The Cybernetic Tea Shop

The Cybernetic Tea Shop by Meredith Katz is a delightful novella that I read in one sitting. I have no idea where I came across it, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story is about Clara, a young woman who works as a repair technician for AIs, and habitually moves on from one town to the next after about 18 months. The other main character is Sal, a nearly 300 year old robot who runs the tea shop that was the dream of her owner (now long dead).

The narrative took a little while to find its feet, but I was instantly attracted by the characters and the set up. The inner lives of both Clara and Sal are beautifully drawn, and the relationship between them is really lovely in the way it develops.

I would happily have spent a lot longer in this world and with these characters - highly recommended and very sweet.