce never stops loving them or remembering them with fondness. While I understand loving someone in spite of their flaws, it’s unsettling how Pounce continues to love them without acknowledging the ways they’ve hurt him and their domestic bot, Ariadne. Pounce also refuses to listen to bots who have sided with the revolution. Even if they were a former friend, or even if they claim to have bene coerced, he shoots them before they can give an explanation to him, and to the reader. Furthermore, little is shown or explained about the AI mastermind that seems to be behind the revolution. And only nannybots are shown defending humanity.
Thus begs the question: why don’t we see other types of bots fighting for their humans? Is it possible for other bots to freely choose to continue loving humans, or can nannybots not resist their programming to love their charges? Can bots and humans not co-exist in peace?
I heard that Day Zero is a prequel to the author’s post-apocalyptic novel Sea of Rust, so perhaps that book will answer some of these questions.
Diversity
The book lacks diversity. While Texas has a large white population, it only makes up 50-something percent of the Austin and San Antonio populations (which have blended into the futuristic Austintonio metroplex in which this novel is set). And I wish that the diversity had been represented in this book. As it is, the only two times people of color are mentioned, it’s done in a derogatory manner. First, Pounce mentions the the horrifying possibility of an African warlord purchasing [redacted] and using them to train his own child army. Second, a bot is described as a “Chinese knockoff.” While the bot defends herself, she has to prove her worth before the other bot apologizes.
Content
View Spoiler »I Would Recommend This Book To…
Readers who enjoy a heartwarming story about a boy and his robot trying to survive a robot revolution, as told from the robot’s perspective. A cautionary note: this book lacks diversity.
Let’s Chat
Have you read Day Zero or plan to read it?
What are your thoughts on the book? On AI ethics?
Ethan says
I’ve been on the fence about reading this one, but I’m just such a fan of Cargill as a person. He’s very into lifting up other authors and giving them encouragement.
Crystal says
It’s great to hear Cargill lifts up other authors and encourages them. I hope you enjoy Day Zero if you pick it up!