The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances (PUBLISHED 31/03/26)

In a near future, where even the smallest of appliances are sentient, a young Roomba vacuum sets out to save the humans of her house from a rising technological power in this compelling, original novel.

EMILY'S REVIEW

If you’ve ever wondered about the innermost thoughts and feelings of a Roomba vacuum cleaner, Glenn Dixon’s latest novel, The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances, is the perfect read for you! Dixon’s cozy dystopian novel is set in a near-future in which each House is comprised of a collection of sentient appliances connected to a technological entity known as ‘The Grid’. R1v984, or Scout, as she prefers to be called, is content in her role as a vacuum cleaner for an elderly couple: Harold, an English professor, and Edie, a piano teacher. Through observing Harold and Edie’s lives, Scout gains an appreciation for music, literature, and finding beauty in a heavily regulated world. But as the couple ages, and their rebellious daughter Kate returns from her government-mandated service, it becomes increasingly clear that the all-seeing Grid poses a threat to their tranquil way of life. Scout, together with her fellow appliances, must use her newly discovered autonomy to protect her humans from the Grid’s omnipotent and ruthless control. 
 
Dixon’s novel is an intricate exploration of what it means to be human in a world entirely sustained by machines. It presents a society that seems utopian on the surface - the climate is steadying, sustainability is a way of life - with a dark undercurrent of surveillance and paranoia. The Big Brother aspect provides enough intrigue to keep the story engaging and well-paced, without distracting the reader from the novel’s main idea: that no matter how advanced AI becomes, it will never be able to replace or replicate the most important aspect of the human experience: the creation and consumption of art. Be it in the form of Harold’s first edition classic novels, or Edie’s sweeping renditions of Bach and Beethoven, the novel overflows with appreciation for human artistry. 
 
The eclectic characters in this book, both human and machine, are relatable and extremely loveable. Their different experiences and worldviews allow for interesting philosophical conversations, such as whether the only thing that separates humans from Appliances is arteries and veins in place of circuits and wires. Or, perhaps, being human means making the empathetic choice over the logical one, as the Grid is “just a set of algorithms and data. It doesn’t have empathy. It doesn’t care.” 
 
The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances provides a highly plausible glimpse into the future of humanity on its current path of technological advancement. Though the good may not always outweigh the bad, the novel is still inclined towards hopefulness, and belief in the endurance of the human spirit. A perfect blend of dystopian and domestic, this book is perfect for lovers of George Orwell’s 1984 and fans of the TV series Black Mirror. 

Emily

PUBLISHER BLURB

In a self-running, smart house, a young and sentient Roomba listens as her owner, Harold, reads aloud to his dying wife, Edie. Mesmerized by To Kill a Mockingbird and craving the human connection she witnesses in Harold's stories, the little vacuum renames herself Scout and embarks on a journey of self-discovery.

But when Edie passes away, Scout and her fellow sentient appliances discover that there are sinister forces in their midst. The omnipresent Grid, which monitors every household in the City, seeks to remove Harold from his home, a place he's lived in for fifty years.

With the help of Adrian, a neighborhood boy who grows close to Scout and Harold, as well as Kate, Harold and Edie's formerly estranged daughter, the humans and the appliances must come together to outwit the all-controlling Grid lest they risk losing everything they hold dear.