Chaos on CatNet: Sequel to Catfishing on CatNet

by Naomi Kritzer

Overview

LODESTAR AWARD NOMINEE FOR BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK

"Chaos on CatNet is deliciously readable, fully as fast-paced and heartfelt as its predecessor."-- New York Times

"This book is perfect."-- New York Times Book Review on Catfishing on CatNet

It takes an AI to catch an AI in Chaos on CatNet, the follow-up to Naomi Kritzer's award-winning near future YA thriller.

When a mysterious entity starts hacking into social networks and chat rooms to instigate paranoia and violence in the real world, it's up to Steph and her new friend, Nell, to find a way to stop it--with the help of their benevolent AI friend, CheshireCat.

Praise for Catfishing on CatNet

A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice/Staff Pick
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book
A Junior Library Guild Selection
An Edgar Award Winner for Best Young Adult Novel
A Minnesota Book Award Winner for Best Young Adult Novel
An Andre Norton Nebula Award Finalist
An ITW Thriller Award for Best YA Novel Nominee
A Lodestar Award Winner for Best Young Adult Book
Midwest Connections Pick (Midwest Independent Booksellers Association)

"A first-rate YA novel."--Locus Magazine

"Positive, realistic LGBTQIA+ representation--especially nonbinary identities. Wickedly funny and thrilling in turns; perfect for readers coming-of-age online."--Kirkus (starred review)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250165213
Publisher:	Tor Publishing Group
Publication date:	04/26/2022
Series:	A CatNet Novel , #2
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.35(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.20(d)
Lexile:	810L (what's this?)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

NAOMI KRITZER (she/her) has been making friends online since her teens, when she had to use a modem to dial up at 2400 baud. She is a writer and blogger who has published a number of short stories and novels for adults, including the Eliana's Song duology and the Dead Rivers Trilogy. Her 2015 short story "Cat Pictures Please" won the Hugo Award and Locus Award and was a finalist for the Nebula. Kritzer lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with her family and four cats. The number of cats is subject to change without notice.

Editorial Reviews

PRAISE FOR CATFISHING ON CATNET

"A pure delight...that's as tender and funny as it is gripping and fast-paced. This book is perfect. From the believable teenage voices to the shockingly effective thriller plot, it swings effortlessly from charming humor to visceral terror, grounding it all in beautiful friendships, budding romance, and radical acceptance."-- The New York Times Book Review

"A first-rate YA novel." -- Locus Magazine

"Bold and absurd and a whole lot of fun." -- NPR

"An absolutely charming and incredibly gripping, superbly plotted YA thriller. Kritzer's ability to portray the warm comfort of online friendships, the sense of belonging and safety that comes from having a community that has your back is the perfect complement for her ability to spin a story that's both technologically plausible and full of delightful and unpredictable twists and turns." -- Cory Doctorow, NYT bestselling author of Little Brother

"Positive, realistic LGBTQIA+ representation--especially nonbinary identities. Wickedly funny and thrilling in turns; perfect for readers coming-of-age online."
Kirkus, starred review

"Kritzer's take on a benevolent AI is both whimsical and poignant. An entertaining, heart-filled exploration of today's online existence and privacy concerns."
Publishers Weekly, starred review

"An intriguing concept that is a good pick for larger libraries and readers captivated with unique AI tales."
School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2021-02-05
Shortly after the events of the first book, Catfishing on CatNet (2019), Steph and AI CheshireCat uncover a dangerous social media plot.

Steph’s father is now behind bars; Steph and her mother are no longer living on the run and have settled in a not-too-distant future Minneapolis marked by positive social changes brought on by the protests of 2020. At her new school, she befriends Nell, a fellow new student who, after her mother’s disappearance, has been sent away from her fundamentalist, end-times–predicting cult to live with her father in his polyamorous household. Her father’s second wife and their respective girlfriends are positively portrayed while Nell, who joins Steph and CheshireCat as a narrator, grapples with the attitudes and biases she’s been taught. A fellow student recruits Steph and Nell into an app-based game that assigns personalized tasks; Nell recognizes its interface as being similar to one used by her religious sect. While attempting to rescue Nell’s girlfriend, who has gone missing, Nell and Steph piece together a plot concerning someone who is manipulating social media apps and games in order to incite real-life violence. The who and why greatly raise the stakes. The storyline raises chilling questions about online manipulation, surveillance, and free will. Although the main human characters are White, the racial, gender, and sexuality diversity of Minneapolis is shown through numerous named side characters.

A tightly plotted thriller with scary what-if implications. (author’s note) (Thriller. 13-adult)

Kirkus Reviews