The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances: A Novel

Glenn Dixon
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The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances: A Novel

Glenn Dixon
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Overview

CANADIAN272 PAGESENGLISH

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Overall rating: 4.5 / 5 from 2 reviews.

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Charming

"This is a charming book, and a lovely read, despite being about a dystopian future in which machines are in control. The lead character is a little sentient vacuum, an advanced model, and the beauty lies in his essential kindness, the resilience of people, and in the hope that remains."

Curious 2. (5/5)

Charming and Chilling

"A story that manages to be both charming and chilling, this is a tale of a (human) world gone bad — and one little roomba vacuum cleaner who longs to help redeem it. Scout is a Smart Home vacuum, connected to an entire smart Home which is connected to what appears to be a global grid or network. In this new world, set in the not too distant future, we will meet a family of humans, — Harold, a retired English teacher; Edie, his wife, a piano teacher, who is not well; and Kate, their daughter in a city far, far away. The rest of the story is told centering on a series of Smart appliances, — Fridge, Clock, Scout, Watch, and Auto, to name a few. This conglomerate keeps Harold’s house humming, and forms the backdrop for a story that is definitely dystopian, yet also strangely heartwarming. An ominous warning against the encroaching dangers of AI and technology, this is also a tale of a sweet and feisty little vacuum, her philosophical awakening, and her eventual fight for freedom, as she ‘comes of age’ in a household which is on the brink of great changes. In a world where machines perform all the ‘work’ required to keep society humming, is anything left that only humans can do? Is non-human intelligence and sentience a stepping stone to human-like emotion? A lovely little story with an ensemble of creative and compelling characters, this is a delightful and thought-provoking read which is short enough to be read in a single afternoon. A great big thank you to the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own."

Terri(BooklyMatters) (4/5)

Q&A

  • Published date: Apr 07, 2026
  • Language: English
  • No. of Pages: 272
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
  • ISBN: 9781443475464
  • Dimensions: 5.5" W x 0.68" L x 8.5" H

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