The Diamond Age, or, Young Lady's Illustrated Primer Study Guide

The Diamond Age is a science-fiction novel that anticipates the development of nanotechnology and reflects on its social consequences. The action revolves around three main characters: Nell, a little girl who grows up to become an important player in her world with the help of a "magical" storybook; John Percival Hackworth, the author and software engineer behind the book; and finally, Miranda, an actor who provides the interactive voice for the characters in the book and who forms a bond with the reader through the book's networked interface. The novel takes place on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, near the Asian continent. The Diamond Age is set in the later part of the twenty-first century, although no exact time reference is provided. The novel also examines the potential for social divisions in a world where there is no country and where the rules of the free market determine the fate of society. (read more)