Machines Like Me occurs in an alternative 1980s London. Britain has lost the Falklands War Margaret Thatcher battles Tony Benn for power and Alan Turing achieves a breakthrough in artificial intelligence. In a world not quite like this one two lovers will be tested beyond their understanding. Charlie drifting through life and dodging full-time employment is in love with Miranda a bright student who lives with a terrible secret. When Charlie comes into money he buys Adam one of the first batch of synthetic humans. With Miranda's assistance he co-designs Adam's personality. This near-perfect human is beautiful strong and clever--a love triangle soon forms. These three beings will confront a profound moral dilemma. Ian McEwan's subversive and entertaining new novel poses fundamental questions: What makes us human? Our outward deeds or our inner lives? Could a machine understand the human heart? This provocative and thrilling tale warns against the power to invent things beyond our control.