‘A Psalm for the Wild Built’ is told from the perspective of Dex, an ambiguous character whose role in society is to brew tea and be a friendly ear for the people they meet. In Dex’s world, robots, once widespread, gained sentence hundreds of years ago. Seeking their purpose, the robots asked to leave and live undisturbed. Humanity agreed, and gave robots half of the world that soon transformed into untouched wilds.

Dex, superficially happy but unsatisfied with life, decides to explore the wilds and make a pilgrimage to some ancient human ruins there. On their way they encounter Mosscap, the first robot humanity has encountered for centuries, who joins them on their pilgrimage. 

Despite what it may seem, this isn’t really a story about robots. It’s not a tale about a collapsed civilisation, or a book about a robot and a human learning to co-exist on a quest. Really, it’s about exploring how as individuals we measure the value in our lives through these characters. 

I’m in my mid-30s, and questions about the legacy I’m leaving and the impact I’ve had and will have, have been on my mind for a while now. So while the surface story was fine, it was the themes of the book that really resonated with me. I think anyone will enjoy this story, but if you’re someone who’s still questioning your place in the world, this book will resonate with you more like it has for me.