... indelibly unique ... Enmeshed in futurism that is both fascinatingly like and unlike our own, Lydia’s search for the truth is an elusive and alien thing in a world where truth is rated via social media algorithms, and anything that needs to exist can be faked, implanted, or re-recorded ... There’s an indistinct prescience to the world of this book, where we explore a near-future that has evolved from the modern-day politicization of 'truthiness' and the blurring of the lines between online and offline. There are slight critiques of capitalism and middle-management, the kind that makes you realize with a gut-punch that nothing ever really changes, does it? There is always going to be someone dealing with the busywork, no matter how advanced the tech gets; when there is work to do and when all that work just sits around it creates more work no matter how much work you get done ... Taking turns in between absurdly gruesome and softly nascent, Drunk on All Your Strange New Words observes social media, public journalism, academia, and obsession while enmeshing the audience in Lydia’s voice. Sarcastic, vaguely annoyed at everything, and desperate to find the truth, Lydia is a sympathetic fuckup who’s just trying her best in an impossible situation ... Robson has done a remarkable job making Lydia feel like your best, messiest Libra friend, full of smart-ass remarks and bad decisions, but who really wants to do the right thing at the end of the day. With recognizable slang that seamlessly integrates into the fast-forwarded future of the novel, the line writing feels lived-in ... With a darkly tongue-in-cheek comedy and soft science-fiction premise, Drunk on All Your Strange New Words is a conspiracy theory gift wrapped up as an exploration of our own culture’s obsession with ourselves. As Robson develops the mystery, honing in on the whodunnit at the center of the book, he also expands outwards, translating small truths about our own world through Lydia’s filters. And, in some cases, without any filters at all.
... [a] cheeky, breezy sci-fi mystery ... moves at a fast pace, and the proceedings are never complex just for the sake of it. The mystery's twists and turns are satisfying throughout, and Robson keeps a tight grip on the reins as Lydia discovers more and more pieces to the puzzle. There are many truly surprising moments both funny and strange (one of which totally floored this reviewer) ... combines the sci-fi and mystery genres in a way that does justice to both of them, and that's no small feat. Perfect for anyone looking for a fun, thought-provoking and unintimidating foray into sci-fi, this book will have readers smiling on every page, drunk on Robson's clever words.
