I really wanted to like this one. i won a copy of algorithm of us through a gr giveaway and was excited because the concept sounded right up my alley. sentient AI and moral dilemmas? sign me UPPPP! but unfortunately, this was not what i was expecting.
the prologue was essentially copy-pasted into the beginning of ch 1, which immediately threw me off. it set the tone for the rest of the book where the same phrases and situations repeated, or some moments even contradicted earlier parts. the whole thing felt disjointed, like it hadn't been edited much (if at all). honestly, it read exactly like chatgpt which was ironic given the subject matter.
for me, world-building and stakes are crucial in a genre like dystopian sci-fi. it doesn’t have to be super detailed or full of lore, but i think readers need something to anchor them, whether that’s a sense of time, place, atmosphere, or even just what's at risk beyond the main character's immediate circle. algorithm of us was mostly dialogue-based, but when all i really saw was nathan in his room or a computer lab, it was hard to feel immersed. the lack of world-building made any kind of dystopian sci-fi vibes completely fall flat.
it didn't help that nathan himself didn't have much depth or personality. his relationship with the AI (elara) was supposed to be meaningful, but readers never actually get to see it develop. i still don’t know how elara actually functioned. she somehow saw and knew things, but it was never really explained how or what the extent of her abilities was.
there was some potential especially with the hacker group but it just didn't go anywhere. in the end, it felt like a whole lot of filler with no real substance. algorithm of us was a disappointment for me, but i'd genuinely like to see what others think once more reviews come in.