Rose/House is a 2023 science fiction mystery novella by American author Arkady Martine. It was first published by Subterranean Press.
Synopsis
editWhen architect Basit Desiau died, his will stated that all his many artistic and cultural treasures were to be kept within his final creation, Rose House, a superintelligent smart home in the Mojave desert — and that the only person who would ever be allowed inside was his estranged former student, Seline Gisil, who could visit for up to 7 days per year.
In accordance with legislation regarding duty of care from artificial intelligences, Rose House has just notified local police that a dead body has been unattended within its premises for more than 24 hours. Selene Gisil would be the obvious suspect, except that she has been in Turkey for over a month. Now detective Maritza Smith must figure out how someone could have been killed within Rose House, where no one — including herself — is ever granted access.
Reception
editRose/House is a finalist for the 2024 Hugo Award for Best Novella.[1]
Publishers Weekly called it "staggering", and "a twisted cathedral of story" that is filled with "equal parts beauty and a creeping, inescapable sense of wrongness", comparing it to "Shirley Jackson's Hill House as designed by Frank Gehry."[2] James Nicoll likewise drew parallels with Hill House, and emphasized that although Rose/House is "a homage, [it] is in no sense derivative": "Having read [The Haunting of Hill House] may provide insight into the character of Rose House's AI. It will not provide any foreshadowing of the events that play out."[3]
References
edit- ^ "2024 Hugo Awards". The Hugo Award. February 4, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
- ^ "Rose/House by Arkady Martine". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
- ^ "Waiting for the Summer Rain". James Nicoll Reviews. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
External
edit- Rose/House title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database