But they didn't consider what would happen if they came to care for the humans they interacted with, let alone what they would do if one of those humans was in danger.ĭanger does indeed come for Steph. That's why they created CatNet in the first place. CheshireCat isn't a teenager at all, but a sentient AI with a love for cat photos and an intense interest in the inner workings of humans. They upload photos of cute animals, they talk about being teenagers, they encourage each other - all from a safe, anonymous distance.īut one member of CatNet has a secret. The only thing that remains consistent in her life is the close connection she's made with a chat group on a website called CatNet. She and her mother have been on the run from her father for as long as she can remember, moving from town to town and school to school, always leaving when it seems like there's a chance he could find them.

wild, rollicking ride, and it leaves it mark.Steph is used to starting over. There's never any question of whether or not we're on board with CheshireCat being a person. taps lightly on the concept of personhood and the ethics of artificial intelligence, but it doesn't trouble itself profoundly. heralds a coming of age for both its human and AI protagonists, and the parallels and differences are illuminating. Steph's life is the stuff of made-for-TV drama, but despite that, she feels deeply relatable and accessible as a character. It doesn't always make the most sense, but when you're talking about impromptu armies of hijacked robots, who even cares? It's bold and absurd and a whole lot of fun. Just when you think it's about to slow down or pull back, instead it goes there and then keeps on going.

the teen drama aspect is heartfelt and relatable, the mystery has enjoyable and sometimes shocking twists and turns, and the trajectory of the thriller plot is quite frankly bonkers.

It sounded goofy and awkwardly trendy in a try-hard sort of way.Now I'm here to tell you that if the title has the same effect on you as it did on me, you should get over it and try it anyway. The title, Catfishing on CatNet, was nearly a deal-breaker for me. an engaging blend of tech thriller, mystery, and teen drama that kept me up reading way later into the night than was strictly wise.

Catfishing on catnet summary