The Mother Code

Some stories are so unique, yet so universal, that it is wonder they aren’t a part of the human fable already. Carole Stivers’s THE MOTHER CODE, is such a novel. Simply written but powerful, chock full of ideas and extrapolations about what it means to be a mother and all that such a word implies. Both apocalyptic, yet hopeful, treat yourself to this story. You’ll be well rewarded. - James Rollins

Set against a post-pandemic apocalypse, biochemist Carole Stivers’s The Mother Code offers it all: intriguingly flawed characters; compelling action; and, that most elusive of things, a fresh plot-children raised from birth by mother bots. The Mother Code asks us to reimagine the limitations of artificial intelligence and the costs of species survival, and in doing so, offers a profound meditation on motherhood and what it means to be human. Stivers is a brilliant storyteller! - Lori Ostlund

I could not put down The Mother Code! Part action adventure, part sci-fi, the novel is suspenseful and cinematic and such a pleasure to read. Carole Stivers is a masterful storyteller and she has combined science, technology and history to tell a beautiful story of humanity and love. - Devi S. Laskar

Carole Stivers is far from the first to wonder if motherhood can be scientifically replicated, but this is a thoughtful and thought-provoking addition to that meditation,. An end-of-times tale that focuses less on what has been lost and more on what and who might be saved (and how.) Stivers’ wonderful story settles right on the line between human and machine, as blame and threat and rescue and love shift from character to character in surprising and powerful ways - Karen Joy Fowler

Biochemist Stivers’s sweeping, cinematic debut raises probing questions about the nature of family and human connection… This dystopia is painful, provocative, and ultimately infused with hope - Publishers Weekly, starred review

The Mother Code is a dystopian tale for all, which is scarily relevant right now - Press Association review

The Mother Code is a dystopian tale for all - The Irish News (Belfast)

The Mother Code is a dystopian tale for all, which is scarily relevant right now - The Irish Examiner