Book Review: Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz

A group of robots tries their hand at running a noodle shop as they battle against prejudice and their own past experiences.

4.5/5 Stars

Ever since loving the Monk and Robot series by Becky Chambers, I have been trying to seek out more positive sci-fi books. This cozy novella by Annalee Newitz, surprisingly of White Trash: Race and Class in America fame, does not disappoint!

After a war that saw California break from the rest of the U.S., some leftover robots come back online and decide to start a noodle business. Attempting to make their way in a human-dominated industry, they work in their ghost kitchen and hide their true identities as they jump through the hurdles of small business ownership.

But when their restaurant starts making waves, a spam attack generates a series of one-star reviews and slander against them. Can the robots figure out a way to continue to serve their customers? Will their noodles remain as tasty as they intend them to be? And can each robot overcome their individual hardships in an attempt to find their place as a member of their crew?

This was such a sweet read- being "cozy" but packing a punch by exploring themes like PTSD, capitalism, identity, propaganda, prejudice, and more. I was happy as well as incredibly moved the whole time reading this novella. This was a solid 4.5/5 in my book!