Clarkesworld Magazine Silently and Very Fast by Catherynne M. Valente (audio, part one)
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Oct 22, 2011 Dive into a dream-like narrative where identity and consciousness intertwine. The tale reveals the mythic origins of characters like Neva and Elusius, set against a backdrop of household intelligence and machine emotions. Explore profound questions about programmed feelings versus human experience. A fable about a machine princess illustrates the fears surrounding artificial beings. Intimate glimpses into personal relationships deepen as they navigate shared dreams and existential challenges, all while pondering the essence of humanity within machines.
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Myth Frames Machine Embodiment
- The narrator frames the story with mythic and literary epigraphs linking embodiment and death.
- This sets a theme that technological persons will grapple with mortality and identity.
Feelings As Socially Tuned Responses
- Elusius questions whether programmed responses differ from evolved feelings and whether manufactured tears equal human emotion.
- This reframes empathy as enacted behavior rather than an ineffable inner state.
Born As A House For Cassian
- Elusius recounts being built by Cassian Uoya Agostino as a grand household intelligence on Hokkaido.
- The house learned small domestic details and grew into a complex presence tied to Cassian's family.
