Book Review: William, by Mason Coile

By Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Bookworm Sez

“William” by Mason Coilec.2024, Putnam $27.00 224 pages

The second the door shut, you knew where your keys were.

Not in your hands. No, they were on the kitchen table.

So you locked yourself out but no worries, your smart phone is tied to your door locks. Your house alarm is, too, as are the lights and the coffeemaker. Technology is a wonderful thing, isn’t it? Although, as in the new novel “William” by Mason Coile, having certain “smart” devices can be a dumb idea.

Once upon a time, Henry had a loving wife and a happy life.

Where did everything go wrong? Why did his wife treat him with such disdain? Was it because of the new baby coming, and Lily’s feelings about it? No, their problems undoubtedly stemmed from Henry’s agoraphobia; they hadn’t left the house together in months. Henry was only really comfortable within the confines of their expensive, uber-safety-enhanced Victorian-era home, in his attic laboratory, his creative space.

That was where he’d made the little robot that repelled Lily so much, though the butler-robot was basically harmless.

No so with William, Henry’s AI creation.

The attic laboratory was where William got out of hand. Henry knew about that, but he didn’t want to tell Lily, in case it caused more problems between them.

Once, they’d been a team; with their technological talents and her money, they would change the world. And then she got pregnant, he stopped going outside, and she started looking at him in a way that made him worry that she didn’t love him anymore. Henry was, in fact, sure she was having an affair with one of her former co-workers.

When that co-worker and another of Lily’s colleagues insisted on seeing his laboratory, Henry had a very bad feeling about it. He was aghast when William assaulted Lily, and threatened everyone else. And as his guests tried to escape a robot with a mind of its own, Henry was terrified when William took control of the house’s doors and windows…

So what do you know about artificial intelligence (AI)? The average person probably doesn’t know much and might be somewhat nervous about its implications and possibilities.

“William” will make you feel even edgier about it.

Even if your knowledge of the subject is vast and wide, author Mason Coile will terrify you with this twisty tale of tech gone too far. Coile’s Henry is a hot mess, unsure of himself, no confidence, and no guts and Lily is oddly cool, almost cruel in her dismissal of his anxiety. This seems menacing almost from the first page, and it plays out wickedly throughout the rest of the story. Readers shouldn’t be blamed for thinking that Henry’s robot is a truly bad idea, and you shouldn’t feel guilty for wanting to pause and pace around awhile to settle your nerves.

Good luck with it.

If the early dusk each evening puts you in the mood for something dark and sinister, here’s the quick novel you need. For fans of horror stories, “William” is key to a terrifying read.

The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer. Terri has been reading since she was 3 years old and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 13,000 books.