Siri Who Am I? by Sam Tschida – 343 pages
Book Blurb:
Mia might look like a Millennial but she was born yesterday. Emerging from a coma with short-term amnesia after an accident, Mia can’t remember her own name until the Siri assistant on her iPhone provides it. Based on her cool hairstyle (undercut with glamorous waves), dress (Prada), and signature lipstick (Chanel), she senses she’s wealthy, but the only way to know for sure is to retrace her steps once she leaves the hospital. Using Instagram and Uber, she arrives at the pink duplex she calls home in posts but finds Max, a cute, off-duty postdoc supplementing his income with a house-sitting gig. He tells her the house belongs to JP, a billionaire with a chocolate empire. A few texts later, JP confirms her wildest dreams: they’re in love, Mia is living the good life, and he’ll be back that weekend. But as Mia and Max work backward through her Instagram and across Los Angeles to learn more about her, they discover a surprising truth behind her perfect Instagram feed, and evidence that her head wound was no accident. Who was Mia before she woke up in that hospital? And is it too late for her to rewrite her story?
My Review: 4 stars – Guest Review
Siri, Who am I? was a light-hearted, easy read, with an interesting and unique premise. The beginning of the book intrigued me because it seemed to offer a fresh perspective on society’s preoccupation and reliance on social media. The story is told through Mia’s perspective and takes place in Long Beach, California. Mia uses social media to piece back her life via Instagram in order to help regain her short- term memory, and to begin the quest to rediscover herself. I had to suspend disbelief at the beginning of the book, since it defied logic that a hospital would release someone who had amnesia and had no idea of her identity.
I had mixed feelings about this book. All of the characters except one were unlikeable. I did not connect at all to the main character Mia. Her behavior could be frustrating, and she became less likeable as the story progressed. She had a cynical and sarcastic voice which could be amusing, and there were many humorous footnotes included at the bottom of the pages. I adored the main supporting character Max, who was sensitive, kind, considerate, empathetic, smart, supportive, and authentic. None of the characters were fully developed, as the book was more about the plot and the underlying message. There were some rom -com and mystery elements as Mia discovers who she really is. A lot of the dialogue was funny. I liked the psychology and neuroscience information that was woven into the story. The premise of the book started out promising, got bogged down in the middle, and the ending wrapped up a little too neatly.
The strength of the book was in the satirical social commentary of our reliance on social media and the role it plays in our lives. There were also astute observations about the culture of California, of influencers, and the superficiality of the internet. It caused me to think about how some of us choose how we present ourselves to the world through social media. Although I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I originally thought I would based on the description, title, and enticing cover, there were parts I really appreciated. I think many people might really enjoy it. Review by Guest Review Fairy Ronna.
Quotes I liked:
We all lie. We decide who we are and act it out. In a world where we all get to be whatever we want, we have to fabricate an identity. When you don’t live up to it, you’re a liar, even if it’s not malicious.”
“No one knows how to get anywhere. Google is the only one who knows anything anymore.”
“Memories change over time. Some fade. Some become stronger. Everyone has different memories of the same event. Memory is just a story we tell ourselves, not an objective truth. That’s why your sense of self, which is dependent on memory is something that fluctuates and changes.”
“Fairy tales only exist if you keep your rose-colored glasses on.”
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