What happens when medicine loses the human touch? What are the ethical implications of letting a “machine” decide an individual’s fate? Those are the questions posed by this book, which I thought the author addressed very well. As an RN, I was intrigued by the story idea and Lycette did not fail to deliver; with the numerous twists and turns in the narrative, my interest was maintained until the last page!

In the future there is an AI algorithm that can determine what treatment you should get for a medical condition, and if you are likely to survive said condition as a result. Dr Hope Kestrel has contributed significantly to its success and believes strongly that it will help others, especially following her own mother's death from cancer. Should the algorithm find a cure, you get free treatment, but if you are determined to a non-responder, treatment is considered to be a waste of resources and you are left to die. As you can imagine, not everyone is on board, especially since insurance companies and other hospitals are starting to implement it in their treatment plan. Hope too starts to question the algorithm and starts digging deeper into the company she has, until recently, fully believed in.

I very much enjoyed this book, even if certain aspects were a little predictable. I appreciated that the author touched on already existing issues in medical care and mentioned how these would impact the algorithm (for example, the underrepresentation of certain groups in research). The author also raised important issues of choice - Hope believed that because she had a bad experience, others should not have the choice to undergo the same kind of suffering. This is definitely evident already (e.g. prochoice activists who regret their own choices to have an abortion and struggle to see that it is still the right choice for others).

I do wish that the end had been a little more, but overall it was a good story. ( )

This was one of those chilling near-future stories that will have you wondering just where AI will take humanity, and the future of medical care once AI gets involved. The US already runs on a for-profit system, and one where AI makes the decisions and profits still remain a priority is absolutely terrifying. Lycette did an excellent job of making the story come to life, and clearly did quite a bit of research, making it seem like she had taken a peek into the future, and was writing about what she'd learned. Hope was an amazing MC, and watching her change from just another cog in the machine to an activist against it was captivating. Full of conspiracy, greed, and unforgettable characters, this is a sci-fi medical thriller that will keep you reading late into the night. ( )

This book gets you thinking and addresses the unique subject matter of not only the role of the doctor but artificial intelligence diagnosing and offering treatment options based on probable outcomes. An interesting subject matter on several levels well treated by the author. A bit of an investigation story as well I felt the vague romantic interest didn’t add anything to the storyline. This story also address buried grief and emotions, choices and who has the right to make them. Bravo JL Lycette. ( )

This is a story about allowing artificial intelligence decide who can or cannot receive medical treatment based more on whether the treatment is good for the profit of the health organization than on what is necessarily good for the patient. It is also a book about human nature and the lies we tell ourselves and others. Would we really be any better at making these rational decisions than a machine? Read the book and decide for yourself. It's a good story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. ( )