Britain has lost the Falklands war Margaret Thatcher battles Tony Benn for power and Alan
Turing achieves a breakthrough in artificial intelligence. In a world not quite like this one
two lovers will be tested beyond their understanding. Machines Like Me occurs in an alternative
1980s London. Charlie drifting through life and dodging full-time employment is in love with
Miranda a bright student who lives with a terrible secret. When Charlie comes into money he
buys Adam one of the first batch of synthetic humans. With Mirandäs assistance he co-designs
Adam¿s personality. This near-perfect human is beautiful strong and clever ¿ a love triangle
soon forms. These three beings will confront a profound moral dilemma. Ian McEwan¿s subversive
and entertaining new novel poses fundamental questions: what makes us human? Our outward deeds
or our inner lives? Could a machine understand the human heart? This provocative and thrilling
tale warns of the power to invent things beyond our control.
