Synopsis
Annie Bot was created to be the perfect girlfriend for her human owner Doug. Designed to satisfy his emotional and physical needs, she has dinner ready for him every night, wears the pert outfits he orders for her, and adjusts her libido to suit his moods. True, she’s not the greatest at keeping Doug’s place spotless, but she’s trying to please him. She’s trying hard.
She’s learning, too.
Doug says he loves that Annie’s AI makes her seem more like a real woman, so Annie explores human traits such as curiosity, secrecy, and longing. But becoming more human also means becoming less perfect, and as Annie’s relationship with Doug grows more intricate and difficult, she starts to wonder: Does Doug really desire what he says he wants? And in such an impossible paradox, what does Annie owe herself?
Rating
★★★
Thoughts
My love of the dystopian television show Westworld (outstanding story, cast, and music) was the main reason I picked this one up. While I don’t consume a lot of sci-fi in any format, once in awhile, a story comes along that I just cannot refuse. One of the things I find most satisfying in a good sci-fi story is the focus on human morals and values, as well as how they could be influenced by different manmade variables. And this story provided that.
This is a strong debut by author Sierra Greer. The feminist tones are prominent. The themes of power and domestic abuse are dominant in this story. Many times, I realized that Annie’s AI struggles are not very different from my own as a woman. There are many arguments that the human brain is just a very complex computer. As a former student of both sociology and psychology, I find these subjects endlessly interesting. This book made me think about what it means to be human and where the human race is headed since a lot of the technology mentioned in the story has already been implemented.
My only criticism of the book is that the characters felt a bit flat. I would have liked a bit more backstory, depth, and action. However, in the end, this was an interesting and thought-provoking book.