This was an interesting and captivating speculative novella! Wylla is a scavenger looking for her next pay day when she intercepts a call about a lucrative piece of tech. She finds that it’s a very unique prototype of an AI mask MARK I HAWK and a voice that speaks to her. Unable to part with the mask, she chooses to run, knowing there will be other scavengers and the Corporate Federation trailing her every step.

The world building was truly cool and fascinating. I loved the concept of these technologically advanced masks with animal faces and the qualities of the animals. The predator/prey characteristics of this tech added a smart layer to each character.

I enjoyed the commentary on a misogynistic government and themes surrounding gender identity and body autonomy. Particularly the female rage bits were very effective.

The sapphic romance (or AI to person) felt very real and emotional. With the use of a second person narrative, it created a different vibe to the story, which I ended up liking quite a lot. Very curious to continue if this becomes a series.

Narration by Emily Gibbons Bouchard was fantastic. I really enjoyed her voice and range of emotion, it felt very personable and added an otherworldly atmosphere to the story. Recommending to fans of speculative sci-fi.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the free audiobook to review.

Pub date: July 22, 2025

Title: Volatile Memory
Author: Seth Haddon
Genre: Science Fiction, Queer, Novella
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️