Our Sister, Again
Author: Sophie Cameron
£7.99
In stock
Buy from Bookshop.orgBuy ebook nowOn a small island off the Scottish coast, Isla and her family are grieving the loss of her older sister Flora, who died three years ago. Then theyβre offered the chance to be part of a top-secret trial, which revives loved ones as fully lifelike AI robots using their digital footprint.
Isla has her doubts about Second Chances, but they evaporate the moment the βnewβ Flora arrives. This girl is not some uncanny close likeness; she is Flora β a perfect replica. But not everyone on their island feels the same. And as the threats to Flora mount, she grows distant and more secretive. Will Isla be able to protect the new Flora and bring the community back together?
An intriguing, thoughtful and poignant exploration of what makes us βusβ, for fans of SHOW US WHO YOU ARE, A POCKETFUL OF STARS and TROOFRIEND.
βA beautiful exploration of grief, hope, and what it means to be human β¦ This is an outstanding middle-grade debut from one of my favourite authors.β – Simon James Green, author of LIFE OF RILEY
βA powerful exploration of grief, technology and what makes us human, Our Sister, Again skilfully combines warm-hearted contemporary with a scifi twist to create a thought-provoking, thrilling readβ – Lucy Powrie, author of THE PAPER & HEARTS SOCIETY series.
βOur Sister, Again expertly weaves family drama with high concept sci fi. Itβs a captivating tale about AI written with real, human heart.β – Annabelle Sami, author of LLAMA OUT LOUD
βI loved this book, it was perfect soft sci-fi with very real themes of love and loss. Sophie Cameron has written a wonderful exploration of what it means to be human.β – L. D. Lapinski, author of THE STRANGEWORLDS TRAVEL AGENCY
βThis book is an absolute triumph. Layers and layers of beautifully crafted intrigue. A book about family, friendship, and what it means to be you. One of those books you read in one day and think about forever.β – Wibke Brueggemann, author of LOVE IS FOR LOSERS
βA heart-warming and bittersweet examination of personhood, familial bonds and healing from lossβ – Lauren James, author of THE QUIET AT THE END OF THE WORLD
βOur Sister Again is a rich, heartfelt story about family, grief, and what it means to be human told with immense gentleness and skillβ – Ciara Smyth, author of THE FALLING IN LOVE MONTAGE
βAn intriguing and tender portrayal of a life changing ‘what if’ β Sophie Cameron is a fabulous storytellerβ Polly Ho-Yen, author of BOY IN THE TOWER
βUtterly adored it! Heart-breakingly, life-affirmingly beautiful β¦ An astonishing story about love, loss & life.β – Nicola Penfold, author of WHERE THE WORLD TURNS WILD
βThis book is brilliant. It’s poignant β sometimes sad β but at the same time it’s a cracking, page-turning sci-fi mystery. And it has the perfect hopeful ending. I loved it.β – Perdita Cargill, author of WAITING FOR CALLBACK
βBeautifully written, incredibly well-imagined, and a complex, compelling plot mean this is a definite ***** readβ – SinΓ©ad OβHart, author of THE EYE OF THE NORTH
“A truly remarkable story. Sad and life-affirming all at the same time. Asks a lot of big questions. These characters are going to stay with me for a long time.” – Lee Newbery, author of THE LAST FIREFOX
“Philosophical and affecting, this exploration of grief, layered experience and what it means to be human will appeal to sci-fi fans aged nine and up” – Guardian
In stock
Meet the author
Sophie Cameron
Sophie Cameron is aβ―YAβ―andβ―MGβ―author from the Scottish Highlands. She studied French and Comparative Literature at the University of Edinburgh and has a Postgraduate Certificate in Creative Writing fr…
RESOURCES FOR THIS BOOK
Spring 2022 YA and Teen Books Sampler
February 2, 2022 at 4:44 pm
Schizanthus Nerd –
Well, that was all kinds of lovely and heartbreaking and thought provoking.
If youβve been alive long enough, then you know the pain of losing someone you love. You know how it feels to wish you could have just one more moment, hug, conversation, lifetime with that person. What if you were given a second chance?
Nothing has been the same since Islaβs sister died.
βWhen Flora died, it was like someone had drawn a line straight through our lives. Everything was divided into Before and After; the time our family was whole and the time that it wasnβt.β
Now, three years later, Flora is back. An AI version of her is, anyway, but she seems so real. She looks like Flora, down to the smallest scar. She has Floraβs memories. She even laughs like her.
But not everyone is happy that this family has been reunited.
βWhoβs behind this? What do they want? And what might they do next?β
This is a story about holding on and letting go, and how the people we love never truly leave us. It also raises some big questions. What makes us who we are? Is it our memories, our relationships, the way the people in our lives perceive us?
βCan anyone ever describe someone as they actually are, not just how we see them?β
Can robots ever truly experience emotion? Can technology ever replicate what makes us human and, if it can, what rights should AI humans be afforded?
The ability Flora had to comprehend her situation, including its limitations, and the exploration of the rights of AI reminded me of Mia and the other synths in Humans.
I didnβt entirely buy Marisaβs actions towards the end of the book and I wanted more information about the person who was behind the threats to Flora. Neither prevented me from powering through this book, though. I also may have teared up slightly at the end.
I really enjoyed the bond between Isla and Γna, her younger sister. I loved Floraβs complexity and ways she both integrated herself into the family and became her own being as the story progressed. My favourite robot, though, was Stephen; his role was small but his attitude was big.
βI really believe that what weβre doing with Project Homecoming will change the world.β
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Stripes Publishing, an imprint of Little Tiger Group, for the opportunity to read this book.