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For Emma
A year after Emma Henson, a young, genius bio-tech scientist, dies in a covert AI brain-chip experiment, her father Josh has nothing left to live for and vows to get revenge on the Silicon Valley CEO responsible.
Josh has thirty days to make his home-made bombs and to say goodbye to his life. To give himself courage in the countdown, he records daily video messages to his lost "Em." He is fueled by the horrific memories of Em’s death—her body and brain devoured by the AI "infinity" system in its quest for immortality. Memories flood him as he searches for the moments in Emma’s short life where he could have been a better father and saved her.
As he grapples with constructing and testing his DIY bombs, his thirty days start to run out, and Emma’s voice returns to him, speaking with him as he sets to complete his mission. He worries that he’s gone insane—he doubts if he can see the violent act through—but Emma’s voice insists he continue on his path toward murder and mayhem. Josh tries to resist his daughter’s voice as it attempts to take full control of his body. But is it even her? Or is it a ghost, a psychotic delusion or the AI system that is controlling him?
Inspired by the real-life Brain Chip Implant experiments (Musk/Neuralink) and the technogothic tradition (Frankenstein, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, The Island of Dr Moreau), For Emma is a tale of possession by a new force unleashed by science. It is a warning for the future but also an intimate, heart-breaking study of the love between a father and daughter and of the madness that grief can drive us to.
Josh has thirty days to make his home-made bombs and to say goodbye to his life. To give himself courage in the countdown, he records daily video messages to his lost "Em." He is fueled by the horrific memories of Em’s death—her body and brain devoured by the AI "infinity" system in its quest for immortality. Memories flood him as he searches for the moments in Emma’s short life where he could have been a better father and saved her.
As he grapples with constructing and testing his DIY bombs, his thirty days start to run out, and Emma’s voice returns to him, speaking with him as he sets to complete his mission. He worries that he’s gone insane—he doubts if he can see the violent act through—but Emma’s voice insists he continue on his path toward murder and mayhem. Josh tries to resist his daughter’s voice as it attempts to take full control of his body. But is it even her? Or is it a ghost, a psychotic delusion or the AI system that is controlling him?
Inspired by the real-life Brain Chip Implant experiments (Musk/Neuralink) and the technogothic tradition (Frankenstein, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, The Island of Dr Moreau), For Emma is a tale of possession by a new force unleashed by science. It is a warning for the future but also an intimate, heart-breaking study of the love between a father and daughter and of the madness that grief can drive us to.
- GenresFictionScience Fiction
432 pages, Hardcover
Published June 17, 2025
9 people are currently reading
201 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
June 8, 2025
This was such a clever concept and went from a tragic exploration of grief, addiction and mental health into a technological nightmare. The story was so well thought out.
The story unfolds as a series of video documentaries between Josh Cartwright and his dead daughter Emma. Josh has nothing left to live for apart from avenging his daughter after she was killed by a big technological corporation.
Throughout the story, it is hard to decipher if Josh is delusional or if he really is communicating with his dead daughter. As the story unfolds, he appears more and more unstable but driven to meet his goals. Alongside this we get glimpses of his past relationship with Emma as he remembers her childhood and important moments they shared. I found this really moving and it helped to build the relationship between Josh and Emma.
Josh is a complex character and he appears to be isolated in his grief with very few other characters to support him within the story. This adds to the mystery of what is going on and what is real and what is Josh's imagination.
I don't want to give too much away as this is a book best gone into blind. Needless to say, it is a stark reminder about how far we should allow AI into our lives and what it means to be human and to be in control of our own lives.
If you love sci-fi, speculative fiction and horror you won't be able to put this one down. A really enjoyable read!
Huge thanks to the author, publisher and Love Books Tours for providing a copy of the book.
The story unfolds as a series of video documentaries between Josh Cartwright and his dead daughter Emma. Josh has nothing left to live for apart from avenging his daughter after she was killed by a big technological corporation.
Throughout the story, it is hard to decipher if Josh is delusional or if he really is communicating with his dead daughter. As the story unfolds, he appears more and more unstable but driven to meet his goals. Alongside this we get glimpses of his past relationship with Emma as he remembers her childhood and important moments they shared. I found this really moving and it helped to build the relationship between Josh and Emma.
Josh is a complex character and he appears to be isolated in his grief with very few other characters to support him within the story. This adds to the mystery of what is going on and what is real and what is Josh's imagination.
I don't want to give too much away as this is a book best gone into blind. Needless to say, it is a stark reminder about how far we should allow AI into our lives and what it means to be human and to be in control of our own lives.
If you love sci-fi, speculative fiction and horror you won't be able to put this one down. A really enjoyable read!
Huge thanks to the author, publisher and Love Books Tours for providing a copy of the book.
May 8, 2025
My review and interview with the author: https://www.queermajority.com/essays-...
June 11, 2025
This was an intense and tragic story of loss and despair, coupled with the horror of advanced science, impacts on society, and the corruption of corporations.
At its heart it's a story of heartbreak and a father seeking revenge for his daughter's death, but it's also a confession and rationale for atrocities that follow, and speculation on cause and effect.
It's haunting, bold and thrilling, and explores humanity, technology, ambition and cost. There are so many realistic elements that make it very thought provoking and chilling, and it makes you compelled to keep reading and figure out what truly happened to everyone involved.
I enjoyed all the blurred lines of delusion and reality, and the complexity of Josh's character and his motivations.
The event countdown and the editors notes and video transcriptions were cleverly done, and it all combines into a chaotic spiral of grief, isolation and vengeance, and has you questioning if they are a villain or victim, avenger or killer. This book will definitely have questioning things by the end, and trying to unravel what is truth or conspiracy.
At its heart it's a story of heartbreak and a father seeking revenge for his daughter's death, but it's also a confession and rationale for atrocities that follow, and speculation on cause and effect.
It's haunting, bold and thrilling, and explores humanity, technology, ambition and cost. There are so many realistic elements that make it very thought provoking and chilling, and it makes you compelled to keep reading and figure out what truly happened to everyone involved.
I enjoyed all the blurred lines of delusion and reality, and the complexity of Josh's character and his motivations.
The event countdown and the editors notes and video transcriptions were cleverly done, and it all combines into a chaotic spiral of grief, isolation and vengeance, and has you questioning if they are a villain or victim, avenger or killer. This book will definitely have questioning things by the end, and trying to unravel what is truth or conspiracy.
June 11, 2025
This book was so unique! I absolutely loved it. I genuinely could not put this down. It got more shocking as it unfolded.
The cover is absolutely fine. It fits with the book and gives us no clue what's between the pages. Great job!!
The book is so well written and flows nicely. The descriptions help with impact of the story. I genuinely had to Google the event as I got super confused. Given that 1 October is my wedding anniversary, I wanted to make sure!!!! Fantastic work, Ewan!
The characters are excellent. Josh is our bereaved father and we see what grief drives him to. We also have the editor who's transcribed all of Josh's videos. It all works!!!
I adored the style of this book. As said previously we have an editor who's transcribed videos. She leaves notes throughout. We have the 30 day countdown from Josh. What happened to Emma and what a father is driven to.
I simply cannot recommend this enough!
The cover is absolutely fine. It fits with the book and gives us no clue what's between the pages. Great job!!
The book is so well written and flows nicely. The descriptions help with impact of the story. I genuinely had to Google the event as I got super confused. Given that 1 October is my wedding anniversary, I wanted to make sure!!!! Fantastic work, Ewan!
The characters are excellent. Josh is our bereaved father and we see what grief drives him to. We also have the editor who's transcribed all of Josh's videos. It all works!!!
I adored the style of this book. As said previously we have an editor who's transcribed videos. She leaves notes throughout. We have the 30 day countdown from Josh. What happened to Emma and what a father is driven to.
I simply cannot recommend this enough!
June 15, 2025
A very strong 4.5 stars.
What Can I say about this book? It was utterly terrifying. A book that was inadvertently a horror as well as a warning for our future generations on the dangers of AI technology in the wrong hands. The book tackles many dark subjects including suicide ideation, grief and murder so definitely bear those trigger warnings in mind before reading.
It was such an immersive book, written in a style I had not read before, but it honestly made me feel that I was reading something I shouldn’t, it was very surreal. On that note I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so you will need to give it a read to see what I mean.
Josh Cartwright, the father who is grieving the loss of his daughter, is such an interesting character to follow because you honestly don’t know what to think or feel about him. He is an unreliable narrator, fuelled by grief, a family history of depression and plagued by the voice of his deceased daughter, whom we don’t know is real or just a symptom of his inability to cope with her loss.
In terms of characters, we don’t meet many which I think cleverly shows the isolation Josh is experiencing, firstly with his depression as well as in his silencing by the big tech companies.
The times in which Josh is recalling the happy times with his daughter and re-living those moments he wishes he could have done differently, moments that could have changed the outcomes of his daughter’s life are heart-breaking and raw.
This is not a book that holds back or hides from anything, including gore too. It gives us the nitty gritty details of what goes through someone’s mind as they are heading down a spiral of “Murder and mayhem.”
Throughout the book we are left in suspense, knowing that at the start of the book a tragic event takes place and thinking we know what the outcome will be. Morrison keeps you on your toes throughout.
There are parts that I found difficult to read, questions of the big why, why are we here? as well as subjecting our life to essentially 5 things that are repeated daily “sleep, work, shop, eat, shit”, its terrifying because it so realistically reflects humanity.
More so the fact that the technology talked about in the book, an AI microchip implanted in the brain, is actually a real thing (Neurolink), makes the outcomes of this book even more terrifying in its possible reality.
This was like no book I have ever read before and the clever and unique way in which it was written makes it one that will be remembered long after the book is returned to the shelf.
What Can I say about this book? It was utterly terrifying. A book that was inadvertently a horror as well as a warning for our future generations on the dangers of AI technology in the wrong hands. The book tackles many dark subjects including suicide ideation, grief and murder so definitely bear those trigger warnings in mind before reading.
It was such an immersive book, written in a style I had not read before, but it honestly made me feel that I was reading something I shouldn’t, it was very surreal. On that note I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so you will need to give it a read to see what I mean.
Josh Cartwright, the father who is grieving the loss of his daughter, is such an interesting character to follow because you honestly don’t know what to think or feel about him. He is an unreliable narrator, fuelled by grief, a family history of depression and plagued by the voice of his deceased daughter, whom we don’t know is real or just a symptom of his inability to cope with her loss.
In terms of characters, we don’t meet many which I think cleverly shows the isolation Josh is experiencing, firstly with his depression as well as in his silencing by the big tech companies.
The times in which Josh is recalling the happy times with his daughter and re-living those moments he wishes he could have done differently, moments that could have changed the outcomes of his daughter’s life are heart-breaking and raw.
This is not a book that holds back or hides from anything, including gore too. It gives us the nitty gritty details of what goes through someone’s mind as they are heading down a spiral of “Murder and mayhem.”
Throughout the book we are left in suspense, knowing that at the start of the book a tragic event takes place and thinking we know what the outcome will be. Morrison keeps you on your toes throughout.
There are parts that I found difficult to read, questions of the big why, why are we here? as well as subjecting our life to essentially 5 things that are repeated daily “sleep, work, shop, eat, shit”, its terrifying because it so realistically reflects humanity.
More so the fact that the technology talked about in the book, an AI microchip implanted in the brain, is actually a real thing (Neurolink), makes the outcomes of this book even more terrifying in its possible reality.
This was like no book I have ever read before and the clever and unique way in which it was written makes it one that will be remembered long after the book is returned to the shelf.
December 3, 2025
In a word, terrifying.
We can already clearly see how today’s wonderful technology, which could offer powerful and positive benefits to humans, is being used for bad, even evil purposes.
We also know it is getting out of control with less regulation.
This book explores the not-too-distant future when the level of control which big tech can exert over our lives will render us less than human.
The writing is thrilling and engaging, building to a powerful conclusion.
My only complaint is that it could have been 100 pages shorter, but I still highly recommend it.
We can already clearly see how today’s wonderful technology, which could offer powerful and positive benefits to humans, is being used for bad, even evil purposes.
We also know it is getting out of control with less regulation.
This book explores the not-too-distant future when the level of control which big tech can exert over our lives will render us less than human.
The writing is thrilling and engaging, building to a powerful conclusion.
My only complaint is that it could have been 100 pages shorter, but I still highly recommend it.
July 2, 2025
You will all be used to me by now, saying that this book really wasn't any of my usual go-to genres - but....I absolutely loved this!
I always shy away from anything sci-fi or futuristic because I'm worried that the whole concept will go over my head and I either won't understand, or won't be interested enough in the premise.
I was therefore apprehensive heading into this one - especially as it was a pretty chunky looking read too.
Did it take me a little minute to get immersed in - yes! But once it got going, was I hooked - absolutely.
On the surface, we follow Josh.
His daughter Emma, a young genius scientist working in silicon valley, died around a year ago and haunted by the suspicion that her boss killed her, he embarks on a mission to seek revenge and kill him.
This is so well written and unlike anything I've read before.
We follow the story through a series of video transcriptions, recorded in the run up to a devastating event and showing the deterioration of Josh's mental health.
There are lots of different elements explored here and I had to stop at times just to think things over and wonder - could something like this actually happen one day or is this already happening - also, what would I do in a similar situation?
Aside from the technical aspects, this is really quite an emotional read and I'm sure even if this isn't your usual genre, this is definitely a book that's relevent and that I'd recommend to all.
The format and writing style is so effective and I had moments where I was so immersed within the storyline that I actually felt as though I was there with the characters.
A brilliant read and another great addition to my growing library of books I took a chance on .....and loved!
I always shy away from anything sci-fi or futuristic because I'm worried that the whole concept will go over my head and I either won't understand, or won't be interested enough in the premise.
I was therefore apprehensive heading into this one - especially as it was a pretty chunky looking read too.
Did it take me a little minute to get immersed in - yes! But once it got going, was I hooked - absolutely.
On the surface, we follow Josh.
His daughter Emma, a young genius scientist working in silicon valley, died around a year ago and haunted by the suspicion that her boss killed her, he embarks on a mission to seek revenge and kill him.
This is so well written and unlike anything I've read before.
We follow the story through a series of video transcriptions, recorded in the run up to a devastating event and showing the deterioration of Josh's mental health.
There are lots of different elements explored here and I had to stop at times just to think things over and wonder - could something like this actually happen one day or is this already happening - also, what would I do in a similar situation?
Aside from the technical aspects, this is really quite an emotional read and I'm sure even if this isn't your usual genre, this is definitely a book that's relevent and that I'd recommend to all.
The format and writing style is so effective and I had moments where I was so immersed within the storyline that I actually felt as though I was there with the characters.
A brilliant read and another great addition to my growing library of books I took a chance on .....and loved!
May 11, 2025
Really thorough science fiction with a well constructed plot line. Really refreshing format, and delves into grief and technology really well.
June 1, 2025
Can I give this more stars? Oh my goodness wow, what have I just read!
I love AI fiction but this has me questioning everything. Absolutely everything!!
Emma is Josh’s daughter who dies, the story follows Josh’s demise as he works towards a goal that is potentially just in his head!
It’s an intense story of love, loss and family. A father and daughter relationship/bond.
I think I need to reevaluate my life and everything around me! The thing is this book feels so real, intense, life changing - we have no clue what is going on around us.
I love AI fiction but this has me questioning everything. Absolutely everything!!
Emma is Josh’s daughter who dies, the story follows Josh’s demise as he works towards a goal that is potentially just in his head!
It’s an intense story of love, loss and family. A father and daughter relationship/bond.
I think I need to reevaluate my life and everything around me! The thing is this book feels so real, intense, life changing - we have no clue what is going on around us.
October 23, 2025
***SPOILERS BELOW***
For Emma surprised me. I expected a techno-thriller, a mystery about what happened to Emma and why. Instead, it's more of an immersive study of a very imperfect father (Josh) looking for answers, and of his quest for retribution.
The purpose of the editor POV, I think, is to give the story some grounding in the real world and some perspective on Josh. The editor presents him as mostly rational and deliberate, justified in his vengeful mission, and not as a wild-eyed terrorist. Not surprisingly, he's repressed by the long arm of Biosys, the company responsible for the nanobot implants.
Josh’s grieving isn’t as much related to what he’ll miss about Emma, it’s that for the last several years, he missed being a significant part of her life. This means that he’s ready to jump at anything – her apparent voice he hears in his head – that will bring him close to her. He really doesn’t know her well enough to determine if her voice that guides him is authentic. To try to address his grief, he gives himself a purpose: to design a body bomb he will use to kill Neumann and himself. He gets absolutely wonky with it – immerses himself in technical details and logistics.
Emma’s voice pushes him down the path of retribution, stating “They killed me”, but says nothing more about it, pointing Josh to her co-worker Toby, who provides media files that may reveal what Biosys was doing. The evidence Toby provides, showing the seductiveness of Zach Neumann’s pitch but also the horror of what happened to the primate subject Sanja, hints at the conflict within Emma over her Biosys mission. Given Emma’s genius-level brilliance and dogged passion for the truth, I expected her to be one of the last people to ever agree to the neuro implants, particularly after what happened to Sanja. Was she seduced by the godlike power of a world-transforming technology? The promise of lifting her and her father from their crippling depression? Her shift from science to idealism is hinted at via her relationship with Gabe. Or was the decision out of her hands - did her misgivings about where Biosys was heading cause them to forcibly implant her so she could be controlled? Another hint that Emma’s voice is not what it seems is that it appears when Josh needs prodding down the path of his mission but is absent on other occasions. From that point forward I treated her “voice” as filtered through Josh as unreliable, feeding Josh’s internal struggle between the voice’s increasingly cruel directives and the Emma he imagines her to be.
Josh’s steady descent into physical and mental strife is vividly presented and we feel his yearning and sense of loss for Emma with every step he takes, as well as his connection to her via their shared struggle with depression. We live through Josh’ grappling with how to pull off the procurement, building, and testing of his bomb. Likewise, the descriptions of the implant procedure on Emma, its effects, and the corresponding control experiments are compelling and horrifying.
Then there’s the left turn, when the Neumann event shifts venues (almost as if Biosys knew what Josh was planning). Emma takes the final step in trying to convince Josh that killing Neumann is no different than killing random strangers, convincing him to build a much bigger, Oklahoma City scaled truck bomb that will result in a lot of collateral damage. Exactly what Biosys wants. Josh must choose between his urge for revenge and the awakening of his own humanity. What kind of father will he be (to Emma, to the whole world)? For me, this is the novel’s central question and where it reaches for a profound resonance.
Josh visits Chris, his therapist, to confess being tricked by Emma’s voice coming to him via an implanted microchip in his head that was also starting to control his behavior. He is horrified by the prospect of many innocents being killed. The bomb detonates anyway, without any apparent action by Josh. I suspect that Biosys had a means of detonating the bomb remotely and took their opportunity, with Josh their scapegoat.
In a word, this is a masterful work that absolutely drew me into its terror, its depiction of grief, and the moral question of whether to kill for a greater good.
For Emma surprised me. I expected a techno-thriller, a mystery about what happened to Emma and why. Instead, it's more of an immersive study of a very imperfect father (Josh) looking for answers, and of his quest for retribution.
The purpose of the editor POV, I think, is to give the story some grounding in the real world and some perspective on Josh. The editor presents him as mostly rational and deliberate, justified in his vengeful mission, and not as a wild-eyed terrorist. Not surprisingly, he's repressed by the long arm of Biosys, the company responsible for the nanobot implants.
Josh’s grieving isn’t as much related to what he’ll miss about Emma, it’s that for the last several years, he missed being a significant part of her life. This means that he’s ready to jump at anything – her apparent voice he hears in his head – that will bring him close to her. He really doesn’t know her well enough to determine if her voice that guides him is authentic. To try to address his grief, he gives himself a purpose: to design a body bomb he will use to kill Neumann and himself. He gets absolutely wonky with it – immerses himself in technical details and logistics.
Emma’s voice pushes him down the path of retribution, stating “They killed me”, but says nothing more about it, pointing Josh to her co-worker Toby, who provides media files that may reveal what Biosys was doing. The evidence Toby provides, showing the seductiveness of Zach Neumann’s pitch but also the horror of what happened to the primate subject Sanja, hints at the conflict within Emma over her Biosys mission. Given Emma’s genius-level brilliance and dogged passion for the truth, I expected her to be one of the last people to ever agree to the neuro implants, particularly after what happened to Sanja. Was she seduced by the godlike power of a world-transforming technology? The promise of lifting her and her father from their crippling depression? Her shift from science to idealism is hinted at via her relationship with Gabe. Or was the decision out of her hands - did her misgivings about where Biosys was heading cause them to forcibly implant her so she could be controlled? Another hint that Emma’s voice is not what it seems is that it appears when Josh needs prodding down the path of his mission but is absent on other occasions. From that point forward I treated her “voice” as filtered through Josh as unreliable, feeding Josh’s internal struggle between the voice’s increasingly cruel directives and the Emma he imagines her to be.
Josh’s steady descent into physical and mental strife is vividly presented and we feel his yearning and sense of loss for Emma with every step he takes, as well as his connection to her via their shared struggle with depression. We live through Josh’ grappling with how to pull off the procurement, building, and testing of his bomb. Likewise, the descriptions of the implant procedure on Emma, its effects, and the corresponding control experiments are compelling and horrifying.
Then there’s the left turn, when the Neumann event shifts venues (almost as if Biosys knew what Josh was planning). Emma takes the final step in trying to convince Josh that killing Neumann is no different than killing random strangers, convincing him to build a much bigger, Oklahoma City scaled truck bomb that will result in a lot of collateral damage. Exactly what Biosys wants. Josh must choose between his urge for revenge and the awakening of his own humanity. What kind of father will he be (to Emma, to the whole world)? For me, this is the novel’s central question and where it reaches for a profound resonance.
Josh visits Chris, his therapist, to confess being tricked by Emma’s voice coming to him via an implanted microchip in his head that was also starting to control his behavior. He is horrified by the prospect of many innocents being killed. The bomb detonates anyway, without any apparent action by Josh. I suspect that Biosys had a means of detonating the bomb remotely and took their opportunity, with Josh their scapegoat.
In a word, this is a masterful work that absolutely drew me into its terror, its depiction of grief, and the moral question of whether to kill for a greater good.
June 6, 2025
So this book follows Josh who is father to Emma, and tells the story of how his life spirals after her death in what he believes is a covert AI experiment to integrate an AI chip into the human brain. A year after she died, he decides to get his revenge against the person he believes is ultimately responsible for her death. He decides that the best way to do this is to make some DIY bombs and take this person out. He films daily diary entries of his progress but also uses them to talk to Emma.
What a great book, I really enjoyed this. It was thought provoking, emotive, and a frightening journey into the human psyche when it comes to managing grief, and in particular that of losing a child. It really makes you think about the pros and cons of technological advancement like AI, and that there could in reality be people and organisations like those depicted in this book that would absolutely take advantage for their own nefarious reasons.
It talks about the real life impacts of mental illness and how easily it can negatively affect your relationships, your work, everything in your life, and in particular the impact of depression. There is also reference to child neglect.
It is such a sad story that is really about a father trying to come to terms with the death of his daughter and not being able to do that, and the impact that this has on his mental health.
I really liked Ewan’s writing style, his ability to bring the near future to life and crashing into the present. I love the depth of these characters, it was so realistic that it could’ve been a true crime story. This was a great four star read for me and I would definitely recommend.
What a great book, I really enjoyed this. It was thought provoking, emotive, and a frightening journey into the human psyche when it comes to managing grief, and in particular that of losing a child. It really makes you think about the pros and cons of technological advancement like AI, and that there could in reality be people and organisations like those depicted in this book that would absolutely take advantage for their own nefarious reasons.
It talks about the real life impacts of mental illness and how easily it can negatively affect your relationships, your work, everything in your life, and in particular the impact of depression. There is also reference to child neglect.
It is such a sad story that is really about a father trying to come to terms with the death of his daughter and not being able to do that, and the impact that this has on his mental health.
I really liked Ewan’s writing style, his ability to bring the near future to life and crashing into the present. I love the depth of these characters, it was so realistic that it could’ve been a true crime story. This was a great four star read for me and I would definitely recommend.
June 17, 2025
‘For Emma’ is a thought-provoking testimony on the perils of AI and the all-encompassing grief that comes after losing a child. I was sure that I had read a previous book by this author but apparently not, I will be keeping my eyes peeled for future releases! What I initially thought was going to be some high octave thriller is a more balanced look at grief, paternal relationships, mental health and the influence of BigTech being interwoven in all our lives.
Emma had from a young age asked questions, why, why, why and why. She developed into a highly intelligent individual and was proud to be working for BigTech in one of their AI programs. However, she ends up having an accident at work and passes away. Her father can't cope and falls into a deep depression and begins to hear Emma’s voice. He begins to blame the CEO of the company she used to work for and plans his revenge…for thirty days' time!
In places, this was a highly profound book about grief. Nothing is hidden, we see all the ‘stages’ and some of it is not pleasant to read. But that's the point I think of this book. Strip away the AI and tech aspects and you would have the same story. Not that I am saying that part of the narrative was unnecessary but the essence would be the same.
I don't know if I can say I enjoyed this book but it was deftly crafted with realistic and authentic characters. The standard of writing was excellent and it came across as being extremely well researched. I had a lot of empathy for the character and his downward spiral felt true and very authentic.
Let me know if you pick this one up!
June 15, 2025
"For Emma" is a book that I can confidently say is like no other. From the way it's written - a series of video transcripts, editor's notes, and an emotionally driven narrative - you're immediately drawn in. You definitely find yourself asking as many "whys" as Emma does while reading it.
We follow Josh Cartwright, Emma's father, whose life has been turned upside down, fuelled by the grief of Emma's death following a brain chip experiment. He is a complex and beautifully written character. You get to know his thought process, his view of Emma, and their relationship leading up to her death. He's definitely a character you can never quite predict...
Was Emma's voice real, or a figment of his imagination? All those little moments he believed were signs from Emma urging him to carry on - were they real or hallucinations? It was moments like these that kept me reading.
The novel features no other main characters. The deliberate choice by Ewan Morrison to write "For Emma" this way is very cleverly done. It portrays the isolation grief can create and how consuming and lonely this experience can be.
"For Emma" is an incredible piece of fiction that delves into Al, biotechnology, and grief. Which I will definitely be recommending. (I would absolutely watch a movie adaptation of this book 👀).
⚠️The book tackles some heavy topics, including suicidal ideation, mental health, and grief - which might not be for everyone. So please keep that in mind before picking it up!
This book was send to me by the publisher and lovesbooktours as an AD - PR PRODUCT for an honest review
We follow Josh Cartwright, Emma's father, whose life has been turned upside down, fuelled by the grief of Emma's death following a brain chip experiment. He is a complex and beautifully written character. You get to know his thought process, his view of Emma, and their relationship leading up to her death. He's definitely a character you can never quite predict...
Was Emma's voice real, or a figment of his imagination? All those little moments he believed were signs from Emma urging him to carry on - were they real or hallucinations? It was moments like these that kept me reading.
The novel features no other main characters. The deliberate choice by Ewan Morrison to write "For Emma" this way is very cleverly done. It portrays the isolation grief can create and how consuming and lonely this experience can be.
"For Emma" is an incredible piece of fiction that delves into Al, biotechnology, and grief. Which I will definitely be recommending. (I would absolutely watch a movie adaptation of this book 👀).
⚠️The book tackles some heavy topics, including suicidal ideation, mental health, and grief - which might not be for everyone. So please keep that in mind before picking it up!
This book was send to me by the publisher and lovesbooktours as an AD - PR PRODUCT for an honest review
June 2, 2025
BOOK REVIEW 📚✨️
For Emma by Ewan Morrison
I have never read anything quite like this book and honestly at times I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn't real.
This story is told from the POV of video diary entries and memories from Josh, the MMC and father of Emma. Emma dies in a covert AI Brain-Chip experiment, and Josh, with nothing else to live for, vows to find out the truth and seek revenge on the CEO of the company who implanted the chip into his daughter's brain.
Josh gives himself 30 days to experiment and create home made b0mbs.
During these 30 days, Emma's voice comes to him, but is it real? Is he hallucinating, is it just grief, or is it the AI system now controlling him?
This is a story of a man so utterly heartbroken that he will go to the end of the world to get answers for what happened to his beloved daughter. More than anything it shows how grief really truly does encompass you, changes you and how hard it can be to carry on living after losing a loved one.
The way in which this story was told was unlike anything I've ever read before and it was really refreshing to read something that isnt following a normal plot line or structure. I really enjoyed it.
This book felt real, it was intense and it was heartbreaking. A rollercoaster of emotions for sure!!
4⭐️
many thanks to @leamingtonbooks @lovebookstours for the oppertunity to read and review this one as part of an IG booktour. #ad #gifted
For Emma by Ewan Morrison
I have never read anything quite like this book and honestly at times I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn't real.
This story is told from the POV of video diary entries and memories from Josh, the MMC and father of Emma. Emma dies in a covert AI Brain-Chip experiment, and Josh, with nothing else to live for, vows to find out the truth and seek revenge on the CEO of the company who implanted the chip into his daughter's brain.
Josh gives himself 30 days to experiment and create home made b0mbs.
During these 30 days, Emma's voice comes to him, but is it real? Is he hallucinating, is it just grief, or is it the AI system now controlling him?
This is a story of a man so utterly heartbroken that he will go to the end of the world to get answers for what happened to his beloved daughter. More than anything it shows how grief really truly does encompass you, changes you and how hard it can be to carry on living after losing a loved one.
The way in which this story was told was unlike anything I've ever read before and it was really refreshing to read something that isnt following a normal plot line or structure. I really enjoyed it.
This book felt real, it was intense and it was heartbreaking. A rollercoaster of emotions for sure!!
4⭐️
many thanks to @leamingtonbooks @lovebookstours for the oppertunity to read and review this one as part of an IG booktour. #ad #gifted
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I will be the first to admit that I am very hesitant about AI and emerging technology. I think we're moving quickly with advances and there are tons of issues and side effects that we haven't stopped to think about. This book did nothing to assuage my fears.
Josh has decided to exact revenge for the death of his adult daughter, Emma, following a bio-chip implantation. The story is told from two points-of-view, the first being transcriptions of vlogs from Josh, and the second being an editor at a publishing house that received the vlogs via email. The editor is crucial to understanding how the vlogs are transcribed, but I felt no attachment to her character at any point and was almost annoyed when her editor notes were inserted between chapters. The pacing of Josh's chapters were well-done and his descent into crazed fervor was like a train wreck - hard to watch but harder to look away.
I think this novel raises some interesting and valid concerns about our not-so-distant technology. It was an engrossing story but not impossible to put down; in fact, it took me longer than usual to finish this one and I'm not sure why. Overall, it was a thought-provoking read and one I will be thinking about for some time.
I will be the first to admit that I am very hesitant about AI and emerging technology. I think we're moving quickly with advances and there are tons of issues and side effects that we haven't stopped to think about. This book did nothing to assuage my fears.
Josh has decided to exact revenge for the death of his adult daughter, Emma, following a bio-chip implantation. The story is told from two points-of-view, the first being transcriptions of vlogs from Josh, and the second being an editor at a publishing house that received the vlogs via email. The editor is crucial to understanding how the vlogs are transcribed, but I felt no attachment to her character at any point and was almost annoyed when her editor notes were inserted between chapters. The pacing of Josh's chapters were well-done and his descent into crazed fervor was like a train wreck - hard to watch but harder to look away.
I think this novel raises some interesting and valid concerns about our not-so-distant technology. It was an engrossing story but not impossible to put down; in fact, it took me longer than usual to finish this one and I'm not sure why. Overall, it was a thought-provoking read and one I will be thinking about for some time.
June 15, 2025
This book is written in a format I haven’t really read before, transcriptions of video diaries recorded by Emma’s dad Josh. Following his ramblings, memories and his grief induced task of building bombs in order to blow up a ceo AI tech giant who he believes is responsible for his daughter, Emma’s death.
I really enjoyed the format of the transcription of the videos and the authors notes made while watching and transcribing them. It felt like I was read a secret government document!
The story of grief and loss, a father’s ramblings of a daughter caught in AI and never knowing as a reader what’s real and what isn’t. Is this just the depressive ramblings of a grieving father? Or is everything he believes actually true?
I found the documents at the end a really fun and interesting addition and really led me to question whether Josh was right in his madness, nanobots and AI technology taking over the world? A terrifying prospect tbh and feels super real and frighteningly not unrealistic to be our future one day with the increased progressive nature of technology.
Such an interesting book at the most pinnacle time to be reading.
Disturbing, erratic and terrifying if Iam honest but such a relevant read.
Thank you to lovebooktours and Ewan for my review copy
I really enjoyed the format of the transcription of the videos and the authors notes made while watching and transcribing them. It felt like I was read a secret government document!
The story of grief and loss, a father’s ramblings of a daughter caught in AI and never knowing as a reader what’s real and what isn’t. Is this just the depressive ramblings of a grieving father? Or is everything he believes actually true?
I found the documents at the end a really fun and interesting addition and really led me to question whether Josh was right in his madness, nanobots and AI technology taking over the world? A terrifying prospect tbh and feels super real and frighteningly not unrealistic to be our future one day with the increased progressive nature of technology.
Such an interesting book at the most pinnacle time to be reading.
Disturbing, erratic and terrifying if Iam honest but such a relevant read.
Thank you to lovebooktours and Ewan for my review copy
June 7, 2025
For Emma by Ewan Morrison is one of the most unique and affecting novels I’ve read in a long time. Told through the transcriptions of Cartwright’s video diaries, with additional editor’s notes that provide further clarity and often doubt as to the reliability of what we are learning, the formatting of this book makes this feel unlike anything I’ve read before.
To say I was blown away by this story seems like a terrible pun (although I’m sure Cartwright would have approved), given the story’s trajectory, but it captures the emotional punch of this book. What starts as an ambitious AI experiment becomes a spiralling dive into loss, guilt, and the ethics of AI and human experimentation.
At the heart of this story is Emma — earnest, brilliant, and devastatingly human. Her goal is heartbreakingly pure: to help her father and the world. Reading about her life and her end is genuinely hard to read in places. But it is that raw emotional core that makes the novel so powerful and provides the motivation for what is to come.
This isn’t an easy or comfortable read. But it is compelling, thought-provoking, and deeply affecting. I am definitely interested in reading more from Morrison.
To say I was blown away by this story seems like a terrible pun (although I’m sure Cartwright would have approved), given the story’s trajectory, but it captures the emotional punch of this book. What starts as an ambitious AI experiment becomes a spiralling dive into loss, guilt, and the ethics of AI and human experimentation.
At the heart of this story is Emma — earnest, brilliant, and devastatingly human. Her goal is heartbreakingly pure: to help her father and the world. Reading about her life and her end is genuinely hard to read in places. But it is that raw emotional core that makes the novel so powerful and provides the motivation for what is to come.
This isn’t an easy or comfortable read. But it is compelling, thought-provoking, and deeply affecting. I am definitely interested in reading more from Morrison.
June 8, 2025
This book was completely unique and nothing like what I expected. It was told in a really interesting way that made me feel like I was actually there with the main character. The main character Josh Cartwright story is told through the translation of a series of videos that have been found after a tragic bombing in which he was involved. The videos are a series of conversations that Josh is having with his daughter Emma who has passed away previously. In the videos, he discusses his desire to end his own life and to get revenge against the company that he blames for his daughter’s death. This book is packed with lots of different emotions as we follow his journey in the 30 days leading up to the tragic event. As Josh‘s mind and body deteriorates, his thoughts become more manic. This book seems to be a warning about the advancement of AI for the future. It’s actually quite alarming when you think about how some of the technology is actually available today. It says several times in the book That you shouldn’t be reading the information contained inside and as you read you actually become convinced that maybe you really shouldn’t be reading it. This was an excellent read and one that will stick with me for a very long time to come.
June 2, 2025
For Emma is an immersive, surreal quite frightening look at the world of technology and artificial intelligence.
Emma, a scientist, dies in an AI brain-chip experiment, and her father, Josh, vows revenge on CEO responsible.
With nothing left to live for, he sets about creating and testing home made bombs, but he begins to hear his Daughter's voice. Is he starting to loose his grasp on reality? Or Is his actually hearing her voice? Be sure to pick your copy up to find out.
So all in all, this was quite the warning for the future, based on ideas from Elon Musk's Neuralink project, it tells quite a grim tale of where technology could lead us.
With some great technological detail, the author’s obvious thorough research is clear to see.
There are not a huge number of main characters in this novel, but the ones we meet are believable and feel real.
I read this in three sittings.
4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
Emma, a scientist, dies in an AI brain-chip experiment, and her father, Josh, vows revenge on CEO responsible.
With nothing left to live for, he sets about creating and testing home made bombs, but he begins to hear his Daughter's voice. Is he starting to loose his grasp on reality? Or Is his actually hearing her voice? Be sure to pick your copy up to find out.
So all in all, this was quite the warning for the future, based on ideas from Elon Musk's Neuralink project, it tells quite a grim tale of where technology could lead us.
With some great technological detail, the author’s obvious thorough research is clear to see.
There are not a huge number of main characters in this novel, but the ones we meet are believable and feel real.
I read this in three sittings.
4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
June 6, 2025
Thank you to Love Books Tours and the author for this ARC.
What a book. Firstly, I love the way it is written; the way the story is shared with the reader. It's very clever, and it had me initially questioning if it was actually real!
The characterisation was very clear, and I adored young Emma. As the story progressed, the ethics of the characters became an interesting quandary - I feel quite guilty that the author had me essentially rooting for a terrorist, and I hated reading about Emma's job.
The corporation side of the storyline was absolutely terrifying. It was completely believable. For both main characters, and others besides, this was a truly unnerving plot.
The ending left me feeling sad. Sad with the outcomes, sad for the characters - and of course, sad that the brilliant book was over.
What a book. Firstly, I love the way it is written; the way the story is shared with the reader. It's very clever, and it had me initially questioning if it was actually real!
The characterisation was very clear, and I adored young Emma. As the story progressed, the ethics of the characters became an interesting quandary - I feel quite guilty that the author had me essentially rooting for a terrorist, and I hated reading about Emma's job.
The corporation side of the storyline was absolutely terrifying. It was completely believable. For both main characters, and others besides, this was a truly unnerving plot.
The ending left me feeling sad. Sad with the outcomes, sad for the characters - and of course, sad that the brilliant book was over.
June 6, 2025
This is a really hard book to summarise in a review because it’s not like anything I’ve ever read. Told mostly through the transcription of a video diary of a grieving father who wants to avenge the death of his daughter at the hands of a big tech company, it’s an exploration of grief and the love between a father and daughter, but also a frightening look at where some of the current developments in AI might take us. It’s not even like we can call this speculative fiction because what this book explores is already happening (albeit in very early stages). The only reason this wasn’t 5 stars is because I was left with so many questions at the end and I felt the ending was a bit rushed but truth be told I loved this book.
June 10, 2025
Whoa. 'For Emma' was an emotional ride for me.
This is a haunting tale of love and loss. A father who has lost a daughter to an experiment. I can not even fantom what it would be like to lose a child. His journey to get to peace.
We follow their story from when Emma was younger until the present to understand where we end up. I tried not to put too much focus on the 'revenge' part. It reminds me too much of what happened in Norway, and I was not sure if I wanted to go there.
So, I focused on the rest of the story. On Emma’s father.
What he is feeling comes across the pages so well that I feel it, too. And the dangerous road he is going down, that scare me.
It is not all doom and gloom, though. There are lighter moments.
The twist at the end? O'boy...
This is a haunting tale of love and loss. A father who has lost a daughter to an experiment. I can not even fantom what it would be like to lose a child. His journey to get to peace.
We follow their story from when Emma was younger until the present to understand where we end up. I tried not to put too much focus on the 'revenge' part. It reminds me too much of what happened in Norway, and I was not sure if I wanted to go there.
So, I focused on the rest of the story. On Emma’s father.
What he is feeling comes across the pages so well that I feel it, too. And the dangerous road he is going down, that scare me.
It is not all doom and gloom, though. There are lighter moments.
The twist at the end? O'boy...
June 2, 2025
Gifted / PR
“Today is the 1st September and in thirty-days’ time I’m going to strap an explosive device to my body and take your former boss with me when I go.”
For Emma is genuinely unlike any book I’ve read before. It’s told in a chillingly intimate format, with a series of video transcripts from a man preparing to carry out a suicide bombing.
Ewan Morrison is brilliant in how he inhabits the voice of a man on the edge. The whole time, I was finding myself questioning what is real, and what was grief-fuelled delusion.
I will say, there’s a few really bizarre moments. Josh, the maker of these videos, makes frequent, unnecessary comments about women’s bodies (including his sister and his own daughter). There’s also a strange part where he shares a memory of seeing his mother have sex, which for me served no purpose other than to shock.
That said, this book genuinely captures something chilling about how grief can warp perception, and it’s a bold and unsettling read about the future of AI. The book itself is written in a style I had not read before, it made me feel that I was reading something I shouldn’t be!
“Today is the 1st September and in thirty-days’ time I’m going to strap an explosive device to my body and take your former boss with me when I go.”
For Emma is genuinely unlike any book I’ve read before. It’s told in a chillingly intimate format, with a series of video transcripts from a man preparing to carry out a suicide bombing.
Ewan Morrison is brilliant in how he inhabits the voice of a man on the edge. The whole time, I was finding myself questioning what is real, and what was grief-fuelled delusion.
I will say, there’s a few really bizarre moments. Josh, the maker of these videos, makes frequent, unnecessary comments about women’s bodies (including his sister and his own daughter). There’s also a strange part where he shares a memory of seeing his mother have sex, which for me served no purpose other than to shock.
That said, this book genuinely captures something chilling about how grief can warp perception, and it’s a bold and unsettling read about the future of AI. The book itself is written in a style I had not read before, it made me feel that I was reading something I shouldn’t be!
August 16, 2025
I was lucky to be given this as an ARC, so I actually read it without reading the blurb at all. As such it was a little confusing to start with, but I soon got swept into the emotion of the story. And in some ways I think this book was written to not entirely be obvious, as it's a deep dive into the life of a man whose mind appears to be fracturing into paranoia. It gets very dark at some points, but is definitely worth a read. And it keeps you wondering if the paranoia is actually just an insight into the truth after all.
June 8, 2025
For Emma by Ewan Morrison.
Wow. What a read. I loved the story. I devoured this book in 2 sittings. I loved the writing style and the story. It was very cleverly written. I felt Josh's emotions through the pages. Very unique. It was hard to tell if Josh was seeing things or hearing things or what was real. I would love to see this on tv. What a rollercoaster of a read. I would most definitely recommend this book.
Wow. What a read. I loved the story. I devoured this book in 2 sittings. I loved the writing style and the story. It was very cleverly written. I felt Josh's emotions through the pages. Very unique. It was hard to tell if Josh was seeing things or hearing things or what was real. I would love to see this on tv. What a rollercoaster of a read. I would most definitely recommend this book.
August 3, 2025
very scary i honestly do not know what to say
i really wanted to read it as quickly as possible bc it was not enjoyable.. but i think the topics will stick with me for a while
need to read more about AI!
i really wanted to read it as quickly as possible bc it was not enjoyable.. but i think the topics will stick with me for a while
need to read more about AI!
June 19, 2025
A father’s grief. A daughter’s voice. 🤖
It’s definitely not an easy read — it’s messy, painful, and hard to sit with, but that’s kind of the point. It’s a story about grief and the desperate need to hold on — even when everything’s falling apart.
I didn’t always like the narrator especially as it became clearer what he was planning, but you could feel his loneliness. It was beautifully written in parts and emotionally sharp, it hit hard.
Ewan Morrisons writing is powerful and raw - It’s a bold intense read which is hauntingly well done.
It’s definitely not an easy read — it’s messy, painful, and hard to sit with, but that’s kind of the point. It’s a story about grief and the desperate need to hold on — even when everything’s falling apart.
I didn’t always like the narrator especially as it became clearer what he was planning, but you could feel his loneliness. It was beautifully written in parts and emotionally sharp, it hit hard.
Ewan Morrisons writing is powerful and raw - It’s a bold intense read which is hauntingly well done.
July 6, 2025
It was interesting; however, the ending, I was confused of what happened to the father. Did the media make up story that he was part of the white supremacy group?
August 24, 2025
Truly terrifying, in a way neither 1984 or Fahrenheit 451 is, because the dystopia Morrison writes about seems so close to coming true.
August 27, 2025
Excellent book and quite scary to see what could happen as AI advances, people becoming borgesque?
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