Hoover examines such socially significant topics as the many varieties of child abuse, the essential emptiness of the upper-class lifestyle, the dangers of genetic manipulation, the evils of totalitarianism, and the tendency of governments to be run for reasons other than the greatest good of the greatest number. Her most telling theme, however, may well be class prejudice.

Perhaps because they have accepted without question the values of their parents, perhaps because they need something to shore up their own fragile egos, children are often quick to define the world in terms of us versus them, worthwhile people versus worthless people, and Merry is no exception.

Without being consciously aware that she is doing it, Merry makes unwarranted assumptions about the lives of the servants who take care of her, and they reciprocate in kind. They are there to serve her, just like the robots. She...