Last night, I finished reading The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold, written by Cate Holahan. I had started reading the book a few weeks back, but have been slow at finishing it. Some books don't take me so long, particularly when I find them interesting. When they are less interesting, it takes me longer. This book is well-written and has a good story. I just couldn't get into it as it somewhat follows the form of diary entries between Alice and her mother, Catherine. You see the story unfold from these two perspectives. It also means you are going over the same timeline twice. I gave it four out of five starts because it's good work, but it didn't motivate me to keep reading to find out what happens next.
The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold starts off similar to the Patty Hearst kidnapping, which leads you to believe that it will continue along the same story line. However, it does take a twist once you learn who is actually responsible for the kidnapping. The kidnapping story serves as the vehicle to deliver the real message of the book, which is a commentary on the impact of Artificial Intelligence.
Alice's kidnappers do not ask for a ransom. Instead, they have Alices parents, Brian and Catherine, along with law enforcement, chasing clues that have been planted at different locations owned by Brian Ingold, the CEO of a corporation building the most powerful AI platform. The kidnappers want the public to be aware of the harm that AI is doing to the workforce and the resulting income inequality.
Although the story discusses the dangers of AI, it focuses mainly on the relationships of the characters who are wealthy and have name recognition, as well as the problems that such a life entail.
I picked up this book as a freebie from Amazon for being a subscriber to Amazon Prime. They have monthly First Reads free downloads for new books. Over the years I have collected a bunch of these First Reads books that I haven't read. I tend to favor sci-fi, thrillers, and crime stories.
Although it's a good story and is well-written, it did not resonate with me. I didn't gain reading momentum until I passed the halfway mark. Even then, I'd read one or two chapters a night, until last night that I muscled through to the end.
This isn't to say that you would not enjoy it. The story does have a WTF moment that completely changes the dynamics. But the revelations didn't have the same impact, for me, that a Tom Clancy book, for example, would have when a little detail at the beginning of the story has a big effect on the later story.
I gave it four out of five stars in recognition of the quality of writing and how compelling it was for me.
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