An intense and insightful expedition into the jungle, and a consideration of the growing influence of AI, is offered by Julianne Pachico in Jungle House. The story follows Lena, who lives in Jungle House, raised by artificial intelligence. Ensuring the upkeep of the holiday home for a wealthy family, their visits bring Isabella and Anton – the name of Isabella’s security drone – from the city, a friend for Lena and a glimpse into another reality.

When the visits stop, there appears to be many threats from the outside world, intensified by Mother: the maternal figure in Lena’s life, also AI-based. All of which raises suspicions about the past and consequences for the future. The complexities of the AI characters, and their interactions with humanity, are executed particularly well, conveying the differences in emotions between characters and highlighting the power, loss, love and depth of feeling within the relationships. The jungle also provides a pivotal backdrop, offering a sensory environment to enhance each scene.

Having enjoyed Pachico’s The Lucky Ones and The Anthill previously, this is another superb imagining on a topical subject matter – one which will leave you questioning developments about the impact of artificial intelligence, and its future.