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Reviewed by Lucinda E Clarke for Readers' Favorite
Toys in Babylon by Patrick Finegan is a very different kind of book. It is both humorous and satirical, mixing actual characters with animated avatars. It is up to date with AI and ChatGP entwined with a real-life and modern scenario. Coki Bear, the bright pink corporate mascot, has gone missing. It is time for the license renewal and both the ‘real’ CEO and the ‘imaginary’ characters are desperate to find her. There is a large cast, and so the list at the beginning of the book is very helpful. Inspired by the Duolingo online language app, this satire mixes fantasy and even history, with references to early songs, television series, and past events. The avatars, each with their unique personality, rise up to overpower those who created them, or do they? Is that all a dream? The cartoon characters bear a strong resemblance to those you meet on the online language app, even to the green scarf and pink feathers. Readers need to suspend disbelief as the cartoon creatures converse with those in real life while attempting to solve the disastrous disappearance of Coki Bear.
Patrick Finegan has written a totally unique book in Toys in Babylon, an apt description of an international online language app used by millions around the world. I could relate to many of them since I am a daily Duolingo fan. It is a very clever satire as the story races at breakneck speed from the first page to the last. Most of the cartoon avatars are both cute and cuddly and quite endearing. They possess more wit, intelligence, and savvy than their creators envisaged. An eclectic mix of fairytales, old musical hits, previous events, and the mystery of the missing Coki Bear, the mainstay of the Cok Dill Corporation, makes for an interesting read. There are passages in French and German and song lyrics among the mixture of the AI-generated animated teaching characters and actual company executives. The reader is kept guessing with every page. A niche book that will appeal to a select audience who will appreciate the hidden and parallel messages.
